I am a musician and a teacher. I taught sixteen years in public schools, all at the elementary level. I've played with computers for over twenty years, and I am now the technology coordinator for my district. I'm a husband, father, son and brother in a family that, like most families, sometimes makes me laugh, sometimes makes me crazy, but always gives me joy.
There are almost a million people in the United States who have a disease that is largely invisible to most of us. They appear normal in every way, and they are able to function normally in almost every way. They are lawyers, plumbers, teachers, police officers, homemakers, secretaries, store clerks, and students. Most of us do not realize the seriousness of their condition.
Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM, also known as type-1 or juvenile diabetes for its tendency to develop before age 30) is caused by the body's inability to produce insulin. The diabetic's body has attacked and destroyed its own insulin-producing cells. Without insulin, the body cannot use the energy it has obtained and processed, and it dies.
People who have IDDM must take insulin by injection or pump every day. They must be constantly aware of their blood glucose levels and the amounts of nutrients they ingest. If they do not get enough insulin, or if they eat too much, their blood glucose level goes up, and they feel anxious or irritable. If not treated, hyperglycemia can lead to a dangerous condition known as ketoacidocis, which can be fatal. If they get too much insulin, or if they do not eat enough, their blood glucose level drops, and they begin to feel dizzy and weak, and can have blurred vision and confusion; if not treated, they can go into a coma and die.
The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation exists to provide the money needed for research. We believe that a cure is possible, and is in fact very near. JDRF research also provides new ways of coping with the disease and its effects, both long-term and short-term.
If you would like to make a monetary donation to JDRF or contribute in any other way, see their web site for more information.)
Our daughter was diagnosed with IDDM when she was nine months old. Our son was recently diagnosed at age fourteen. They both rely on outside insulin sources. He administers multiple injections each day, and she wears an insulin pump. They test their blood for glucose levels at least four times a day. We are thankful for these treatments, because they keep them alive and help minimize the long-term effects of the disease. But they are only treatments, not a cure. The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation exists because of the hope for a cure to diabetes.The tight control of blood glucose levels which is accomplished by frequent blood testing can help minimize the long-term effects of diabetes: blindness, heart disease, kidney disease, or amputation of a limb. But it can also increase the risks of an insulin reaction which can cause blood sugar levels to drop to dangerous levels. We look forward to the day when our children and other diabetics no longer have to worry about the effects of diabetes.