Hello, my name is Laura Castillo. I am an incoming college freshman at the University of California, Irvine, who has only ever researched medical information for specific school assignments. I can give you information on urinary tract infections because I researched it for an informative speech I had to give in my public speaking class. However, now I have recently become friends with a woman who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 11. I have been asked the question- what do I know about diabetes?
Growing up, I believed diabetes fell upon those who had a massive amount of sugar intake in their diet. I see memetics* of overweight people, or cats, hovering above large platters of unimaginable desserts, and these only serve as validation to those as ignorant as I am- or as I was.
In an attempt to learn more about type 1 diabetes, I watched a short clip of young people explaining the basics of growing up with type 1 diabetes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0M4oxBtnXo&sns=em). In all honesty, while watching this video I felt like crying. I mean, I know this illness is not the plague, but the precautions of having it seem outrageous. One miscalculation or a bit of forgetfulness can become so suddenly fatal. Many people older or younger than these kids live their life under a virtual microscope. The highs and lows of blood sugar can only result in negative effects, even possibly death, for a person dealing with this disease.
I’m curious to learn what you think is the most challenging part of living with this disease. And I thank you, in advance, for allowing me to share my thoughts with you and receiving your feedback.
Follow Laura’s progress as she enters her freshman year at UCI as an English major … she’s amazing and will do wonderful things in this world! She even introduced me to the concept of memetics!
* Memetics:
1. An element of a culture or system of behavior that may be considered to be passed from one individual to another by non-genetic means, esp. imitation.
2. A humorous image, video, piece of text, etc. that is copied often with slight variation and spread rapidly by internet users.
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