“Fear Nothing”

by Tristan, November 16, 2011

Hi my name is Tristin. I am 9 years old. When I was 2 years old I got really sick and the doctors told my mom and dad that I had diabetes. I can do everything other kids my age do but I also have to prick my finger to test my blood sugar 7 times a day to make sure it is not too high or worse too low. I test when I wake up, before all snacks, before all meals, before bed and even in the middle of the night. When my blood sugar is hi I have to get extra insulin. When it is too low I have to eat fruit snacks or a fruit juice and I miss out on activities at school. Without the insulin I take through my pump I would be very very sick and could die. The grown ups around me have to count carbs on every piece of food I eat so that I do not get too many and that the correct number gets put into my insulin pump which figures out how much insulin I need. Right now I can check myself and can find carbs on packaged food but my mom and dad and other grown-ups watch over what I do. They also have to change my site where my insulin goes every couple of days and that hurts a little but it is better than a lot of shots. This past summer thanks to Mr. Bret Michaels, I got to go to diabetes camp for the very first time. I was so excited because it was the very first time ever my mom and dad let me go somewhere without them. I got to be just a regular kid for a whole week. It was so great because every kid there was just like me….I was not alone anymore and everyone had to do the same things…testing, blousing, counting carbs, midnight checks, etc. I learned so much and cannot wait to go again this coming summer. Diabetes is hard but I really don’t mind most of the time but it sure would be nice to not have to do all of this and be like all the other kids. I will never let diabetes control me or my life…I will do what I want when I want…I just have to use make sure I check my blood sugar and take care of myself. Like Bret says…”Fear Nothing”. His diabetes has not stopped him and I will not let it stop me from reaching my dreams.