Donating plasma saved me from going into a coma. One day last semester I had nothing to do, so I decided I could use extra money and went to the plasma center. I didn’t know it was going to turn into a weekend-long stay in the hospital.
I got to the center, went through all the tests and right before they strap you in the chair they took me in this room to talk. The woman told me to go to the doctor immediately because my glucose level was 1,000 and you can’t donate unless it’s zero.
I went straight to a walk-in emergency clinic. They did more tests and said they didn’t believe it because I shouldn’t be walking. I was freaking out and almost in tears. Well they got the glucose test back and told me to go straight to the emergency room and sent me off with two bottles of water (for dehydration). By the time I got to the ER I was hyperventilating and it was 3 p.m.
After being pricked a few more times they said my blood sugar was 479 and if it went any higher I’d be in a coma. Normal blood sugar levels are between 110 and 140. I was convinced that I was dying. After leaving me in the waiting room until 1 a.m. with an IV in my arm I finally got a room and was diagnosed with diabetes. Now this was a shock to me because no one in my family has ever had diabetes before the age of 65, and I was only 19. I spent the weekend in JCMC learning what I could eat, how to give myself insulin shots, and check my sugar.
When I first started my new low-carb, low-fat, low-sugar diet, I was depressed and angry. Sometimes I still am.
I’m not very religious but my mom told me God wouldn’t have given me this challenge if I couldn’t handle it. Honestly it made me feel better. My family, friends and I can all tell when I need to eat or take my pills. And it all directly affects my mood. I still have bad days where I’m angry, crying, shaking or very sick, but most days are pretty good. I’m still learning to deal with it, but I know I can.

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