Stephanie's Story

"Umm yeah, she has diabetes". Those were the exact words the ER doctor told my parents the day I was diagnosed. I had all the symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), constant thirst, loss of appetite, frequent urination, and was very lethargic, but I thought nothing of it; its symptoms are often confused for the flu.
My blood sugar was 718, almost 6 times the amount it's supposed to be. The ER and ICU nurses were baffled about how I went about my day; taking the train to school and walking from one campus building to another without issues, with it being so high. I was a freshman in college and had failing grades the first two years because I couldn't find a balance between managing my health and dealing with school. It got to a scary point where my financial aid was in jeopardy. Without that, I most likely would not have been able to further my education.
Fast forward two more years, my senior year of college, and I made it onto the Dean's List and got invited to be a member of Sigma Beta Delta: International Honor Society of Business, Management, and Administration. All the breakdowns and constant battles with my own body had lead to something truly amazing!
I would have never been able to overcome this if it weren't for the ongoing support of my amazing family and discovering the online diabetes community (ODC). Interacting with others who are just like me has turned into something I would never want to let go. Whether it be asking for advice on T1D or just chatting about the latest episode of a show or laughing at a meme, the ODC makes me focus on the upsides of T1D and not constantly on the downsides.

Stephanie Chaparro