Sidney

From her mom, Kahla:

My diabetes journey began when I was five years old. I never really understood what was going on, even though numerous doctors and my parents tried to explain it to me. All I knew was that before I went to the hospital, I was sick and miserable. Afterwards things changed a lot, but I felt better, despite the needles and machines. The worst part about diabetes for me was that I was scared of needles, not the fact that I couldn’t eat what I wanted. However, all I had to do was hold my father’s hand, close my eyes, and the shot would be over with. That’s when insulin pumps and Dexcoms came along. Surprisingly, I was even more terrified of these things than the shots! Even though you couldn’t directly see the needle, I knew it was there and was going to stay inside of me for at least three days. Eventually, though, I got over my fear of them. But still, I wouldn’t change my dexcom or pump site myself.

When I reached 6th grade, I found out my church was doing a winter camp. All of my friends were attending, so of course I wanted to go. Unfortunately, I hadn’t learned to be independent in managing my diabetes yet, so my parents said no. When summer rolled around, I begged my parents to let me go to my church’s summer camp. I learned how to change my site, how to manage my blood sugar, and how to properly carb count for meals. I already had an understanding of it, I just couldn’t confidently care for myself on my own until this time.

I continued to attend my church’s middle school and high school camps and became increasingly independent over the years. However, I’ve also learned there are more things than just what I can or can’t eat that set me apart from the other kids my age. My freshman year in high school, I served on the kitchen team for the middle school winter camp. One amazing thing about it was how I was able to assist another diabetic, who was freshly diagnosed, with carb counting for crazy high carb meals! (Think 50 carb dessert every meal, plus bread, plus juice/lemonade!) Despite this amazing opportunity, I didn’t care for myself as well as I had in the past. There was no curfew for the kitchen team, so I went to sleep late and woke up early. This resulted in me being too tired to wake up for my alarms, which seriously worried my parents.

While I’ve had my share of blood sugar scares over the ten years I’ve had diabetes, it’s mostly been a positive experience. I’ve never had a seizure or passed out like so many have, but I’ve also learned important things about myself. I’ve learned to be independent, responsible, resilient, and make better, healthier decisions than those around me. While I would do anything to be cured of my diabetes, I’m appreciative of the things I’ve learned from it.