MyFox
 

Melissa Mack's Blog

by mmack from FOX 8

Last Post 47 days, 17 hours Ago


Living with Diabetes
Jul 3, 2008 | 9:18 AM
Category: News
Report This Post

Hello everyone!  I'm not sure if you caught our Family 411 segment about diabetes on Thursday morning, but it hit right at home for me.  This is a lifelong disease that's made a major impact on my life.  How? My brother was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the tender age of 2 (I was just about 6 months old).  Hence, I was raised almost like I was a diabetic myself. My family always ate meals at certain times.  Of course, we had a limited amount of sugary foods.  By the way, it's so nice to see the proliferation of sugar-free foods that are now stocked on store shelves.   

With that said, living with diabetes isn't as easy as it sounds...checking blood sugar levels, injecting insulin, etc..  There's a lot more to it than meets the eye.  A diabetic has a higher risk of health issues later in life (i.e. vision, kidney, heart, feet, etc.).  I can tell you from first-hand experience that insulin shock/reaction/diabetic coma (a result of low blood sugar) is one of the scariest things I have very experienced.   I recall one specific experience when I was home alone with my brother who was 18 at the time. I walked into the house just as he was in the midst of an insulin reaction.  He was convulsing and his eyes were rolled back.  It's not that I hadn't seen this before...it's that I was alone for the first time. I was put to the test.  I dialed 9-1-1 immediately while preparing the insulin glucagon kit which is basically a big dose of sugar to raise his blood sugar level and pull him out of the reaction. I did it!!!...while shaking uncontrollably.  I saved his life!  I felt like a superhero! 

It's so sad to say I lost my brother a little more than 5 years ago on March 25, 2003.  His daughter (my niece), Lola, is the apple of my eye...the light of my life which is why you'll hear me talk about her from time to time.  She was born just 6 months after we lost my brother, Louis.  She'll never get the chance to meet and witness what a wonderful daddy she has. That is my true job now...to show and remind her all about her daddy...to talk about him as if he was still here with us...to keep his memory alive.  It's been a tough journey...but I learned one very important lesson...Appreciate what you have been blessed with every second of every day because no matter how young or old your loved one is, it's never a good time to lose someone you love...to say good-bye.

Sending my love to all of those I truly care about!

Mack :)

 

4 Comments |  Add a Comment

Member Comments Total Comments: 4
Page 1 of 1
SunnyBeaches
Jul 3, 2008 | 4:23 PM

Hi Melissa! So, so sorry to hear about your brother. My older sister has diabetes, she is 55, but was diagnosed in her early 50's. She doesn't have to take insulin, she takes pills. None the less, this is a very scary disease. She is quite on the heavy side, which I think attributed to this disease. Long ago, she was in a very abusive marriage, and she went through hell. I think food was her comfort zone. I lover her to death, but I wish she would try and lose some weight, I think it would help greatly with this disease. Plus she has back issues, and other health problems. But she is a trooper. You are so right when you said appreciate what you have been blessed with. So true. I just had back surgery 1 month ago. I had a screwed up disk. They had to put screws in and fuse it, so on and so on. It's been rough, and it's a long haul, but I am so grateful I am not in a weelchair, or paralyzed some how, etc. I have to wear a brace for spinal support, but I can take it off to go to bed or the bathroom. I have so much to be grateful for. Thanks so much for sharing your story, and again so sorry about your brother. Lola is an absolute doll!!! And she has a wonderful aunt!! God Bless you always!!!
sleepyskywhy
Jul 7, 2008 | 9:27 PM

Wow.
Ok, so I am home from college and have a full time job for the City of Westlake, and my Co Workers watch Fox 8 in the morning religously. Me ( not being much of a regular news watcher) wasn't too thrilled at first, but then the weather forecast changed my mind. Your smile knocked me out of my chair, and after that 8-day forecast,I have looked forward to the news every day since. Your blog was moving, and sad, but really makes me feel good about the world, knowing that there are good people in it. I find it amazing that you are such a positive person, and bring light to darkness... literally ..and turn rain into sunshine. I have gone through hardships with my brother who is older and in prison for drug related purposes, and have tried to keep my head about me and be positive, and can honestly say that at times it is impossible for me to do. I just think it's amazing how you can smile so bright and I bet you are the best niece ever. Thanks for your inspiration and for being the best weather girl pretty much in the history of the planet. Stay classy san diego!
tkebp1287
Jul 9, 2008 | 3:22 PM

Hi Melissa!

What a great blog entry, it really hits close to home. I've been a type 1 diabetic for 15 years after being diagnosed at the age of 12. It has truly shapped my life and made me a strong and compassionate person. I try my best every day to let people know that life with diabetes is not the end of the world. I do a lot of volunteer work with Camp BLEEP Mita Koda in Newbury, OH. It has been a camp specialized in helping children with diabetes since 1929, almost 80 years! By surrounding myself with positive people and working hard to keep my blood sugar under control I try to set an example of how fun life can be even while dealing with diabetes. I love cycling and think that it is an excellent way for me to show myself and others how they can accomplish great things. I am building up for a century ride this fall (100 miles) and have a 62 mile ride coming up this Sunday! Here are a couple of sites to take a look at:

This site is an incredibly community for people touched by diabetes. I'm on here daily! :)
http://tudiabetes.com/main/

Here is my blog:
http://lifewithtype1diabetes.blogspot.com/

As you'll see in my blog there is a lot of craziness going on right now with my brother being diagnosed with cancer and all but we are positive people and will make it through!

Take care and I love catching your weather reports in the morning before work!

Mike Campana
cpafrank read my blog view my photos
Aug 14, 2008 | 1:16 PM

My mother in law recently suffered a massive stroke after 30 years of managing the disease. If you have loved ones with diabetes and they have swollen limbs that will not go back down to normal, get them help so they don't throw a blood clot. I know firsthand what will happen.
Page 1 of 1


Write your comment below:




mmack

You can see me doing the weather during Fox 8 News in the Morning and Noon. It's a privilege to be doing what I love most right here in northeast Ohio! I enjoy exercising, gardening, baking, sampling area restaurants and spending quality time with my family, friends and my wonderful 3 year old niece, Lola Zita.

Member Since: 3/6/2007


 

RSS: XMLWhat is RSS?