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TypeonediabetesisalsoknownasJuvenileDiabetes,commonlydiagnosedinchildren
andyoungadults.Typeonediabetesisintricate,withoutmanagingthisdiseaseproperly,people
willexperiencelongtermcomplications.Thefirststepinmanagingtypeonediabetesisto
devoidoneselffromdistress,depressionorotherpsychologicalproblemswhenidentifyingthe
problem(Harris,16).Itismentallytaxingasitiswhenrealizingyouarethevictimofachronic
diseasethatisvirtuallycureless.Diabetesanditslongtermcomplicationsarerelatedtoalowor
poorlycontrolledglucoselevelwithhighlevelsofglucoseinthebloodthatcanaffectpeople
emotionally.AccordingtotheAmericanDiabetesAssociation,ADA,
recentresearchinpeople
withtypeonediabeteshasfoundthatlongperiodsofhighbloodsugarlevelscantriggerthe
productionofahormonelinkedtothedevelopmentofdepression(Gordon).Whendiabetesis
diagnosedatayoungage,theemotionaldisorderisgreater.Teenagersexperiencesocial
isolationoremotionaldisordersthataffecttheirnormallife.Theevidenceshowsusthatdiabetes
provokeschangesinhumanlife,health,andpsychology.
Whatisevenmoreworrisomeforpeoplewithtypeonediabetesandtheirfamiliesisthe
possibilityoflongtermcomplicationscausedbythefirststagesofdiabetesdebilitatingeffects.
Thesteadyriseinbloodsugar,whichblocksbothsmallandlargebloodvessels,preventsblood
fromcompletelypassingthroughtotheirdestinationthus,leadingtogreatercomplications
withinthebodysorgansproperlyfunctioningi.e.theeyes,kidneysandnerves(Smith).Thisis
knownasMicrovascularcomplications.kidneyfailureaffecttheaortaandthecarotidartery.
Typeonediabetescanalsoaffectthelargebloodvessels,causingplaquetoeventuallybuildup,
alsoknownascarotidarterydisease,whichcouldpotentiallyleadtoaheartattack(Smith).

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Cardiovasculardiseaseisthemaincauseofmortalityinpeoplewithdiabetes.However,itis
importanttostopsmoking,tomanageglucoselevels,andtotaketheappropriatemedication.
Originally,thispaperwasgoingtofocusontypeonediabetesonlyby
t
alkingwithmy
currentphysicianattheLifelongMedicalCenter,myprimarycarecenter,shementionedtome
thepossibilityofexploringthedifferencesbetweenbothtypeoneandtypetwodiabetes.With
thattopicinmind,Isoughttofindsomeonewithtypeone
diabetes
aroundmyagegroupwho
couldprovidemewithrelevantinformationonboththephysicalandemotionalproblemswe
faceasvictimsoftypeonediabetes.Fortunately,mymothersfriendhasadaughterwhoalsohas
typeonediabetes,hernameisAmenhaBashir.A23yearoldstudentatUniversityofCalifornia,
Berkeley,Bashirhaslivedwithdiabetesfor11years,constantlyworkingaroundherdiseaseto
fulfillanormallife.
IhadthepleasureofmeetingBashiratherworkplace,RealtyWorldPremierProperties,
wheresheworksasanOfficeManagerandEscrowCoordinatorparttimewhileattending
collegefulltime.Fortunately,Iwasabletointerviewherduringherlunchbreak,amomentof
timeshewasreluctanttospareinherbusylife.Approachingthefrontdoortoherofficeona
rainyFridayafternoon,Icouldnothelpbutfeelanachingnervousnessbuildinginmystomach,
whereeachstepfeltheavierasIgotclosertothedoor.Therainwasonlymakingmedreadthis
interview,addingtotheanxietyIwasfeelingbeforeIevenenteredheroffice.ThemomentI
openedthefrontdoor,thefeelingsofdreadandanxiousnessquicklyevaporatedwhenI
immediatelynoticedBashirswarmsmilewaitingformewhenIwalkedin.Surroundedby
officesuppliesstrewnacrosstheborderofherdeskinasmallandintimaterealestateoffice,
Bashirstoodupandpolitelygreetedme,walkingmetowardsavacantdeskwherewecouldchat.

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Shepleasantlyansweredeachofmyquestions,plusadatesetforourfutureinterviewtogether.
Havingaguidewasveryreassuring,buttherewasmuchresearchtobedone.Accordingto
Bashir,themostchallengingaspectofbeingdiabeticisthatsheisconstantlymakingsureshe
hasenoughtoeatduringthedayinordertoregulateherbloodsugar.Therehavebeentimesin
wherethelackofnutritiousvaluedepletedduetothestressofbalancingherschool,workand
familylife.However,peoplewithdiabeteswhoarenotabletoovercomethesechallengesmay
notbeabletoavoidfuturecomplications.Sincetheageof12,diabeteshasimpactedBashirs
academicperformancesdramatically,stating,HighsandlowsaffecthowmuchIfocusinclass.
Studieshaveshownthatchildrenandyoungadultswithtypeonediabetesaremostlikelytohave
problemsfocusingandpayingattentioninschool.Inchildrenandyoungadults,fatigue,
irritability,weightloss,deteriorationofschoolperformancesmayoccur(Kaufman,11).
Itcanbesaidthatdiabetes,ingeneral,doesnotmodifyoraffectthechildren'sacademic
performanceatall.Inmanycases,itisimportanttokeepthediabeticpatientsdailyactivities
consistent.Eitherhypoglycemiaorhyperglycemiamayhavesomeeffectsoverthepatients
physicalcapacity.Inmanystudies,theyhadfoundthatchildrenwithtypeonediabetesperform
aswellasnondiabeticchildren(ADA).Basedontheirclinicalrecords,diabeticchildrenwitha
goodglucosemanagementhaveshownthattheiracademicperformanceistentimesbetterthan
thosewhodonothaveregularcontrolovertheirdisease(ADA).Toavoidfurthercomplications,
Bashiravoidsinconsistentglucoselevelsbymakingsureshemaintainsaconsistworkoutplan
andastrictdiettofocusmoreduringhertestsandexams.Appropriatediabetescareintheschool
isnecessaryforthechildsimmediatesafety,longtermwellbeing,andacademicperformance
(Menon,Sperling98).

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Tohelpavoidlongtermcomplications,anypersonwithdiabetesmustcomplytoan
eatingplaninwhichcalories,carbohydratesandfatsarecontrolled.Thediabeticpersonmay
needtolimitsodiumtocontrolbloodpressureandproteintoprotectthekidneys.Healthyeating,
combinedwithregularphysicalactivityandweightcontrol,isimportanttomanagediabetes
(Renkins,10).Doctorsneedtoknowandprovidetherightmedicationtohelpmanagediabetes.
Peoplewithdiabeteshavetoattendtotheirendocrinologistatleasttwotimespermonth,and
theiroptometristeveryyeartoavoidtheriskofdevelopingretinopathy(Renkins,11).Eye
diseaseiscommonamongdiabetics.Treatingretinopathyassoonaspossibleprotectsthe
patientseyesight.Diabeticsmustalsochecktheirfeetdailytoseeiftheyhaveanyinjuries,red
spotsorotherchanges.Withpropercheckups,thosewithdiabetescanavoidbeingirresponsible
inmaintainingtheconditionoftheirbody.
Unliketypeonediabetes,typetwodiabetesaffectsmiddleagedandolderadultsanditis
alsoknownasadultonsetdiabetes.Intypetwodiabetes,thepancreasstillproducesinsulinbut
notthenecessaryamount,andthebodycannotuseitappropriately(Marieb,609).Insulinisa
hormoneproducedbythebetacellsofthepancreasinsulinsfunctionistoregulateglucose
levelsinthebloodstream(Bernstein,44).Manypeoplecanmanagetheirtypetwodiabetesby
dieting,exercising,andtakingoralmedication.Intypeonediabetesthepancreasdoesnot
produceinsulin,andthesymptomscangetworse.Patientswithtypeonediabetesaremostlikely
touseinsulininordertomanagetheirbloodglucoselevels.Butaswithtypeonediabetes,those
withtypetwodiabetesalsohavethesamelongtermcomplicationsandemotionaleffectsonthe
humanbody.

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Whenconsideringthestateofouremotions,understandingthefunctionalityofourbrain
canaidinunderstandingtheoveralleffectsglucoselevelshaveonourmentalperformance.The
brain,likeallareasofthebody,dependsonasteadyamountofglucosetofunctionproperly.
Eatingawellbalancedbreakfastismoreimportantthanwethink,especiallyfordeveloping
brains.AccordingtoH.T.Chuganisarticle,
ACriticalPeriodofBrainDevelopment:Studiesof
CerebralGlucoseUtilizationwithPET
,hestates,

Cerebralmetabolicrateofglucoseutilization
isapproximatelytwiceashighinchildrenaged410yearscomparedwithadults.Thishigher
rateofglucoseutilizationgraduallydeclinesfromage10andusuallyreachesadultlevelsbythe
ageof1618years(Chugani,1998).Ourabilityinattentionandmemoryrelatedtasksareof
theutmostimportanceinanacademicsetting.Whenglucoselevelsareunbalancedduetopoor
dietingpractices,wewillseeasteadydeclineingrades,andultimatelyableakfuturefor
adolescentswithdiabetes.
Diabetescomplicationsarefoundcommonlyinpatientsthathavenotcontrolledtheir
glycemia,cholesterolandarterialhypertensionformanyyears.Manyexperienceheadaches,
confusion,andabnormalheartbeats.Patientsthattriedtostartmanagingtheirdiabeteshad
shorttermcomplications,suchashypoglycemiaandhyperglycemicnonketoticsyndrome.
Hypoglycemiaislowbloodglucose(bloodsugar).Itispossibleforonesbloodglucosetodrop,
especiallyiftakinginsulinorasulfonylureadrug(Leontis).Lowbloodglucoselevelscancause
braindamageifnottreatedimmediately.Hyperglycemicnonketoticsyndromeoccurswhen
bloodglucoselevelsbecomestaggeringlyhigh(Leontis).Highlevelsofglucoseinthebloodcan
causedeathifuntreated.Overtime,ahighlevelofglucoseinthebloodcancausefootproblems
suchasdiabeticfootulceration.Diabeticfootulcersareadisablingproblem.Onceanulcer

R516

developsitcanbedifficulttotreatinfact,diabeticfootulcersarenotoriouslyslowtohealand
aresusceptibletoinfection(Remedica,29).25%ofpeoplewithdiabeticfootulcershavean
amputation,ultimatelydisablingthemtowork,whileforcingthemtodependonrelativesor
friendsforsupport.However,amputationsareduetootherdiabetescomplications.These
complicationscanbecausedbyarteritisorneuropathy,twofrequentcomplicationsofdiabetes.
Insomecases,theyareaccompaniedbyaninfection.Infectionsareanaggravatingfactorin
thesecases.Diabeticpatientsthathavebeenthroughanamputationfaceproblemsreintegrating
intosociety,anddailylife.
Amongthemanycomplicationsassociatedwithdiabetes,problemswiththekidneys
rapidlydevelopoverthecourseofunprecedentedcircumstancescausedbydiabetesharmful
effectsonthebody.Kidneyshelpmaintainanequilibriumofsaltandliquidsinonesbody.The
excessofsugarisharmfulforthekidneysafterafewyearswithouttakingcontroloverdiabetes,
thekidneysstopworkingthisisknownaskidneyfailure.Whenkidneysdonotwork,diabetic
patientsneedtogothroughdialysisorakidneytransplant.Overthepastdecade,dialysisand
kidneytransplantshavesteadilyimprovedthesurvivalrateofkidneyfailureforthosewith
diabetes(Levin,Pfeifer,29).Nonetheless,diabetesisthemostcommoncauseofkidneyfailure
intheUnitedStates.Thelongeryouhavediabetes,themoreatriskyouarefordevelopinglong
termcomplications.Afterhavingdiabetesfor40years,around3050%ofpeoplewithdiabetes
developkidneydisease.Individualswhohaveahistoryofunmanagedbloodglucoselevelsareat
higherriskfordevelopingthedisease(Levin,Pfeifer,31).Bycontrollingyourbloodsugarand
bloodpressure,whiletakingyourmedicationregularly,thechancesofslowingtheprogression
ofkidneyfailurearegreater.Ifnottreatedearly,diabetescanbecomefatal.

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ItbecameclearonceIgottointerviewDr.Diamantinheroffice.Gettingtheopportunity
tounderstandthedynamicbetweenmedicalprofessionalsandtheirpatientswasthemost
rewardingpartforme.Dr.Diamanthasbeenworkingasaphysiciansinceshewas28yearsold,
sheisnow32.Shehandleschildren,youngadultsandadultswithdiabetes.Themostchallenging
partthatDr.Diamanthasexperiencedwhileworkingasaphysicianisthatattimes,itcanbe
difficultwithpatientswhodonotfollowtherequiredinstructionstomanagetheconditionof
theirdiseaseinordertoavoidfurthercomplications.AccordingtoDr.Diamant,Youcantforce
yourpatientstofollowtheadviceyougivethem.Youjusthopeforthebest.Theymusttakeit
uponthemselvestoberesponsibleovertheirownillness.Withthatsaid,Iwasabletoputmy
grieftorest.
Wedonothavetherighttoforceanyonetodoanythingtheyarenotcomfortablewith,
butwedohavethepowertoenhancetheirliveswithourcompassion.Throughmyownpersonal
experienceandthroughtheresearchthatIhavedone,itisvitalinunderstandingwhatdiabetesis.
Havingtheopportunitytoeducateourselvesandthosetroubledbythedisease,bothtypeoneand
typetwo,canpotentiallypreventlongtermeffectsonthebody.Thebenefitofknowinghowand
whydiabetesoccursinthefirstplacewillguaranteethosewithdiabetesapositiveoutlookin
managingtheirdisease.Theywillultimatelyseetherisksandfactorsassociatedwith
irresponsiblehealthpractices,provingasaremindertoavoidtheminordertohavelongerand
healthierlives.Furthermore,byhavingahealthcareprofessionalprovidedietplans,exercise
workoutsandprescribedmedication,diabetespatientswillrealizetheamountofhelpofferedto
peopleinthesamepredicament.

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Now,Irecallbacktomygreatgrandfatherwhenhewasathislowestpoint.IfonlyI
knewthenwhatIknownow,Icouldhavenursedhimbacktohealthifonlylifewerethateasy.
Nevertheless,mygrandfathersuntimelydeathallowedmetofindthestrengthIneededtotake
controlofmylife.Diabetesisnotadeathsentence,butitisnotmeanttobetreatedlightly.By
understandingtheimportanceofmyhealth,disregardingwhatthosearoundmethought,Ican
nowacceptthevalidityofmylifedespitemydisease.Perhaps,Iwastooafraidtoadmitmyown
vulnerabilityasahuman.ThatIwasundefeatable.But,theamountofloveandsupportI
receivedovertheyearsfrommyfamilyandfriendsallowedmetoseethatIamnotmydisease,
andthatthisdiseasedoesnotownme.

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WorkCited
Books:
Harris,MichaelA.,KoreyK.Hood,andJillWeissbergBenchell.
TeenswithDiabetes:A
Clinician'sGuideDevelopmentalDemands,Selfmanagement,Relationships,Transition
.
Print.
FrancineR.Kaufman.
MedicalManagementofType1Diabetes
.Alexandria,VA:American

DiabetesAssociation,2004.Print.
Menon,RamKumar.,andM.Sperling.
PediatricDiabetes
.Boston:KluwerAcademic,2003.
Print.
Shaw,K.
DiabeticComplications.Chichester:J.Wiley
,1996.Print.
Bernstein,RichardK.
Dr.Bernstein'sDiabetesSolution:TheCompleteGuidetoAchieving
NormalBloodSugars.
NewYork:Little,Brown,2007.Print.
JoyRenkins.
TipsThatCanHelpYouManageDiabetes
.Jan24,2016.Print.
Marieb,ElaineNicpon.
HumanAnatomyandPhysiology.
RedwoodCity,CA:
Benjamin/Cummings,1995.Print.
Levin,MarvinE.,andMichaelA.Pfeifer.
TheUncomplicatedGuidetoDiabetesComplications
.
Alexandria,VA:AmericanDiabetesAssociation,1998.Print.
ElectronicSources:
Chugani,HarryT."ACriticalPeriodofBrainDevelopment:StudiesofCerebralGlucose
UtilizationwithPET."
PreventiveMedicine
27.2(1998):18488.Web.
Gordon,Serena."DiabetesCanTakeaTollonYourEmotions."Health.usnews.com.,18
May2012.Web.15Mar.2016.

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SmithMarsh,DaphneE."Type1DiabetesComplications."EndocrineWeb.,2Mar.2016.
Web.16Mar.2016.
ManyPeopleatRiskforType2DiabetesDon'tThinkTheyAreatRisk."AmericanDiabetes
Association.4Dec.2013.Web.25Apr.2016.
PrimarySources:
Bashir,Amenha.Student,UniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley,CA.PersonalInterview.5March
2016.
Diamant,Ericka.Physician,LifelongMedicalCare,Berkeley,CA.PersonalInterview.1April
2016.

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