Carissa Bailey

On September 24, 1997 my mother took me in to my pediatrician for my yearly physical at nine years old. Where they checked my blood and my blood sugar was 399. The doctor said this cant be she is functioning fine maybe the battery was dying in the glucose meter they rechecked it again and sure enough I was 399. They told my mom to rush me to Nemours Children Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida. Where I spent a week in the hospital learning and managing about my diabetes under the care of Dr. Nelly Maurus. I have come to terms with this disease that it can be managed with the right food source, exercise, and knowing signs. I was a gymnast and earned a gymnastics scholarship to the University of Bridgeport. Pumps were something I could not use. And being an athlete means I needed to make sure I managed my diabetes tighter. I still run an A1C between 6.6 to 6.8 within the 27 years of having this disease. I have two beautiful children to which I carried full term. Who understand the importance of my disease and how to stay healthy. I am grateful I still have the chance to create a beautiful life with the medical development of diabetes.