The Infection
Sickness comes and goes like the flowing breeze in autumn. But diseases like diabetes, those stick around like the harsh and stagnant air of winter. And one such air, if it could be called that, is known by the name of diabetes. I like to believe that I am a fairly ordinary person. I eat, sleep, talk to my friends and family, and I have likes and dislikes.
Additionally, I was born into a family that loves me and helps at every step of my life, which is more than some can say. It’s not like I don’t have my own problems and whatnot, but that has only occurred much more recently. It was nowhere when I was far younger. I was only around the of age seven when it happened. I was in school and suddenly became sick. It felt as though there were hundreds and hundreds of weights on my body.
The Symptoms
But I fought through it and notified my teacher of my condition, which he soon sent me to the nurse and she had no idea why I was so sick, so I simply waited for my parents to get me. And when my saviors arrived, they took me straight home. Although when I woke up, I had already been taken to my room.
That was until a strong thirst made itself known. But after that point, it’s a smear of colors until I arrive at the refrigerator doors. I opened the fridge and started drinking straight from a container of apple juice, with my body burning hot enough for any to see. So quickly, I was taken to the doctors and put into emergency care. After some increment of time that escapes me, I was diagnosed with the infliction of diabetes.
Diabetes Insipidus
After that, most days were confusing for me, not only grappling with new emotions or my new routine in order to keep myself healthy with what seemed like monitoring at every minute and moment of my days. There were still some highlights of my days.
Like talking with family, making friends, and even getting to know more about my school’s nurse. I generally didn’t really act as though my diabetes had affected me, although my disposition had changed, and tried to keep doing what I did. This is how I went about my days for a while.
The Sit-Down
That was until my school nurse a couple of years later came and talked to me. What she told me made me consider everything I was doing and all the stories of people ending up in really bad conditions because they didn’t take their diabetes seriously enough.
It made me think about how that could happen to me. In addition to my parents hammering home the information that I needed to be very careful with my health. So I went home with that info in my heart, carrying it with me as it diseased my thoughts and actions, making me much more solitary.
It’s because of that solitary nature that I would stay away from the more active and physical things to do and instead took up reading. From reading, I went to drawing and writing. That’s how I would go about most of my days with a few friends close by.
The Cure
My revelation of how I wanted to live my life was from a mundane and simple interaction with my cousin. For some background, my cousin stayed with me through thick and thin even before I was diagnosed with diabetes.
He is always a source of comfort for me and I shared my struggle and thoughts with him. But one day, sometime in the summer of 2021, I talked to him. And I realized I didn’t need to constantly worry, day in and day out, about my health. I could live freely and how I want to.
Even if I live freely, it doesn’t mean I have to give up my health for it or vice versa. That I won’t end up like those people in the stories that had been told to me by parents and experts alike.
By Randall Buford
Top and Featured Image Courtesy of Bradley Johnson’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Alan Levine’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
