Personal Narrative: My Experience With Type 1 Diabetes
One might ask why at 15 years of age, I started working a part-time job at 30-hours a week and still maintained a grade-point average of 3.8 in school. Some might call me crazy, but I think of it more as being a responsible, dedicated, determined young woman with strong work ethics. These are some of the values instilled in me, not only by my parents, but also by an experience that changed my life.
One experience that clearly changed the responsibility I felt in my family was when my younger brother was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. My family and I, not only had to research this disease, but had to attend classes to learn about diabetes and how to care for my brother at home. Part of our education included learning the signs and symptoms of high and low blood sugars and how to treat my brother as needed. I also learned how to draw up and inject insulin into my brother’s stomach when his blood sugars were too high and injecting a Glucagon injection when his blood sugar drops so low that he loses consciousness.
Living with someone who is a diabetic forced me to be responsible for someone other than myself. My mom needed my help as my dad traveled all week and my mom, who is a nurse, had to leave the house before we left for school. I was responsible for waking up my brother, making sure …show more content…
his blood glucose was within normal limits, making sure he ate breakfast, and making sure he had his insulin and syringe supplies in his blood sugar kit. I walked him to school every morning and checked him in with the school nurse when we arrived. I essentially became a caregiver for my brother.
Dealing with diabetes has become a part of life for me. I have since become an advocate for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). I have participated in the annual fund-raising campaigns for the JDRF Walk, helping to raise thousands of dollars every year. I also have volunteered at other JDRF fund-raising sites in our local community. I am dedicated to helping JDRF to find a cure for my brother and others with Type 1 Diabetes.
My life experience with diabetes and helping to care for my brother has forced me to be responsible at an early age.
Diabetes has definitely changed my values and molded me into a more caring and determined personality in all aspects of my life. Because of my brother’s diagnosis, I have been determined to work hard for others and myself which led me to take the part-time job after school. A strong work ethic is important to me as I grew up watching both my parents work hard and manage very long hours to provide for me and my brother. Dedication to others is one of my strong attributes, as well as my determination to meet my life goals and I intend to work hard to get
there.
One experience that clearly changed the responsibility I felt in my family was when my younger brother was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. My family and I, not only had to research this disease, but had to attend classes to learn about diabetes and how to care for my brother at home. Part of our education included learning the signs and symptoms of high and low blood sugars and how to treat my brother as needed. I also learned how to draw up and inject insulin into my brother’s stomach when his blood sugars were too high and injecting a Glucagon injection when his blood sugar drops so low that he loses consciousness.
Living with someone who is a diabetic forced me to be responsible for someone other than myself. My mom needed my help as my dad traveled all week and my mom, who is a nurse, had to leave the house before we left for school. I was responsible for waking up my brother, making sure …show more content…
his blood glucose was within normal limits, making sure he ate breakfast, and making sure he had his insulin and syringe supplies in his blood sugar kit. I walked him to school every morning and checked him in with the school nurse when we arrived. I essentially became a caregiver for my brother.
Dealing with diabetes has become a part of life for me. I have since become an advocate for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). I have participated in the annual fund-raising campaigns for the JDRF Walk, helping to raise thousands of dollars every year. I also have volunteered at other JDRF fund-raising sites in our local community. I am dedicated to helping JDRF to find a cure for my brother and others with Type 1 Diabetes.
My life experience with diabetes and helping to care for my brother has forced me to be responsible at an early age.
Diabetes has definitely changed my values and molded me into a more caring and determined personality in all aspects of my life. Because of my brother’s diagnosis, I have been determined to work hard for others and myself which led me to take the part-time job after school. A strong work ethic is important to me as I grew up watching both my parents work hard and manage very long hours to provide for me and my brother. Dedication to others is one of my strong attributes, as well as my determination to meet my life goals and I intend to work hard to get
there.