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Thomas from Virginia

Age: 16

Profile:

Thomas was diagnosed at 13, and since then has been to the emergency room numerous times with seizures from low blood sugar levels. One seizure occurred in the pool, and resulted in pneumonia and empyema, which required an operation. Does Thomas plan on swimming again? You bet. “I was a skateboarder before diabetes, and I have become a much better skater since diabetes. I was a swimmer before diabetes, and I have achieved a pool record and a high school varsity letter since diabetes, and have taken up diving as well. I also received my lifeguard certification after diabetes, and am learning to drive after diabetes. I am just like any other teenager, except I have diabetes. That is the message I want people to get. We are kids who have diabetes. We also have lives just like other kids. We go to school, we eat in the cafeteria, we play sports, we watch TV, and we snack just like other kids. And we check our blood glucose at least four times a day, and inject insulin, and wait for a cure.”

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