[EeyoreButterfly]

Some people end up with blindness and amputations, you are right. But that doesn't have to be the case. We had a family friend with diabetes who had a leg amputated. What you have to realize is how much times have changed.

Diabetics today have much better options for controlling their blood sugar- from newer and better testing methods to more effective medications to a better understanding of the physiology behind the disease.

If you work at it and maintain tight control you will be fine. People can live very long and happy lives with diabetes. It is natural to feel fear when you are first diagnosed. The best thing you can do is educate yourself. You can read books, stick around here or another forum, find a support group, etc. The more you learn the more comfortable you will become with your disease and the better you will feel.