Inspired by Diabetes: October 2009

My Inspiration

My mom: After watching my mother’s health deteriorate over the last several years, in part because of her diabetes, I was diagnosed with diabetes.

Me: I always knew my Nana had diabetes I just didn’t know what it was and how it would affect me in life. Well when I found out that my mom had diabetes then I knew that it was something big and bad.

My mom: I was diagnosed relatively early since the doctors had been checking my glucose when they ran my annual cholesterol test. I wasn’t really surprised because I have a family history of diabetes, but given my mother’s struggles it was scary . The good thing was that it made me determined to get my diabetes under control and to keep it that way.

I checked several books out from the library and my diabetes educator gave me a list of websites that had good information. One of those websites was the American Diabetes Association. They had a lot of good information for people who are newly diagnosed. I bought a glucometer, changed my eating habits, quit drinking sodas and started walking every night after dinner.

My daughter Genevieve was 10 years old at the time and very worried for me. All she knew about diabetes at the time was that my mother had it, her health was bad and she had to take insulin and check her glucose. I was realizing that my family and I had a lot to learn.

Me: Later on, in the summer of 2006 my Nana was taken by diabetes and that’s when it hit me. I needed to do something and I needed to act fast or diabetes would take someone else from me.

My mom:I decided that learning more about the disease would make it less scary for her. So I did my best to help her learn about diabetes and what I was doing to control it.

In order to further both of our education we made plans to attend the Diabetes Expo.

Me: In September 2007, I decided to do my Girl Scout Bronze Award on diabetes. My best friend Brandi was working with me and we have been helping volunteer ever since.

My mom: In the fall of 2007, Genevieve was in her last year as a Junior Girl Scout and decided to earn her Girl Scout Bronze award. This is the highest award that a Junior Girl Scout can earn.

She and Brandi decided to help educate the public about the diabetes risk factors to watch for and what you can do to minimize your risk. Because of the information that we had received earlier in the year about the American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Expo, we decided to contact them to find out what they could do to help.

Me: We met with Beverly and Janette at the American Diabetes Association one day and told them about our project. They helped us with the design for signs and banners that we made. They were very encouraging and supportive the whole time.

As I learned more about the dangers of diabetes I started worrying. But my mom has worked really hard at managing her diabetes and has had hardly any trouble with that. In my everyday life, I keep myself from getting diabetes at a young age by eating right and exercising as well.

My mom: As Genevieve worked on her project and we met with the American Diabetes Association staff we discovered that we enjoyed volunteering for American Diabetes Association events like Diabetes Expo. I especially liked Diabetes Expo because there is so much information available.

Me: My Mom and I have volunteered for a little more than a year now and I don’t see me stopping any time soon because all the people that work at the ADA are so nice and always supportive.

My mom: Last year when Beverly asked me to be in charge of the Youth Zone at the Diabetes Expo, I was happy to help. I must have done something right because they asked me to help again this year.

Me: I hope that someone can find a cure for this wild disease before it is every single living person that has diabetes instead of just some.

Elli - Inspired by Her Mother

What's your name?
Elli

What's your inspiration?
My beautiful mother inspires me to prevent diabetes. She was diagnosed 32 years ago with Type I diabetes and, in recent years, has been hit hard by the disease. My mom raised my brother and me on her own and she took every precaution to ensure her diabetes was under control. Unfortunately, my mom's diabetes is so advanced and she has had numerous health problems that were unable to be prevented. She lives each day with an unmatched strength and optimisim that inspires me to do as much as I can with my own life. Even with her declining health, my mother still has the priorities of a selfless mother: to let her kids' dreams come true.

Although it is hard to be away from her (I live in Utah to go to school and she is home in Colorado), she encourages me to follow my dreams and continue to go to school, no matter how sick she gets. Her selflessness and encouragement inspires me every day. Whenever I get down, I think about my mom and how much strength and beauty she radiates even in the face of this ugly disease. I think about the sacrifices she made so I could be happy and healthy.

What's one lesson you want people to learn about diabetes?
One person with diabetes affects an entire army of others. Because of my mom's diabetes, my grandma has donated her kidney (for a transplant in 1999), my aunt has taken her in her home so she is closer to the better doctors in her neighborhood, and all her friends from various parts of the country have flown in to take care of my mom. It seems everyone in my mom's life is knowledgable about the disease, which is the first step to preventing diabetes.

I think the best and most effective power is knowledge. The more people learn about diabetes, the more managable it becomes. The more people you have in your life that support you after you've been diagnosed, the fear and trauma will subside. You have to gather your loved ones and teach them. Everyone has to learn together and diabetes has to be a team effort in order for it to be controlled, in my experience. All the people that love my mom the most know how to calculate insulin levels or take blood sugars.

Little things like that make my mom's condition more managable for her.

Step Out

On September 26th I was at Step Out For Diabetes walk. I collected some stories thanks to you who came my project is becoming an overwhelming success. While I was there I met some really cool people with very interesting stories. I also had over 1000 fliers with me that day, and I maybe came home with 500. Thanks to all who helped me and also to Grant. He has helped a lot with this and I wouldn't even have a blog without him.
~Gen

Inspired by Diabetes

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Elli - Inspired by Her Mother

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Inspired by Diabetes

Tell your inspiration

Inspiration Introduction

Archived Inspirations

Networked Blogs

Inspirational Information

My Inspiration

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Elli - Inspired by Her Mother

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