Taking On Responsibility Essay, Research Paper

Taking on Responsibility

When I was diagnosed with diabetes I had to take on some responsibilities.

Lately I had been feeling sick, drinking a lot, and going to the bathroom a lot. So my mom took me to the doctor to see what was wrong. I don?t remember much of it because I was only three years old. The doctor took some blood and told us to sit in the waiting room. My parents were pretty scared and nervous. I was still crying from that needle they stuck in my arm. Finally the doctor came out with tears in his eyes. We looked at him with a scared expression. He told us that I had a high blood sugar, which meant I had diabetes. All of a sudden my parents were hugging and kissing me, but why? I had no idea what was going on. Why was the doctor crying? Well it turned out that 20 years earlier on that same exact day two of his kids were diagnosed with diabetes.

What are the needles for? Why am I getting all of these shots? I had no clue as to what was going on. My parents had to learn: when to feed me, how much, what I could and couldn?t have, how much insulin to give me, all of this stuff that they were oblivious to, so I was, more so than they were.

After a while I had to learn how to poke my finger, instead of learning the ABC?s. Why did I get weak and sweaty at times? Why didn?t I feel good sometimes? That was either because I needed food or had to much to eat.

I had to take on a lot of responsibility. I had to know how to read my blood sugars, hot to give a shot, what I couldn?t eat, when I could eat, and to deal with it. It wasn?t fun, it still isn?t, and I?m sure it never will be.

We learned that I can eat anything, just not a lot of it. The doctor I go to see every three months says I?m doing great. I?ve had diabetes for 12 years now. And I know how to take care of myself and that there is a big responsibility for having diabetes.

Bibliography

Derek