My name is Morgan Munroe. I am 10 years old and I live with type 1 diabetes. I was diagnosed on New Years eve 2009. My parents had taken me to the hospital and I had a blood sugar of 714 , with a blood sugar that high they had to admit me to the hospital to start an insulin drip to bring my blood sugar down.  We were really scared.

Once they diagnosed me, all these thoughts were running through my head. I had no idea what any of the big words meant, all I knew was that I was really sick. Once we started my insulin shots I was giving myself 3-4 shots a day. I was also poking my finger 10-15 times a day. When we got home we had to change our eating habits and my parents had to carefully control the content, quantity and timing of all my meals. It was very difficult trying to handle all of this only being a child.

Growing up I have always depended on my mom and dad to plan my meals, give me medications, and take care of all my needs. All of my meals were planned, I could eat whatever and whenever I wanted to, but that has all changed and now I sometimes don’t understand why I have to stop playing just so I can check my sugar and eat even if I am not hungry and why I can’t eat snacks when my friends do. This part of diabetes is very hard to handle.

I was given an insulin pump two years ago and it has been a wonderful thing for me. It has regulated my blood sugar and has given me more freedom to be a kid, but still able to keep my diabetes in control. The insulin pump is similar to a healthy pancreas, it gives me a steady flow of insulin when I need it, will beep at me letting me know when I need to check my blood sugar. All I have to do is check my blood sugar, enter it into my pump and it will automatically put the insulin into my body. The best part of having the pump is that I don’t have to give myself all the shots throughout the whole day and people don’t have to see me giving myself shots all the time. I still follow a very strict diet and count all my carbs, but I have more freedom being on an insulin pump.

I started giving myself  my own shots after two weeks of being out of the hospital, I can count my own carbs, and I also help another boy at my school count his carbs at lunch time. It makes me feel special that I am able to take what I have learned about diabetes and teach someone else.

I enjoy art, singing, reading, writing, music, cheerleading, horses, swimming, dancing, volleyball and my favorite band, One Direction!!!! When I do some of these activities I do have to disconnect my pump from my body, but I can still have fun with all my friends.

Diabetes changes your way of life but it also makes you very responsible. I make sure I bring my meter everywhere I go and I also have to have snacks for when I get low and I keep track of what I eat during the day. Most kids my age can just get up and be kids, It takes me a little bit longer to take care of myself.

I like to attend as many diabetes activities as I can. The more education I get about Diabetes the better it will be for me and everyone else that has it. There is constant research being done and I hope a cure is found one day. Until a cure is found I will continue to take care of myself and help others to understand what Diabetes is all about and how it affects people. When I attend an activity with other kids that have diabetes I feel really comfortable, they all know what I go through day to day.

There are many emotions that go along with diabetes too. I have felt scared and lonely a lot. Being one of the only children in my school with diabetes it has been a challenge for me, but I try to keep my head held high and I tell myself I am still the same sweet girl I was before I was diagnosed. My friends and family have helped me get through my highs and lows. Diabetes will not bring me down it will keep me going and show everyone that I am not just a diabetic but a Diabetic DIVA!!!!