MY STORY

January 22, 2017
I woke up not feeling too well and had some mild cold-like symptoms that dissipated after a couple days. My boyfriend, Brad, and I had two friends over to watch the Patriots vs Steelers game. I remember being thankful the three of them took over the couch, and I was able to sit closer to the TV due to my blurry vision. I had a hard time seeing things in the distance, which made driving difficult. After several days, my vision did not improve, and I started to worry.

January 25, 2017
I attended a Stitch Fix Capsule Event (I am a Senior Stylist for the company). This required me to drive to Pasadena and watch a presentation. I sat near the front and still had a difficult time focusing on the powerpoint screen and the presenter on stage. This motivated me to make an appointment with my Primary Doctor to check my eyes and receive a referral to an Ophthalmologist.

January 31, 2017
Visited my Primary Doctor who seemed confused by my blurry vision and was unable to find anything wrong. She referred me to a Center for Vision Care down the road in Burbank. Apparently, getting an appointment with an Ophthalmologist is as difficult as my Dermatologist - they are booked up! I had to call almost daily to ask for an cancellations. Luckily, they were able to fit me into the last appointment slot on Monday, Feb 6th.

February 3-4th, 2017
I attended the IF:Gathering (a women's conference) at my church. My friend Rachel commented on how much water I was drinking (paired with frequent restroom breaks). I also remember eatings lots of snacks (carbs), cookies, and pizza. (oh boy).

February, 6th 2017
I was extremely nervous about going to the eye doctor. This was my first time because I've always had better than 20/20 vision. I also have the most whimpy eyes ever! I can't wear eyeliner because they water so much when I try to apply it. I gave the assistant a heads up and he did a few tricks at putting drops in my eyes. He seriously put like 4 different eye drops in to do various eye exams. It was torture, but luckily Brad came with me and helped keep me calm. The assistant wrote a light prescription for glasses and told me I had an astigmatism in both of my eyes. I was immediately whisked out to their glasses display section and told to choose a pair. I was incredibly overwhelmed and had a hard time accepting the fact that I needed glasses. It was very strange trying on glasses while my eyes were dilated. Next, the Ophthalmologist called me back so she could check for glaucoma. She told me I didn't have to purchase glasses since my prescription was so light. She said my eyes were the most healthy she had seen all day. So, I left the office blaming my blurry vision on being on the computer for long hours for my various jobs.

February 11, 2017
I attended my friend Crystal's birthday party and baked her some cute pineapple themed cupcakes for her Pineapple Princess themed party! Of course, I ate 3 cupcakes that day. =\

February 12, 2017
I attended another wonderful birthday party for my friend Katie in Malibu. It was a glorious day and I was able to pack my own lunch, but of course, I ate cookies and cake. (I know, I know). However, by this time my vision was slowly improving. (weird, right)?

February 14, 2017
Valentine's Day. 'nuff said

February 21, 2017
I woke up early feeling nauseous. I ended up vomiting only stomach acid and felt very fatigued all day. I remember being so confused why my body would force me to throw up only stomach acid. I had also been informing Brad about my heart beating hard when I would do simple things, like getting out of bed and walking into the kitchen.
I was in agony sitting through some online Stitch Fix training that morning. I was worthless the rest of the day and contacted my Stitch Fix Lead to let her know I wasn't feeling well. My mouth was incredibly dry and I also had a gross film on the inside of my mouth which made everything taste horrible. So instead of drinking water, I chose Fresca, apple juice, and orange juice. (Horrible decision. I just had NO idea). I started canceling plans with friends and letting my fellow Oscar Party hosts know that I wasn't feeling well. I didn't sleep well that night due to my horrible dry mouth.

February 22, 2017
Wednesday morning and afternoon was a blur. I think it consisted of me watching hours of TV while drinking a Gatorade. Cool Blue flavor to be exact. (This pushed my body over the edge). Brad left for work at 4:30 PM and I was left home alone. My thirst for water was so intense I texted my friend Allyson who lives a few blocks from me to bring me some big water bottles. She showed up 30 minutes later with 4 water bottles, soup and crackers for me. She noticed I was breathing heavier and told me to feel better. I finally knew I needed medical help and made a doctor's appointment for the next day at 1:30PM. I texted Brad letting him know and updates through out the night.

I ended up throwing up 4 times that night. It was horribly bright green. (Sorry, TMI). It was stomach acid mixed with Cool Blue Gatorade. (Which I will never drink again in my entire life). By this point my breathing was very rapid. I thought I was being silly and wanted to talk to Brad because he is good at calming me down. I couldn't control it. I wanted to know if I had a fever, so I asked Brad to buy one on his way home. Fortunately, he was able to get off a little early, but it felt like forever before he arrived home with Pedialyte and a thermometer. He became alarmed once he saw the state I was in. I tried taking my temperature and couldn't breath normal enough while keeping it under my tongue. He then told me,

"We need to go to the E.R." 

I was trying to hold out and just make it through the night since I made a doctor's appointment for the next day. Brad ignored my comments and started gathering my things. I suddenly felt like I was going to throw up for a 5th time and went into the bathroom. Brad pulled the car up closer to our apartment. I had no strength and could barely stand up. I walked maybe 2 yards and stopped, breathing heavily and pleaded, "Hold on. I need a break." Brad told me he was going to carry me and scooped me up and put me into my car.

He drove me to the nearest hospital in Burbank and wheeled me into the Emergency Room at midnight.

February 23, 2017

It was a Thursday.
Brad quickly signed me in and handed the people my ID and Insurance Card. I felt like they prioritized me because the nurse called me back pretty quickly. She gave me a nausea dissolvable pill, but it wouldn't dissolve because my mouth was so dry. I had to drink a little water in order for it to work. Brad wheeled me back out into the waiting room until my name was called. It was about 12:30am and there were a decent amount of people in the E.R. that night. One man was throwing a fit about not getting the medicine he needed and a security guard had to escort him out.

Finally, my name was called and I was wheeled into an E.R. room around 1:00 AM. This is where things start to get blurry. I was unaware of my surroundings because my heart rate was at 140 and causing me to shake. I was severely dehydrated. It was difficult for them to give me an IV because my veins were collapsed. I honestly don't even remember making multiple attempts to put in an IV in my arms and hands. They gave me like 4 bags of fluids before they could get a blood sample and a urine sample. About every 5 minutes I would ask Brad for his water bottle because my mouth was so dry. I could barely talk.

Brad said the ER doctors thought I was pregnant. I remember the female doctor coming back to tell me that they tested if I was anemic and that came back negative. I had to pee into one of those horrible plastic bed pans and some got onto the bed. They changed the sheets for me and put heated blankets over me to help me stop shaking.

I noticed Brad laying his head down on my hospital bed. It was around 3:00 AM when another female doctor walked in and told us they would give me 1 more bag of fluid and send me home. Brad was relieved. Twenty minutes later the same doctor returned and said,

"We tested your blood sugar. You have diabetes." 

Before I even digested this information I replied, "Prediabetes?" between a few rapid breaths, "That's not good." I assumed I would get prediabetes before full on diabetes. My knowledge of the disease was minimal. What I knew was mostly about Type 2 Diabetes from watching The Biggest Loser television show. I thought I had the chance to get rid of it if I ate healthier.

After receiving this news, Brad immediately called my Dad. I didn't know it at the time, but Brad was crying on the phone telling him the news. He put the phone to my ear so my Dad could talk to me for a minute. I was still breathing heavily, and my mouth was horribly dry so I could barely answer his questions. He kept asking, "Do you want me to come out there?" I told him "No" a few times thinking I would get better within the next day or two. I had plans! I was hosting a big Oscar party in 5 days. I had cake balls and Derby pies to bake! (Little did I know...)

The same female Doctor returned telling me that I had to be moved into the ICU and would be staying over night. I was upset by this news, but understood I was sick, just not exactly HOW sick I was.

At 5:30 AM I was transferred into my new, uncomfortable ICU bed. I remember a whole team of people helping move me into the bed and put on my gown. I was hooked up to so many machines that constantly beeped, alarmed, and went off at every hour. I never slept that night.

Brad finally went home to try and sleep once I was settled into the ICU. He contacted my friend, Rachel via Facebook asking her to let my friends know I was in the hospital. My old roommate Kathryn was the first to visit me on Thursday morning. I remember feeling soothed by the sound of her familiar voice. I was quite out of it for the rest of day and could barely keep my eyes open when I had visitors. My Dad arrived around 4:30 PM, which relieved Brad. I know it was very difficult for him to see me in this condition.

February 23 - 25, 2017
I spent three long days in the ICU.

I was finger pricked every. single. hour. 

to check my blood sugar. So, I was never able to sleep. I absolutely dreaded each time the lab people came by to draw blood every 2 hours, then 4, then 6. My arms started turning blue and purple with bruises. I was on an insulin drip to lower my blood sugar while my other IV was dedicated to electrolytes. I learned the hard way that Potassium through an IV stings SO BADLY. I was woken up in the middle of the night in so much pain. I thought my arm was going to explode. There were very few nurses working in the ICU that night due to the low amount of patients. I started crying from the amount of pain and not having any control to stop it. After 5 minutes a nurse finally came in and turned off the machine.

It was a discouraging experience as my levels would get better, then worse, then better again. I was taken off the insulin drip and given insulin injections, then put back on the insulin drip when my anion gap opened back up. (Basically, my glucose levels were not in the target range. Hence "opened up)". I wasn't allowed to eat anything all day. The next morning, I experienced my first "low." I was woken up early, covered in sweat, and was told my blood sugar was at 50. I began crying, overwhelmed by everything. My Dad stood beside me feeling helpless as the nurse pricked my finger a second time to confirm it was 50. She forced a huge syringe of sugary fluid into my IV which felt so strange. Fifteen minutes later, they had to prick my finger again to make sure my sugar was up.

I had many visitors at all hours of the day: friends, family, Nurses, Doctors, Social Workers, Spiritual Counselors, Phlebotomists, Diabetes Educators, and Nutritionists. It was over whelming and a lot to take in. I stayed off my phone and social media during my hospital stay in order to help me cope with everything.

February 26, 2017
Sunday afternoon I was transferred to a regular hospital floor. It had a wonderful 5th story view of the Hollywood hills. I was no longer connected to any IVs or blood pressure machines. The bed was much more comfortable and I could go to the bathroom all by myself! UPGRADE! I was super bummed to be missing the Oscar Party my friends and I were hosting, but felt so loved when my friends Crystal, Paul, Matt, and Brad came to watch the Oscars with me. That night, I started noticing my blurry vision had returned, except this time I couldn't see up close.

February 27, 2017
It was the start of a brand new week, and I was discharged from the hospital around 4:00 PM. I remember feeling so strange arriving home. I felt like a different person: weaker, skinner, farsighted, and bruised. I struggled seeing the lines on my syringes and had to rely on Brad to give me the correct units of insulin. The first time I used my new lancet device was awful. I became frustrated because I couldn't see what I was doing, and my Glucose monitor kept giving me error messages. I had to prick my fingers FIVE TIMES before getting a blood sugar reading. Fortunately, Rachel brought Brad and I dinner that night to make things easier on us. Unfortunately, she witnessed me struggling with my new best friend (my OneTouch Ultra 2 Glucose Meter). I named him Winston.

February 28, 2017
I saw my Primary Doctor who was surprised to hear of my newly T1D diagnosis. It did not show up on my physical I had 1 year ago. I was told that I had diabetes at least 3 months prior to my hospital visit. That same day, they squeezed me into the last appointment slot to see my new Endocrinologist. She made adjustments to my insulin units I would be taking with meals, and educated me more about Type 1.

Three Weeks Later
My bruises had faded, my sugar levels were consistently within normal range, and I was back at the gym! I was eager to get back to my daily routine of working, attending church, and exercising. Each day has its (literal) highs and lows, but I'm determined to live as closely to normal as I can!