Christina Haywood

I was 4 days old when they discovered I was a diabetic. My nurse could smell how foul my urine was and smelled the sweetness as well. She got the doctor and they did the testing at that time that was available. I was born at an unwed mother’s home and was being put up for adoption. I was told they went to my mother and Nana and told them I would probably not be adopted now and would be put in a group home environment but would probably grow up in a foster type system if I lived long enough. Being a newborn was not a likely change to survive in that type of homing. My mother had just turned 15 a month earlier so her choices in 1968-69 while pregnant were not wise, thus my pancreas suffered because of her choices. My Nana then said they would need to prepare the home and get training to care for me. Six weeks later I went home with my Nana. She was my primary care giver until she passed when I was 11. I went to Camp Conrad Chinnock in big Bear California when I was 7 and that became my family/support for the next 8 yrs. Without that to look forward to and see who would come back was the joy to get me through each year. I ended up in foster care anyway and with a T1D foster mom at one of the homes. I went on my own at 17. Had to ration insulin to afford it. I had 1800 blood sugars and 14 mgl while pregnant at one point. I have level 2 kidney disease. Have had lasers for retinopathy. I have diabetic neuropathy and diabetic stomach. I was offered the pancreas transplant and refused it (T1D is nothing compared to the thought of transplant meds and rejection). BUT I have two adult children, three grandsons, a husband of 28 yrs. And not one of them have diabetes. T1 is manageable. T1 I can have a full life. Go where I want, see what I want and do what I want, including riding a trike Can AM Spyder. I have a full life and have overcome all that has been put at my feet. I am now a t:slim/Dexcom user. Before my first pump I was at 110 units a day of fast acting and 50 of long acting. Upwards of 10 shots a day and testing 5-10 times a day. A1c was 12. I am now at 45-55 units a day of Novolog and A1c 6.6-7.3. A cure will not be seen by me, I am sure. But if I die knowing that should my grandkids ever be dx’s or my great grands, that they can be cured or be better managed then I was, that is worth all the pain I have endured from T1. I hope my kids and my grandkids see me as thriving with this rather then dying of it. This July 20, 2025 will be 56 years. I always tell people the day we went to the moon, my pancreas was on board liked the view so much, it stayed on the moon. T1 is manageable. I have a full life. I go where I want, see what I want and do what I want.