Jaedyn Gabaldon

In the summer of 2012 I was on vacation with my sister and my grandparents. We drove to California from Colorado to go to Disneyland. It was my first time there and I had such an amazing time. I didn’t wanna come home, but sadly, after a week, it was time. Upon the drive home, I started to get very sick, with constant thirst, having to use the restroom every 20 minutes, and I couldn’t keep anything down. I was so miserable. I remember my grandparents holding hands in the car and whispering about me, and I heard them pray to God that it wasn’t what they thought. My grandfather has type 2 diabetes, so he knew the symptoms. Little did they know their worst fear for me would come true. When we were finally home, I tried to get some rest to feel better. Unfortunately, getting sick for me wasn’t anything new. I’ve always had complications with my health since birth. After a week and still not getting better, that’s when I finally went to the doctor to see my pediatrician. my blood sugar was 690. I was scared and confused because I didn’t know what was going on or why my mom and grandpa were crying and holding me. I thought I was gonna die. From there I had to go to the hospital where I got the proper treatment shortly after. While in the hospital, I remember my mom trying to explain that my life was gonna change and try to explain that I had type one diabetes. I was seven years old just two weeks shy from my eighth birthday. Being so young I didn’t fully understand, but I had knew that everything was going to change and my world would be flipped upside down. “Lucky” me, I am the only person on my entire mom and dad side, who has type one diabetes, even still to this day. I had a hard time coming to terms, that I would be sick for the rest of my life. I was constantly sick growing up, and I just felt that life was not fair because I’ve always wondered why me. I have come to terms with it and live my life day by day. Of course I have my bad days as one does. I try not to take every day for granted because I’ve had my fair share a bad days with my diabetes, such as passing out from low blood sugars and getting seizures after, due to other health problems that set me into my DKA about 12 times, and overall days where I want to quit. I do a lot better now with coping and managing my bad days. I am 20 now, attending the University of Colorado Boulder, majoring in psychology with a minor in dance. It’s been 12 (almost 13) years, and I still have a long journey ahead of me, but I am strong and I will continue to live my life. I may have type 1 diabetes, but type 1 diabetes doesn’t have me.