“If you don’t go the hospital you are going to die,” my mom screamed at me in September of my freshman year of high school in an attempt to get me to go to the hospital. I had slept and violently shook the entire ride home from school while riding in my mom’s car. My sleeping and constant shaking, as well as my burning forehead, convinced my mom that I had a high fever. I looked at her and then said, “Okay, if you think I am going to die, I’ll go.” My mom backed the car up in our driveway, and she turned the car around. We then drove to the hospital. The nurses took my temperature. I had a 105- degree fever. The nurses made me remove my grandmother’s patchwork quilt from my lap and take off my beloved black cardigan with the pearl buttons
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My obsession with not getting type 2 diabetes is ridiculous. If I get diabetes, I will manage it. I will live if I get diabetes.”
Type 2 diabetes has touched most Native American families. However, each family as well as each individual takes a different approach to the disease. Some families chose to get healthy together while others ignore the disease. Children who witness their parents being diagnosed with diabetes have a variety of responses. Some choose to become healthy with their parent; some choose to ignore the diagnosis, while others become addicted to watching the numbers on the scale drop. Some Native American children who are inundated by type 2 diabetes become hooked to counting calories and knowing the sugar content of the food they eat. The right response to type 2 diabetes varies by the individual; however, one has to respond to the disease or it will slowly taint their health. Diabetes is a thread that connects many Native American families; but, it can be cut. A new tapestry can be woven that replaces type 2 diabetes with healthy habits and the fear of type 2 diabetes with understanding and awareness. Native American families cannot completely control whether or not we develop type 2 diabetes, but we can control how we respond to the
My obsession with not getting type 2 diabetes is ridiculous. If I get diabetes, I will manage it. I will live if I get diabetes.”
Type 2 diabetes has touched most Native American families. However, each family as well as each individual takes a different approach to the disease. Some families chose to get healthy together while others ignore the disease. Children who witness their parents being diagnosed with diabetes have a variety of responses. Some choose to become healthy with their parent; some choose to ignore the diagnosis, while others become addicted to watching the numbers on the scale drop. Some Native American children who are inundated by type 2 diabetes become hooked to counting calories and knowing the sugar content of the food they eat. The right response to type 2 diabetes varies by the individual; however, one has to respond to the disease or it will slowly taint their health. Diabetes is a thread that connects many Native American families; but, it can be cut. A new tapestry can be woven that replaces type 2 diabetes with healthy habits and the fear of type 2 diabetes with understanding and awareness. Native American families cannot completely control whether or not we develop type 2 diabetes, but we can control how we respond to the