I have a friend, who in an early age of ten, already suffers to what experts called as
juvenile diabetes. In fact, she injects insulin seven times on her own in a day. I get squeamish when she does it in front of me. I can't imagine how painful it is and to think that she has to give herself insulin shot, maybe for her entire lifetime...
My little friend belongs to the 20% of children in America who are suffering of juvenile diabetes. This disease weakens or incapacitates the pancreas in producing essential insulin in our body. Any moment depending on the environmental stimulus, the body's immune system could go haywire, creating biochemicals that debilitates the pancreas. If not prevented or treated immediately, it can cause paralysis and death. Experts still do not know what triggers this illness and also haven't found a definite cure that will help alleviate the ordeal of those people experiencing it, specially the kids.
For now, my little friend draws strength from the people around her, especially us, her loved ones. She needs to watch her
personal daily diet, perhaps eat less of carbohydrates and more of fibers. She has to undergo glucose examination every month and take several shots of insulin in a day. I certainly wish that in the near future, the treatment or cure for juvenile diabetes can be discovered.
