So I was 12 years old in the early 90s and had yet to get my period, and therefore really was unaware of the things that go on, or could go wrong, “down there.” Thinking back, I don’t remember much about the symptoms of my diabetes. Though I can still feel the panic of not having a full dollar to buy two drinks for lunch at school, because otherwise my thirst would be insane. I must have been peeing all the time, as it will soon become evident, but that’s not what sticks out in my memory.
My main problem was some serious itching “down there.” I was a dumb kid and didn’t think further than “This is annoying.” I would mainly notice it at night when I was trying to fall asleep. SO. MUCH. ITCHING.
Then one day I overhear my older sister explaining the same symptoms to my Mom. I butt in with “Hey, that sounds just like me!” So my Mom takes us both to the pediatrician, together, probably thinking there’s something wrong with the water or something.
Nope. We both had “surface” yeast infections. Both caused by excess sugar in the urine from diabetes. Except I was Type 1, and she was Type 2.
My blood sugar was in the low 300’s when they tested me. It probably would have taken months to get diagnosed otherwise. I’ve heard horror stories of kids hospitalized in DKA with numbers in the thousands.
So, needless to say, my Mom had a bad day that day. And I have a hard time explaining to people exactly how I was diagnosed.
Anyone else have a “less than typical” diagnosis story?
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