Where do I even begin?! My diagnosis story is a bit complicated and for many, even doctors, it doesn’t make sense but maybe that’s the theme of it all? At the end of the day, having diabetes is complicated and sometimes doesn’t make any sense at all!

6/2010 – 20 years old

My second year in college had just ended at UCSC (University of California Santa Cruz) and my parents had drove up from Los Angeles County to help me pack up and move off campus since I was planning on working during the summer.

As we were packing up, my mom looked at me weirdly and kept asking me if I was okay and I just kept saying that I was. Eventually, she asked that I come home for a few days to get a check-up to ease her worried mind.

On the way home (it was about a 6 hour drive) all I was able to do was sleep and pee. Yup! Sleep and pee! I asked my dad almost every 1-2 hours to stop the car cause I had the urge to pee. During one of these times, as I was slipping back into sleep, I heard my mom tell my dad “esto no es normal” (this is not normal).

The Doctor’s Office

There I am sitting in the doctor’s office oblivious to the fact that my life was about to be turned upside down.

The nurse came in and checked my temperature and blood pressure while asking me why I was there and what symptoms I have been experiencing. I proceeded to share that I’ve been needing to pee more frequently, I am having lack of sleep, I feel tired all the time, I’ve lost weight without even trying and I am thirsty ALL THE TIME – little did I know that these are the classic symptoms for diabetes.

She proceeded to get this device that when she poked my finger, a bit of blood came out. She then got a small metal strip and inserted it into another device and squeezed my finger so that blood can get onto the strip. The device started blinking and a number appeared – 445. She looked surprised and I asked “is that bad?” She quickly turned away and said, “Let me get the doctor for you.” I shrugged and said “okay.” I remember thinking “I wonder what that was about, oh well.”

A lady doctor comes in and says “You have diabetes.” I’m staring at her with a blank look on my face (at least that is what I imagine I looked like) because I didn’t know what that was and it didn’t mean anything to me. She proceeds to tell me what it is and what it’s caused by and then she pauses and says, “You seem pretty calm hearing these news. When I was told I had gestational diabetes, I cried my eyes out” and chuckles. As soon as she finishes that sentence, I break down crying. She pats my back and says, “It’s okay” and gives me some tissues. She gives me some pamphlets and tells me to come back later that week.

I make my appointment and as I walk into the waiting room my sister asks, “are you pregnant?” I said, “No, I have diabetes.” She replies, “what’s that?” I couldn’t respond and just hand her the pamphlets.