The everyday reality of diabetes

Since being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 20 years ago, the first thing my mother does every morning is check her blood sugar levels and take her medication. 

Irene Walter grew up with an intimate knowledge of diabetes—her mother and seven of her nine siblings had type 2 diabetes, which is the most common. Although it can appear at any age, type 2 most often occurs in people over the age of 40. My mother’s youngest sister developed type 1 diabetes, a far more severe form of the disease that often develops in childhood. She died when she was just 33 years old, leaving behind two young daughters. 

“It was devastating,” Mom said. “Doris was our youngest sister and she had a tough life. Her daughters lost their mother. Doris was sick for many years and was hospitalized for more than a year at one time.” 

In the last months of her life, Aunt Doris lost her hair. Both legs were amputated above the knee. Finally, her organs began to fail and she died. We knew it was coming; still, it was no less difficult, especially for her daughters, Terri and Shari, who were 13 and 9, respectively. A few years later, Shari, too, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. She died a couple of years ago, not yet 50 years old.

“When I was diagnosed, I knew I had to take care of myself for my family,” my mother said. “I knew what could happen.” 

My mother, who turned 86 this year, monitors her blood sugar, limits her sweets intake and exercises—a lot. “I walked for years but now I go to the gym three to four times a week and take yoga a couple of times a week. I try to stay as active as I can.” 

Did I mention she’s 86 years old? 

My mother is just one of millions of Americans living with diabetes. And she has several words of advice to share: 

“Make sure you have regular physical exams and get checked for diabetes. If you are diabetic, you can get the proper medication and learn how to take care of yourself. Check with your doctor and get your annual exam,” she said.

“If you have the symptoms of diabetes, you should check with your doctor right away. If you do have it, take care of yourself and keep going to the doctor as scheduled.”

Symptoms of Diabetes

According to the Mayo Clinic, diabetes symptoms can vary depending on how much your blood sugar is elevated. Some people, especially those with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, may not experience symptoms initially. In type 1 diabetes, symptoms tend to come on quickly and be more severe.

Some of the more common signs and symptoms of type 1 and type 2 diabetes are:

• Increased thirst
• Frequent urination
• Extreme hunger
• Unexplained weight loss
• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Blurred vision
• Slow-healing sores
• Frequent infections

To find out more about the symptoms of diabetes, go the Mayo Clinic page. 

American Diabetes Month

November is American Diabetes Month. The American Diabetes Association launched a socially-focused initiative, "A Day in the Life of Diabetes," to demonstrate the increasing impact diabetes has on our families and communities nationwide. You can learn more about it at www.diabetes.org.