Dottie Powers

Dottie Powers

Westwood, Massachusetts

I have had diabetes for 28 years. To know me is to think I have the perfect life. I work full time in an elected position and raise a beautiful family.

What people do not see is how difficult my life really is, having to continuously monitor my diabetes 24 hours a day 7 days a week with no day of rest.

There is no such thing as being spontaneous. Eating whenever, whatever I want, going to the gym whenever I want and having to always leave the house prepared. Making sure I always have insulin on board, bloods testing materials, snacks and sugar in the event of a low blood sugar.

I worry about keeping my blood sugar within normal range so that I live free of the horrible complications that go with diabetes and live to see grandchildren someday.

It is also a very expensive disease. When first diagnosed, blood testing supplies were minimally covered if at all. Christmas and birthday presents consisted of testing strips. Even today, I still have a large co-payment for my insulin pump supplies. Just this month I had to wait until the last minute to re-order supplies as I was not financially prepared to pay the co-payment.

We need to find a cure for diabetes so that future generations will not have to live their lives with this horrible disease which affects so many young people and puts a burden on their families. There are cures for so many chronic illnesses, why not diabetes?

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