I was 10 years old when I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, being in class 4th my mind was juggling in finding HCF (Highest common factor) and LCM (Lowest Common Multiple) of two numbers. My developing brain was full too in adaptive mode, it was taking the form whatever shape you want to give it. So it very well adapted to the schedule of taking four injections daily without much questioning. But unfortunately my parents’ brain was developed one, it was difficult for them to understand and accept the fact that their only child is suffering from chronic disease and she will have to be with it forever.

My parents tried to remain calm and act positive, and within months they too accepted my mentor Diabetes. Yes, my mentor, I believe everything has purpose in life. In the same sense, Diabetes has been my mentor and will continue to be until I go back to the earth.

From the day I had Diabetes till today, Diabetes has never failed me in living a disciplined life. It always makes sure that I am eating on time, with just little pricking before it, and I am eating healthy as well. People these days have lot of options for food, especially unhealthy and junk food. So they look for mentors to guide them on what to eat and what not to eat. Well, I got lucky in this situation, my mentor takes care of all of this.

Discipline takes you a long way, it is one of the important qualities to possess to climb the ladder of success. And I feel fortunate enough for Diabetes to ingrain it in me since the right time. I have grown to be a disciplined adult.

My journey with Diabetes has always been a tangent graph, always reaching high. With scoring above 90 in 10th and 12th examination and being able to maintain cgpa of 8.78 in graduation, and being successful performer of the year in my current job, Diabetes was always there, as a Mentor, as a friend, as a companion to remind me I have to take care of myself, my health. There is no barrier living with Diabetes, it is a blessing to have it.

We need to change the outlook of how one takes Diabetes as, we need to understand that there can be no obstacles in the path which you are meant to achieve in this lifetime. We need to learn to convert all the obstacles into path-giver not path-taker. Life is not about google-maps giving us the paths to the destination, it’s about us with our hard work and discipline, creating the roads to our goals.

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This is the written script of all the traumas faced by an ordinary yet unique girl when she mentions all the peaks and troughs of her life.

It all started when I was in my 11th year of survival in this world, I was a chubby little creature. I was living my life to its fullest and was studying and crafting as usual. Everything was ‘flat as a pancake’ till one day the real obstacle came in the form of weight loss. I began to lose weight really fast (and by fast I mean REALLY FAST) I lost 10 kg in approximately 4 months, but everyone took it lightly blaming it on the diet. I went off board when I faced major hair loss. I had really long and healthy hair but by the end of 5th month it started to look more like a mouse tail. My family started to notice drastic changes in me and took me to a family doctor. He anxiously asked me for a blood test but guess what, I HAD REAL FEAR OF INJECTIONS. Being the little one I used my blackmailing skills and dragged it till 7 MONTHS and delayed it. But one day my family was really serious about it and took me to the LAB (I played the drama there too). Finally, the reports came *drum rolls* I WAS DIABETIC (wow). I didn’t know what was happening to me. Anxiety kicked in and at that time I really wanted someone to tell me that “Neha you’re strong and YOU CAN DO IT!”. In January 2016 I had my first insulin injection (very hard). My family tried everything to keep me away from those INJECTION BUDDIES but who knew that they were going to be my BESTIE’S FOR LIFE. My life was a piece of cake but who knew this cake was a little too sugary. After months of trial on insulin, I came to realize that THIS IS PERMANENT AND I OWN IT. After you start owning your flaws you start working on them. I have had diabetes for almost 5 years now and I actually feel blessed (No I’m not crazy). Diabetes makes me stand out tall in the crowd and makes me unique amongst all. Sometimes I feel down when experiencing high sugar level but that’s not the end of the world . I’m living a stable life right now and ready to conquer the world.

“All you need to believe is YOU”

The post 075 Neha, age 16, Pakistan appeared first on Life for a Child.

Deep in his eyes,
Lost was a man so wise.
The wet nurse of violence,
Gave fire to his silence.
Tears of frustration rolled down his cheek,
But the kind soul of his could never speak.
Screams became hushed,
Those dreams never were crushed
Expectations feed the frustrations,
Shattered were all those good actions.
Even the pride was lost,
B’coz it was
Depression, who came along…
But, it didn’t mean the end,
Decision was the leftover life not just to spend.
Overcoming the dead past wasn’t easy,
Even its thoughts made him dizzy.
Igniting the spark of big plan,
Determination was very clear to be the wholesome man.
Just endeavour implied deficiency,
Along sacrifices rose the win probability.
Tears into sweat, kind heart into stubborn igniter,
Nights into workouts, patho into fighter.
Struggle went long,
Everything seemed wrong
At last, the low spirit downed the knee,
As the aplomb triggered INSIDE ME.

The post 073 Jayesh, age 22, India appeared first on Life for a Child.

Sugar has had negative effects on my life. This disease has swallowed up my many desires. Because of diabetes, society considers me a sick person that has no ability to do things. I wish I could join the Army but due to diabetes, I am not able to fulfill my desires. I have had problems with my sugar. I have to take insulin twice daily. Due to diabetes I have a difficult time eating and drinking when I am out with my friends.

I like a lot of sweet things. Because of diabetes, I have taken sweets out of my life. Often at relative’s weddings, I am very careful not to eat anything that would hurt my diabetes. Sugar also changes human behavior. The patient does not have control over himself. If sugar is low or high the patient may not be conscious, or he may have severe anger. In the meantime, he cannot properly handle his affairs.

Diabetes also affects my studies. I can’t perform in my studies the same way that a normal teenager can. I often go to bed early at night because of my diabetes. My parents are supporting me in fighting the disease – they often see me at night.

Children with diabetes feel more distressed. The use of insulin and other tests at an early age adds to the difficulty.

I have personally been suffering from this disease for the past six years and understand the disease to a great extent. If you fight with your heart against this disease, you will be able to overcome the disease. A few wishes can overcome this disease and live a better life until the last days of life.

Fighting against this disease can be done by increasing the immune system.

The post 074 Usman, age 16, Pakistan appeared first on Life for a Child.

It’s my pleasure to introduce myself. My name is Abdul Moiz Kandorawala. I am 20 years old. I’m a BBA student at SZABIST University and single for the time being. My life journey until now has been more like a roller coaster ride with a lot of ups and downs and twists and turns. With the passage of time the ride has only gotten wilder, it’s at times really confusing, but somehow by the help of Allah I make it through.

I was born on 9th December 1998. According to my mother, she had no diseases while bearing me and I was conceived normally. I was born a healthy child, with no medical issues. I weighed around 6.2 kg. Everybody in my family was happy and excited to see me. I was the first and the only son of my family. Only five minutes after my arrival I felt the responsibility to become the right hand of my father as sons usually do who are born in a typical Pakistani family. Out of everybody my sister was the one who was most excited to see me. My family planned a dinner to celebrate my arrival. I started crawling when I was 6 months old and it took me another 6 months to take my first steps unassisted. My mother bought me a set of Legos and some more toys so I can play. I was very fond of toys, and no matter how much I got, I always wanted more. I didn’t start speaking at this moment but was very possessive about my toys, used to show anger if anyone tried to play with them. According to my mother I started speaking when I was 2 years old, my first word I spoke was Papa. My father always tried to indulge me in physical activities like Cricket, Badminton, etc. At the age of 2 my grandmother gifted me a car because I was really fond of cars.

My father got me admitted into the anchorage school at the age of 2.5 years, and I don’t exactly remember how the first day of my school was but it wasn’t a very good day. According to my Mom and my grandmother who took me to school on my first day I cried a lot. I got very nervous in this new environment, seeing so many kids, wearing the same clothes as me, it was very confusing. I vaguely remember the activities of that day, the only thing I remember was that the teacher drew a sun on my hand. The first was only an hour long, after that I went back home with my mom and my daddy. It took me a month or so to settle in this new environment. I made some friends as I was really friendly, and liked to talk to everyone.

But it wasn’t until grade 2 that I made a real friend. My best friend’s name is Madni. Up till now his importance is more than anything in my life. I clearly remember that I used to go to school only for him, if for some reason I couldn’t go to school, he wouldn’t talk to me the next day. He has been there for me whenever I need him, he has always supported me in my difficult times, and he is still one of my best advisors. On my way back from school my grandfather use to buy me little treats to motivate me like gola ganda. I was an average student throughout my academic life and I still am. It was only once or twice that I miraculously scored an A. My parents have always supported me no matter how many marks I scored.

When I was in grade 4 I started developing interest in cricket. I used to play cricket on roads and when my summer vacation started me and my friend Saleem joined custom cricket academy. Me and my friend used to go to the training at 9 in the morning. The coach used to make us run before the training, and after the training we used to practice our fielding skills.

Now I will be telling you about my medical issues. Before going on Umrah I was perfectly alright, but during Umrah I started feeling some symptoms, like I used to feel a lot more thirsty, I used to get tired, I had to go to the washroom very often. I came back from Umrah on 20 February. Only three days later, on 23 February 2014 the day was Monday and I was just cleaning my room and searching for my notes because this year I had to appear for my O-level papers. Suddenly I felt down and my parents took me to the hospital. The doctors checked my blood sugar because there were some symptoms. And after some hours the doctor confirms that I am suffering from diabetes. I couldn’t believe that from now on I’ll have the label of a diabetic patient. From that day onwards I pray to Allah that helps me to fight this trouble. As after having this disease my father was heartbroken because I guess I was their only son. It is very easy to say that it is a life style that just to control your sugar level and it can be controlled if you have a discipline, but trust me it is not. My sister told me that my father told to my mother if he doesn’t want to study he can do whatever he wants, it’s perfectly alright, his health matters more. My mother told my father that don’t ever say that again because he will be weak and mother said that let be him a fighter and let him fight it out. This strength was given to me from my mother. I am injecting insulin 4 times in a day, but this disease has never gotten on my nerves. It all seems very easy to a normal and a healthy individual but Allah knows how many tears I shed in front of him and ask for a better health. As when I pray I have a faith that if you pray before Allah and ask Him He will provide you beyond your imagination. Anything can happen if you please Allah. So we should strive every day, seek forgiveness from Allah, should never feel depressed or lost and should always be hopeful.

In my family there are 6 members, My parents, my 3 sisters and me. One sister is elder than me and two are younger. My family has a perfect relationship with me. As I am very close with my mother, I share every problem with her. My father used to motivate me in every moment. There is no disease in my family but only my grandfather has some blood pressure issue. My father is a very joyous person, I have hardly seen him taking any stress. The business that my father is doing right now, he inherited that from his father and I also plan to join my father in the expansion of his business.

This last year was a tough one for me, as I was on gap year, but Alhamdulillah I got into SZABIST. I’m pretty satisfied with where I am now. I try to be grateful and thankful to Allah at every step of my life. I feel that everything we go through involves the will of Allah, and Allah loves us more than 70 mothers, how can he choose anything bad for us? The story of my life shows a lot of problems but in the end I overcame all of them by the help of the All-Mighty.

The post 072 Abdul M, age 21, Pakistan appeared first on Life for a Child.

Living with diabetes can be a challenging burden but it can be helpful to share your frustrations and successes and read about people’s similar experiences. We have identified the best diabetes blogs that aim to inspire, empower, and educate readers.

Diabetes is a group of diseases that impact how the body uses blood glucose and it effects around 29.1 million people in the United States.

The post 071 Manahil, age 11, Pakistan appeared first on Life for a Child.

I wish to live like others,
But it’s not possible because
My life with diabetes.
I wish to eat freely like others,
But it’s not possible because
My life with diabetes.
I wish to play like other girls,
But it’s not possible because,
My life with diabetes.
I wish I will be treated like others,
But it’s not possible because,
My life with diabetes.
I wish to smile like others,
But it’s not possible because,
My life with diabetes.
I wish I live strong and brave
But it’s not possible because,
My life with diabetes.
I wish I remove tear of my parents,
But it’s not possible because,
My life with diabetes.
I wish my mother sleep deeply,
But it’s not possible because,
My life with diabetes.
I wish my mother live freely,
I wish… my mother die freely
But it’s not possible because,
MY LIFE WITH DIABETES…

The post 070 Toyyaba, age 11, Pakistan appeared first on Life for a Child.

The word might be simple.
It’s just a disease
And it’s harmless you may say
Or may be you may think as well.
But in this world which is
Based on simple things which
Most people ignore,
Simple things are
What makes the world change.
These changes may be positive
And they can also be negative
This spark of fir which
Most of you call a simple disease
Can burn down the nine realms
Like Hellfire
Every life source, even you can burn.
You will become ash, you will lose your last.
You will be absorbed to Mother Earth
This hellfire is summoned by No One.
But No One but you are the one who burn
No one, not even the god will be with you
When you burn, Yes he won’t be there
He may make up an excuse “You are responsible
For this summoning of hellfire.”
Yes, you are it’s your duty to prevent the fire
Before it kindle its first spark.
Cause I failed to do so

The post 069 Prasadi, age , Sri Lanka appeared first on Life for a Child.

In the amidst of a whole world I am a little soul who lives in a world of challenges. With a shrill of a cry a baby comes to the world unknown to what the world holds for them. Perhaps that’s the thrill of living but after living for three years, I faced the first gift that the world holds for me. My Life with Diabetes started at the age of three.

As a baby, I don’t remember much. I remember the hushed whispers of relatives, neighbors asking what is this and that. I was a little diamond that was held for display. With passing seconds, I come across the vivid memory of telling my grade-01 class teacher about being absent the next day as I had a check-up. The only thing that was carved into my little mind was I am sick. I asked my parents when I’ll stop checking blood sugar, I didn’t get a reply. I was left alone in the unknown.

I met my first ever friend back in grade 01, an exchange of pencils brought us closer. Changing homes, I met another group of friends in the neighborhood and the reminder of being sick faded away to the darkness.

Year after year the knowledge in the depth of my mind increased. I was a ball of sunshines in school, a popular kid around the hallways. Back in home, I was a ball of anxiety trying to control my high blood sugar.

Amounts of pressure build up in my throat, but my family and friends were always a step ahead, reaching me with smiles. Every appointment with a doctor was venomous, every jump of a skipping rope was painful, every food was appealing and it hurt but looking at the outcome I’m prideful and I’m happy to become the one controlling diabetes.
I no longer fear the exchange of words with doctors, I no longer felt pain or hurt for exercising and dieting for I accept my challenge and I’m happy to live with it.

As a student upholding talent, I am a topic between groups of friends. For what I achieved I am a proud topic for my parents to talk on, for I have become a winner.
In the amidst of the world I may be a little soul but I am a little soul who already opened my gift.

The post 068 Kalani, age 17, Sri Lanka appeared first on Life for a Child.

I am suffering from diabetes type 1. I really enjoy my life with my brothers and sister and my parents. When I got got this disease, my bother and sister tried their best to encourage my life. They would do good discussion with me and divert my mind from this disease. They advised me to keep busy myself in sports and other activities like this. When the symptoms appeared in my body I would feel very tired because of which my routines of food were disturbed and that is because I started to use insulin. But my parents did their best to encourage me and they realized one that is not a very dangerous diseases because it can be cured with some time and routine exercise. Here I want to convey my message to all those children who are suffering from this disease, and to their parents too that they should do a kind conversation with their kids. They should keep them busy in sport activities so they will be healthy and they should also take part in school activities like debates and other competitions. They should take daily exercise. A child, if he got diabetes so it means they have done something wrong to their kid like they might punish them or suppress him. But now the thing that the parents must know is that they should take care of their kid and they should encourage him by giving such things which make his life happy. Now the point is, if the child is behaving responsibly, give him such rewards which can make him happy. By doing this the child will behave in a good way toward his disease and the parents will find the good difference in his health. Over time, the child will behave properly without any need for reinforcement.

The post 067 Adeel, age 13, Pakistan appeared first on Life for a Child.