I Have Diabetes

Written and Illustrated by Nathan Goble

Hi! My name is Nathan. I am nine years old. I’m in Cub Scouts. I play the piano. I am in the children’s choir at church. I am in the Star Wars Fan Club. Oh, I also have diabetes.

Let me tell you about diabetes. It’s a disease that keeps my body from using sugar the way it should. A part of my body called the pancreas doesn’t make insulin like yours does.

Insulin helps the body use sugar from food so you can run, play, and even go to school.

I didn’t always have diabetes. I got it when I was five. I was thirsty and hungry. My body couldn’t work right. My mom took me to the doctor. He saw that I was very sick. The nurse took some of my blood to be checked. The test showed that there was a bunch of sugar in my blood. So the doctor told my mom that I needed to go to the hospital. He told her what was wrong, that I had diabetes.

I was in the hospital for ten days. I got better because I started getting shots of insulin. I take an insulin shot every morning and every night. The shots feel like a little pinch sometimes. Sometimes they don’t hurt at all.

I check my blood sugar every day. I use a meter. I poke my finger with a small needle-like tool called a lancet. A drop of blood comes out. I put the drop on a special strip. Then I wait about forty-five seconds for a number to show up on the meter. I can tell by the number if my blood has too much or not enough sugar. This way, I know how I’m doing. If it’s a little high, then I need to exercise. If it’s a little low, then I need to eat some food, like an apple or banana and milk.

I keep track of my numbers in a book. I show these to my parents and to my doctor. That way, they can make sure I am doing OK.

I eat regular meals and I eat snacks. I can’t eat foods with a lot of sugar. I have to stay on a schedule. That way the insulin can work. I have to remember to eat food that is healthy. I need to eat the right amount of food, too.

Sometimes my blood sugar gets very low. Then I need to eat or drink something with a lot of sugar. If I don’t, I might have an insulin reaction. I feel very bad then. I feel shaky and sweaty. I sometimes feel very hungry and weak, too.

I always keep some glucose pills or candy with me so that I can eat it to bring my blood sugar up if it gets too low. My family and friends can also give me something if I am too weak and can’t do it myself.

I wear a special necklace that says I have diabetes. This tells people who don’t know me that I need special care if I get hurt or sick.

Most of the time I feel fine. Sometimes I do get sad. I feel left out when my friends are eating candy or cupcakes and I can’t. I feel different sometimes, but I’m a regular kid. I just have diabetes.

If I take care of myself and do what the doctor says, I’ll be fine. I can grow up to be an astronaut, a scientist, or even a doctor. I am just like you. I do things like you. I just have diabetes.