- J
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- D
Each of us has had defining moments in our lives that become cemented in our memory. My first defining moment came when I was diagnosed with diabetes at 8 years old, three days before I started third grade. Despite the fact that my doctor said that I would need to stay in the hospital for four days, I was determined to get out of the hospital ahead of schedule and make it to the first day of school. Because of my persistence and dauntless attitude, I met that goal and was out of the hospital in time to be in class with all of my friends to meet Mr. Murphy and tackle the first day of third grade.
This very first experience with diabetes became a pattern for my diabetes control over the next several years. I was vigilant and obsessive over my diabetes routines. I was determined to give myself every insulin shot without help, to be on top of my blood sugar readings, and to never allow myself to fall into the sin of high blood sugar.
Diabetes is a complex disease, but the control of diabetes can be boiled down to two main things: test your blood sugar often, and count all of the carbs in your food, so you know how much insulin to give. For several years, life with diabetes was simple--Mom packed a lunch, wrote the number of carbs in the lunch on the paper bag, Josh tested his blood sugar and gave the exact amount of insulin needed, and the blood sugar stayed perfect. We knew how many carbs were in each meal that we ate as a family. We never ate out, we measured our mashed potatoes using measuring cups, and I had diabetes control down to a science.
Then puberty hit, and like most 12-13 year olds, my body, my emotions, my daily routines all started to change. The hormonal changes and overwhelming appetite of a growing boy made diabetes control more difficult. Soon I was in high school eating on-the-go more often and living a busier lifestyle. When I was 12, I got an insulin pump, which was such a blessing to this change in lifestyle. I had more freedom to live a normal life without worrying so much about diabetes.
With this added freedom, however, a lackadaisical approach to diabetes started to creep into my life. I was more confident in my ability to just feel where my blood sugar was rather than needing to test it, especially when it wasn't convenient. I never made a choice to stop being a diligent diabetic, but over time I lost some of that childlike zeal and consistency that I had maintained for several years. Still, I was determined to regain that ground and be in charge of diabetes.
Over 15 years, I have tried many different diabetes management methods from using an insulin pump to the injections only. Despite my best efforts, diabetes has still proven difficult and unpredictable and I have not been satisfied with my control, always striving to regain that control and consistency I displayed as a young boy.
Two years ago I was able to test out a revolutionary new tool called a Continuous Glucose Monitor, a device which makes this consistency to be much more achievable. The CGM is inserted just below the surface of the skin, testing the blood sugar every 15 seconds, and beaming that reading to a receiver in my pocket. This results in a beautiful graph and a much more complete picture of what is happening with my blood sugar on an hour by hour, or even minute by minute basis. For the two weeks that I tried it out, I was back to my vigilant 8 year-old self. Diabetes was a challenge to be conquered, an exciting task of patterns and micro-adjustments. For two weeks, I had the best control of my blood sugar in 10 years, and I knew that the CGM was exactly what I needed to improve my quality of life with regards to my health.
Without becoming exhaustive, the CGM allows me to see the direction that my blood sugar is headed in, rather than a quick snapshot of the current reading. Using information about the direction I am headed I will be able to avoid dangerous middle-of-the-night (or anytime) low blood sugar and notice mistakes that may result in high blood sugar before it becomes a threat. This is, in essence, what the body of a non-diabetic is programmed to do automatically. The CGM will allow me to take control of my diabetes in a way that is more like the way your body does it naturally.
The road to qualifying for a CGM has been longer and more difficult than expected. Despite setbacks along the way, I am now at a point where I will qualify for a prescription for the CGM at the end of this month, almost 15 years to the day from that life changing moment when I was diagnosed. Unsurprisingly, these devices are very expensive. I have set up a GoFundMe account to raise money towards the initial cost of a CGM which will come out of pocket. Any help you could provide in my pursuit of this step would be so greatly appreciated.
This very first experience with diabetes became a pattern for my diabetes control over the next several years. I was vigilant and obsessive over my diabetes routines. I was determined to give myself every insulin shot without help, to be on top of my blood sugar readings, and to never allow myself to fall into the sin of high blood sugar.
Diabetes is a complex disease, but the control of diabetes can be boiled down to two main things: test your blood sugar often, and count all of the carbs in your food, so you know how much insulin to give. For several years, life with diabetes was simple--Mom packed a lunch, wrote the number of carbs in the lunch on the paper bag, Josh tested his blood sugar and gave the exact amount of insulin needed, and the blood sugar stayed perfect. We knew how many carbs were in each meal that we ate as a family. We never ate out, we measured our mashed potatoes using measuring cups, and I had diabetes control down to a science.
Then puberty hit, and like most 12-13 year olds, my body, my emotions, my daily routines all started to change. The hormonal changes and overwhelming appetite of a growing boy made diabetes control more difficult. Soon I was in high school eating on-the-go more often and living a busier lifestyle. When I was 12, I got an insulin pump, which was such a blessing to this change in lifestyle. I had more freedom to live a normal life without worrying so much about diabetes.
With this added freedom, however, a lackadaisical approach to diabetes started to creep into my life. I was more confident in my ability to just feel where my blood sugar was rather than needing to test it, especially when it wasn't convenient. I never made a choice to stop being a diligent diabetic, but over time I lost some of that childlike zeal and consistency that I had maintained for several years. Still, I was determined to regain that ground and be in charge of diabetes.
Over 15 years, I have tried many different diabetes management methods from using an insulin pump to the injections only. Despite my best efforts, diabetes has still proven difficult and unpredictable and I have not been satisfied with my control, always striving to regain that control and consistency I displayed as a young boy.
Two years ago I was able to test out a revolutionary new tool called a Continuous Glucose Monitor, a device which makes this consistency to be much more achievable. The CGM is inserted just below the surface of the skin, testing the blood sugar every 15 seconds, and beaming that reading to a receiver in my pocket. This results in a beautiful graph and a much more complete picture of what is happening with my blood sugar on an hour by hour, or even minute by minute basis. For the two weeks that I tried it out, I was back to my vigilant 8 year-old self. Diabetes was a challenge to be conquered, an exciting task of patterns and micro-adjustments. For two weeks, I had the best control of my blood sugar in 10 years, and I knew that the CGM was exactly what I needed to improve my quality of life with regards to my health.
Without becoming exhaustive, the CGM allows me to see the direction that my blood sugar is headed in, rather than a quick snapshot of the current reading. Using information about the direction I am headed I will be able to avoid dangerous middle-of-the-night (or anytime) low blood sugar and notice mistakes that may result in high blood sugar before it becomes a threat. This is, in essence, what the body of a non-diabetic is programmed to do automatically. The CGM will allow me to take control of my diabetes in a way that is more like the way your body does it naturally.
The road to qualifying for a CGM has been longer and more difficult than expected. Despite setbacks along the way, I am now at a point where I will qualify for a prescription for the CGM at the end of this month, almost 15 years to the day from that life changing moment when I was diagnosed. Unsurprisingly, these devices are very expensive. I have set up a GoFundMe account to raise money towards the initial cost of a CGM which will come out of pocket. Any help you could provide in my pursuit of this step would be so greatly appreciated.