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