| Author | Message: Help me find a cure! Please read, not a joke! OT | Posted by: Spchmaster
On: 7/18/1999 at 12:00:04 AM GMT
Message #: 1885
See headers | Help me find a cure!
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July 16, 1999
Hello!
My name is Caitlyn Deon Alexander. I will be five years old in February and
I am a diabetic. On October 28, 1996, I was diagnosed with Juvenile
Diabetes. I was very sick and had to stay in the hospital for a whole week.
I was lethargic and suffered from keto-acidosis. My body was trying to burn
fat for energy instead of sugar. It was a very sad time for my family and
me. Mommy and I cried a lot. I didn't understand why I had an I.V. in my
arm or why I was getting shots all of the time.
Let me share with you what a day is normally like for me. Every morning just
before 8:00 a.m., I have to wake up to do a blood sugar test. Then I have to
eat a healthy breakfast. I can't eat any sugar filled cereals or drink
juice. And I have to eat right or I might get really sick. I eat a
mid-morning snack at 9:30 a.m., followed by another blood sugar test and
lunch at noon. At 3:30 p.m., I eat another snack followed by another blood
sugar test and dinner at 6:30 p.m. Then at 9:00 p.m., I do one more blood
sugar test. Then I get to have a healthy snack, but only one that fits with
my blood sugar. I get two shots of insulin a day: one in the morning after
breakfast and one in the evening after dinner. Mommy sometimes has to give
me a third shot during the day if my blood sugar is too high. In the short
time I have had Diabetes, I have had more than 3,750 blood sugar tests and
more than 1,900 insulin injections! And that's not even 3 years! Think of
how many that will be in 10, 20, or even 30 years!
Diabetes is no fun. I don't like getting my fingers pricked and shots in my
arms and legs all of the time. Mommy has to keep telling me to eat right,
do my sugar tests and take my insulin. She says that the only way I won't
have to go through this day after day, week after week, year after year, is
if a cure is found. Mommy says there are 16 million other people out there
that have to do all of these icky things, too! She also says that a lot of
people who don't have diabetes don't understand that it is a life threatening
chronic illness that causes numerous physical problems and even death. I
don't want to be sick anymore. I shouldn't have to grow up worrying about
losing my eyesight, my circulation (i.e. amputation), or dying. I shouldn't
have to spend my life doing blood sugar tests, and having insulin injections.
But you can help! I have a family team walking at the 1999 Walk to Cure
Diabetes event. My team is called Caitlyn's Crew, and our goal is to raise
$10,000.00 for this year's event at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill.
Your tax-deductible donation in any amount will aid in funding the research
necessary for finding a cure for millions in the world like me. Checks
should be made payable to the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, with a memo that
says "Caitlyn's Crew." The walk is on September 26, and all money needs to
be received by Mommy by September 20. You can mail a check to me at 1208
Miller St., Antioch, CA 94509 or e-mail me at
mailto:C8tlynsCrew@a... C8lynsCrew@a... if you would like
to join the team. Thank you for helping me to find a cure for a happier and
healthier future!
Sincerely,
Caitlyn
P.S. PLEASE forward this to everyone you know! Together we can make a
difference. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Carrie (Alexander) Vargas
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