Dianna Avery

Hampstead, North Carolina

Recently I learned that I am a type 2 diabetic. We discovered this purely by accident. I had fallen and had been taken to the hospital. They gave me an IV while in route that formed a blood clot. That is a road I had been down before, but in the process of all the tests my doctor was running on me, she ran all the normal "routine" blood tests. I thought nothing of it. Until she called and wanted to see me in her office.

She started out by saying that my cholesterol was way too high, but we could manage it with proper diet and some medication. Then she informed me that the blood clot would need an ultrasound and we may need to look into the matter - it was a "concern" to her. She had just informed me two weeks prior that I had high blood pressure. Well all that was OK - a bit overwhelming - but I am getting older and stuff happens.

Then she hit me with it "you have type 2 diabetes and this means you’re going to need to …. " Well we all know it was a blur, the fears and ideas I had going through my head.

I have two boys, 15 and 10 years old, with medical issues themselves that I have to care for and be there for, and a 13 year old daughter. I remember I was so scared. I knew of family members who have diabetes but they all seem to live normal lives. I never realized how it changes you and your family and how you live until it happened to me.

I have no insurance to cover myself. I never go to the doctor for me. There is always too much to do with the kids. They are, after all, the most important thing to me.

My next thought was what if something happens to me? Who will do what I do? You see with my children it’s not just the regular school, doctor, dentist, after school-type stuff. So why do I want to stop diabetes? To see my kids grow and to be there for them. I research everyday on how I can take care of myself so nothing ever happens and that the day never comes that they have to be without me. I will continue to research and study and donate until they find us all a cure.