Tamara Barnes: Diabetics must learn to adapt, be careful even as youth

My name is Tamara Barnes and I am a juvenile diabetic. I was diagnosed with Type I (juvenile) diabetes at the age of five and immediately began insulin injections. This was the most terrifying experience in my life and I’m sure this is true for many insulin-dependent diabetics. One memory I will always have is the memory of my parents chasing me through the house to give my first insulin shot. I saw my mother break down and cry for the very first time in my life.

Despite the many highs and lows I experienced during elementary school, I still managed to do my schoolwork and make good grades. I read a lot and believe this was how I mentally escaped the disease for a while.

The diabetes was managed well from ages 5 to 16 because my parents were very strict with my diet and made me eat right.

I didn’t see the real struggle with this disease until I turned 16 and tried to live life the way I wanted. I wanted so badly to be like my peers.

I became very rebellious. I thought I had all the answers and I thought I knew it all. I rebelled against the disease, eating properly and against my parents. I failed to get the proper rest that my body had to have.

I ran on “youth” for a while but the disease slowly showed me it wasn’t going anywhere. I ended up in the hospital as a result.

My parents are to be commended for the care they provided me during the early years. My physician indicated that most children diagnosed at age 5 would have been hospitalized four or five times by the time they reached age 16.

I didn’t realize until later in life that I avoided some major complications because my parents were very strict. Still, this didn’t change the fact as a teenager that I was (and still am) tired of diabetes.

Depression, high blood pressure, gastroparesis — just to name a few — are other complications associated with this disease. These are other illnesses I continue to fight on a daily basis — but with God’s help, I manage.

With God’s grace, I managed to graduate from Auburn High School in 2001 and received a bachelor’s degree in human sciences from Auburn University in 2005. I will finish my master’s degree at LSU in rehabilitation counseling in December. I am currently completing an internship in Louisiana and will graduate with honors. None of this has been easy. There were so many days I felt like giving up.

I would like to say to other diabetics that diabetes and other complications associated with it are difficult to manage, but we can still have a future.

The key for me was finally accepting the disease and trying to maintain close to normal glucose readings. As you know, keeping a close to normal glucose reading is not always possible and yes, I do “cheat.” I have come to the realization that diabetes is not going away unless God performs a miracle. I pray a lot and take one day at a time.

In the meantime, we diabetics must live with this disease and try to make the best of our lives. We must do the best we can in managing diabetes, realizing that some days will be better than others. Through it all we must never give up and realize that we too, can accomplish our goals.

Tamara Barnes is a 2001 Auburn High School graduate who is pursuing a master’s degree at LSU. She is the daughter of Charlotte and Alfred Barnes of Auburn.