Courtney Titus

I was in the 4th grade when I was diagnosed at age nine — almost 10 years old. For about a week at school I would be constantly using the bathroom, I wouldn’t eat much of my food throughout the day, and at recess I would just sit and do nothing having no energy and being so tired all the time all of a sudden. Still, having not said anything to my parents because I had really wanted to go to my friends sleepover birthday party on Friday. Having going to the party after we had cake I had finally had to call my mom and have her pick me up because I was feeling extremely unwell. We decided it best that I sleep on the couch so she could keep an eye on me and at some point during the middle of the night I woke up to use the restroom and having rested my head against the wall, being so tired because I had started to vomit. Eventually being able to stop and wake my mom she helped me back to the couch and went to grab me a Gatorade and crackers but I unfortunately couldn’t keep that down or anything at that matter.

Finally after many hours of being sick my pediatricians office opened and my mom took me in, I was laying in the backseat wrapped in my comforter, I was so lethargic my mom had to carry me in because I was unable to walk at that point. My pediatrician told my mom they didn’t know what was wrong and recommended she take me to the children’s hospital. Once there they started running tests and in those they found out my blood sugar was in the 1100s and I needed insulin and that all of my symptoms matched up to being diabetic.

It’s been a tough road over the last 19 years I’ve been diabetic but I am thankful for all the support I’ve had and been able to find throughout the community and camps. And I myself help pass on advice or my own stories when I meet newly diagnosed when they ask to help them know they aren’t alone and it does get easier.