Joseph Bailey, 11, GA - How Diabetes Affects My Life

Living with diabetes is a challenge!  It never goes away!  I would like to tell you about a typical day in the life of me, Joseph Bailey.

I usually get up around 5:30 am, not because my mom gets me up but that’s just my internal clock. I get myself ready for school including getting dressed, brushing my teeth, checking my blood sugar, preparing my snack and putting the carbohydrates on it.  After everything is ready for school I eat breakfast and take my insulin.

I usually arrive at school at 8 am.  My mom drives me because she doesn’t want me ride the bus. She says the bus driver can’t watch the other kids, the road, and me all at once.  I don’t mind, but sometimes it would be nice to ride it.  In class my teacher constantly asks me if I feel all right.  If I do not feel well, she sends me to the nurse.  Someone must walk with me at all times.  I get my blood sugar checked before PE and lunch. After lunch, I go back to the nurse so she can calculate my carbs and insulin.  I help her out a lot.  I think I have gotten pretty good at calculating my insulin.  My mom is always on standby.  I think she talks to Nurse Babette every day.

I muddle through my day hoping not to go low.  Math is at the end of the day (my favorite subject).  A lot of times I have a low blood sugar at the end of the day and I miss some of it.

My mom picks my brother and me at 3pm.  I check my blood sugar again and eat a snack (taking insulin again), dinner (check blood sugar again, count carbs, take insulin), soccer (Tues and Fri), Scouts (Monday), then to bed by 9pm (blood sugar check and snack).  It’s a full day!

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