Oh good grief

I'm not sure how to explain how I'm feeling right now. I guess I'll just start at the beginning. Brittany Murphy and Casey Johnson recently died, both having diabetes. I, too, was recently diagnosed and am working hard at figuring it out every day. But it's scary to have something chronic and not even just that, but to be in the 5% with Type-1, more prone for health issues. As far as causes of death, it turns out Brittany had pneumonia and anemia and instead of going to the doctor, self medicated, therefore complicating the situation and collapsing. That's a lesson in itself.


But Casey Johnson died of Diabetic Ketoacidosis - which means her blood sugar was so high for so long that her body shut down, placing her in a coma. Most diabetics are actually diagnosed this way. Insulin lowers your blood sugar, so if you aren't taking it because you don't know that you need it, then your blood sugar remains way too high, eventually leading to a coma. People collapse and are diagnosed in the ER. I am a slave to Web MD when I don't feel well and diagnosed myself. The doctor told me that I was days away from collapsing and ending up in the ER myself. I had Diabetic Ketoacidosis. I had what Casey Johnson died from.

Diabetics don't die just from slipping into a coma. When they are treated right away they come out on the other side; however, she was alone. She lay unconscious alone and died. From high blood sugar.

So I suppose it's understandable to say that I can't really explain how I feel right now. I take my insulin. I adhere to a diet. I work hard to take care of myself to the point that I am so stressed I can't sleep at night and my boyfriend and I fight. This does not help my attitude. It terrifies me.

But I found something I think that will help me. I met with a rep for the America Diabetes Assocation's Dallas office because I am going to do a fundraiser. I'm planning a networking happy hour at a local restaurant for the community to get together, meet & greet and get to know each other. And in addition, I'm donating the proceeds to the ADA. There is over $4 million in diabetic research in North Texas alone. I'm donating to that research. Casey had Type-1. There is currently no cure. Type-2 can be prevented and in some cases cured. This is 95% of all cases. But for those of us in that 5%, I want to do something. For myself.