[Nejeda]

I'm in highschool, yeah go figure, right? I'm sixteen, ooh, another shocker, right? Well, I'll be a junior, and I feel like getting diagnosed at six years old forced me to grow up and become mature faster then I should have. I feel like I am miles above and beyond my peers. I sit and I feel like I'm observing them, looking in from the outside. And I feel like I can't talk to any of them about me, my problems, even how I'm doing. I don't know any other people with diabetes, my age or otherwise, so I don't know if this is normal. Is it normal for me to feel emotional and mentally more mature because of what I've been through?

[lelggren]

Originally Posted by Nejeda

I'm in highschool, yeah go figure, right? I'm sixteen, ooh, another shocker, right? Well, I'll be a junior, and I feel like getting diagnosed at six years old forced me to grow up and become mature faster then I should have. I feel like I am miles above and beyond my peers. I sit and I feel like I'm observing them, looking in from the outside. And I feel like I can't talk to any of them about me, my problems, even how I'm doing. I don't know any other people with diabetes, my age or otherwise, so I don't know if this is normal. Is it normal for me to feel emotional and mentally more mature because of what I've been through?

I definately think that we have to grow up a lot quicker after diagnosis. I know that I had the same problem when I was your age. I was always hanging out with people that were a lot older than me because I couldn't relate much to my peers at school. I did have a group of friends at school, but I can tell that I was then, and am now, much more mature than they are. You learn to see through different eyes, and your priorities change.

We as diabetics have to learn discipline in ourselves a lot quicker than others because our lives depend on it. Non-diabetics are allowed to be immature and abuse their bodies because they will be just fine, and live through it.

Really, you will do better for yourself in the long run because you are more mature. People will notice

[Nejeda]

People have noticed, especially my parents and doctors, and teachers. I'm the mature young adult, all put together, perfect, get good grade, etc.

While I am mature for my age, I feel like they put too much pressure on me to be even more mature, and then when I act more mature, they can't handle it. And my peers all look to me as the "smart" one, the one they turn to when they don't know the answer. And yet not one of them takes an interest in my diabetes. I kind of wish just one of them would. It would make me feel like they actually care instead of just using me...

[lelggren]

Originally Posted by Nejeda

People have noticed, especially my parents and doctors, and teachers. I'm the mature young adult, all put together, perfect, get good grade, etc.

While I am mature for my age, I feel like they put too much pressure on me to be even more mature, and then when I act more mature, they can't handle it. And my peers all look to me as the "smart" one, the one they turn to when they don't know the answer. And yet not one of them takes an interest in my diabetes. I kind of wish just one of them would. It would make me feel like they actually care instead of just using me...

I was so very much in the same situation as you!!!!

Let me give you an example. One day, when I was in HS, I was in choir, and had to leave class early to check bg, and take a shot because lunch was next. Well, I thought it was wierd that there was nobody at all in the halls except for our vice principal and a teacher. And, as I walked by them, I expected to be stopped so that they could check my passbook, and all that stuff. Well, as I walked by, the vice principal said, " Oh, she is one of the good ones. She's ok." Well, that had never happened to me before. I thought it was wierd to be called a good one....But, when I got to the nurse's office, she asked if I had heard what happened. I was clueless. Well, as it turns out, nobody was in the hallways because someone had let off a pop bottle bomb on the other end of the school. Now, don't you think that they should have stopped me??? For all they knew, it could have been me. It wasn't, actually the kid was found and arrested that same day. But, I had the reputation of being a good, mature kid who would do no wrong.

Sadly, there will be a lot of people that can't handle the fact that you have more important stuff to worry about than just what kind of pizza toppings you would like. But, there comes a point when you just have to do what will make you happy in the long run. I would have never met my husband if it weren't for me being willing to take the maturity I had that others were not so loving me using for myself.

I hope that your friends will take an interest in your diabetes. It is a hard thing when it is such a huge part of you and of who you are, and they don't seem to really care because it would be something else to have to learn about.

[Nejeda]

Yeah, it seems that if there is anything to do with learning they will shy away from it... yet I thrive to learn more. I am one of those people who live to learn. I ask questions and I figure out ways to get them answered. My one friend has a disease I didn't know about, so I asked him questions about it to understand it better, and he asked me questions to understand diabetes. But most of my peers and teachers are ignorant of it. They say; "Oh, my [insert family member here] has diabetes... I'm an expert."

Well, today at lunch, I had a low Blood Glucose and one of my "friends" asked if I needed a shot, I was flabbergasted. She was one of the ones who claimed to be an expert. I calmly explained the shot would lower my sugar even farther and sent me into a coma, which would NOT end well. She tried to argue that her grandmother takes insulin shots when her sugar drops.

At this point, I thought to myself that I needed to start seeking out more knowledgeble people on the topic of diabetes... people I could talk to. Or at the very least more mature individuals like I've been thinking about doing for some time now.

[gettingby]

I understand where you are coming from Nejeda. I had to grow up and become more mature way before I was diagnosed. I lost my daddy in an accident on a garden tractor when I was 6 years old. I felt, even at that age, that I had to be the strong one and help mom and my sisters take care of my brother (he was only 1 1/2 yrs). So, when I was diagnosed, I was pretty much ready and able to take on all of my responsibilites for my care at the age of 13. I'm 34 now (almost 35) and I wonder where all of the time has gone.
I had a problem with DKA a year after diagnosis and almost didn't survive it. When I returned to school, my guidance counselor introduced me to a guy the same age as me who had been a diabetic longer than I had. Maybe your counselor would know if there is another student with diabetes that you could talk with? It sure helped me alot.
Sorry to make this so long. Welcome to our dysfunctional family. LOL.

[lelggren]

Originally Posted by gettingby

I had a problem with DKA a year after diagnosis and almost didn't survive it. When I returned to school, my guidance counselor introduced me to a guy the same age as me who had been a diabetic longer than I had. Maybe your counselor would know if there is another student with diabetes that you could talk with? It sure helped me alot.

Great Idea!! Or, if your dr. or CDE knows of a local program or support group for people your age. Those might be a good idea too! And, always know that you can turn to us at any time

[Nejeda]

Both wonderful ideas... which I've already tried... the closest group thingy is in Pitsburgh, in the evening, and I live in Butler... that's a fourty-five minute drive or more (pending traffic)... according to my parents it "isn't worth it". And according to the school nurse and my counselor there aren't any other type I diabetics at my school. Hense, me seeking a place like this...

And thanks... dysfunctional families are what I do best!

[gettingby]

Originally Posted by Nejeda

Both wonderful ideas... which I've already tried... the closest group thingy is in Pitsburgh, in the evening, and I live in Butler... that's a fourty-five minute drive or more (pending traffic)... according to my parents it "isn't worth it". And according to the school nurse and my counselor there aren't any other type I diabetics at my school. Hense, me seeking a place like this...

And thanks... dysfunctional families are what I do best!

Well, it was worth a try. Sorry. Remember though, you do have us and I do believe there are some others in your age group on here. Hang in there.

[Dewey]

Originally Posted by Nejeda

I'm in highschool, yeah go figure, right? I'm sixteen, ooh, another shocker, right? Well, I'll be a junior, and I feel like getting diagnosed at six years old forced me to grow up and become mature faster then I should have. I feel like I am miles above and beyond my peers. I sit and I feel like I'm observing them, looking in from the outside. And I feel like I can't talk to any of them about me, my problems, even how I'm doing. I don't know any other people with diabetes, my age or otherwise, so I don't know if this is normal. Is it normal for me to feel emotional and mentally more mature because of what I've been through?

This is totally normal, and I too, felt the same way. Though I didn't mind being a leader in school, it sometimes felt like I had to bear the weight of the world on my shoulders. I did well in school and like Laura said, got the "Oh, she's one of the good ones" treatment at times (lol).

All that aside, I think the hardest thing I endured during teen years was the loss of my dad (I was 16 at the time). It was difficult, cause each of us (in the family) was trying to cope in our own way. I let some things slide for about a year, but realized that I'd better get back on track, and fast.....so I did.

I think some of us are better equipped emotionally to deal with Diabetes, if you will....Are we more mature because of our Diabetes, or are we better able to handle Diabetes & life because we're more mature?

[gettingby]

Originally Posted by Nejeda

Well, today at lunch, I had a low Blood Glucose and one of my "friends" asked if I needed a shot, I was flabbergasted. She was one of the ones who claimed to be an expert. I calmly explained the shot would lower my sugar even farther and sent me into a coma, which would NOT end well. She tried to argue that her grandmother takes insulin shots when her sugar drops.

Been there, done that too many times before !! Makes you feel like , don't it?? Or at least bang their head against a wall to knock some sense into them. LOL.

[Nejeda]

I feel that forcing a seven year old to care for herself, to grow up and care for her disease, while effective as it was, may have been too harsh on my parents part. Yet, at the same time I sort of thank them, and loathe them for it all in the same moment. Because I am so much more mature then the rest of my peers I have set standards for myself unknowingly, which my parents enforce to the 'T'. I am sixteen and have yet to make mistakes and get grounded for dumb things that others are doing. I'm taking AP classes next year! (AP stands for Advanced Placement, which is the equivilent of a college freshmen level class) And my parents expect this from me. Now, don't get me wrong, I can do it, and I want to, in fact it's what I love to do--learn. But because I'm at that point in my maturity, where what I want to do is learn, my peers look to me to be 'answer gal'. I'm so tired of all the "highschool drama" going on with them, it's like I want to scream at them and make them realize that in two months all this won't matter, that in two years these "beautiful girls" won't be beautiful anymore, that there is more in the world to worry about. That they aren't bullet proof, and they aren't knife proof, and those drugs they are smoking and that alcohol they drank over the weekend will hurt them, that they aren't immune to it all.

And that is the point at which I feel like I am going crazy, and maybe I'm not more mature, that many I'm just different?

[lelggren]

You know, I think it is so funny that there are even people out there that claim that they are more of an expert than someone who has had diabetes for 20+ years, and it is just because of their {Insert friend, relative, or other such person here}. I think that people just have this yearning to look smart all the time, and it just doesn't always happen....lol I'm glad that she didn't get ahold of your needles and try to play nurse!

[Nejeda]

Originally Posted by gettingby

Been there, done that too many times before !! Makes you feel like , don't it?? Or at least bang their head against a wall to knock some sense into them. LOL.

I wanted to ring her neck!!!!!

[lelggren]

Originally Posted by Nejeda

I feel that forcing a seven year old to care for herself, to grow up and care for her disease, while effective as it was, may have been too harsh on my parents part. Yet, at the same time I sort of thank them, and loathe them for it all in the same moment. Because I am so much more mature then the rest of my peers I have set standards for myself unknowingly, which my parents enforce to the 'T'. I am sixteen and have yet to make mistakes and get grounded for dumb things that others are doing. I'm taking AP classes next year! (AP stands for Advanced Placement, which is the equivilent of a college freshmen level class) And my parents expect this from me. Now, don't get me wrong, I can do it, and I want to, in fact it's what I love to do--learn. But because I'm at that point in my maturity, where what I want to do is learn, my peers look to me to be 'answer gal'. I'm so tired of all the "highschool drama" going on with them, it's like I want to scream at them and make them realize that in two months all this won't matter, that in two years these "beautiful girls" won't be beautiful anymore, that there is more in the world to worry about. That they aren't bullet proof, and they aren't knife proof, and those drugs they are smoking and that alcohol they drank over the weekend will hurt them, that they aren't immune to it all.

And that is the point at which I feel like I am going crazy, and maybe I'm not more mature, that many I'm just different?

I hate to say it, but they will just have to learn the hard way. It is not like they haven't heard that all those things will hurt them. They will just have to make their own adjustments after HS, and they will have to get used to you not being there to give them all the answers.

And, I promise you, HS doesn't last forever. College is so much better. Nowhere near that much drama. And, if there is drama, it is easier to get away from it. Hang in there hun All will be well!