The first day

I remember the doctor telling me that I have diabetes. I was confused. I really didn't know what diabetes was and I figured it was a really bad thing.

I remembered a student in my elementary class who had diabetes. She always had snacks in the afternoon sitting at her desk. And I always wondered why she was allowed a snack and no one else was. That was the only experience I had with diabetes.

I had just got my drivers license and my mother and younger brother were with me at the doctor's office. I drove home and I remember traveling on the rural road that we lived on pushing 70 MPH. I pulled into the drive way parked the car threw mysef to the dirt and had a crying fit. After a few minutes writhing on the ground my hand grasped a piece of metal and I jumped to my feet and threw it at the wooden wall of the shed. The metal piece stuck into the wall like a throwing knife. It remained there for many years.