"Needles"


I just finished the book "Needles: A Memoir of Growing Up With Diabetes," by Andie Dominick. It talks about the trials and challenges of diabetes, and the truly powerful affect it can have on a diabetic's life.  The author proves what a daily task it really is.  
The book starts out explaining how much Andie adores her sister who has Type 1 Diabetes.  She would play with the needles (orange caps still on them), and pretend to give shots to her stuffed animals.  Little did she know, she would soon be giving herself insulin shots.  
Eventually, after years with diabetes, Andie has complications. It gave me a different perspective on the disease. It makes me want to work a little harder to avoid medical problems. She ends up having diabetic retinopathy.  She has to have laser surgeries to prevent more vessels in her eye from bursting.  Scary stuff--but it's reality. Then she goes through periods of denial and stops giving herself insulin. She ends up in the hospital. All of the feelings she encounters felt so real to me.  It was comforting to read the words of another diabetic and be able to sigh and think, "I know exactly what you mean."
Some of my favorite and inspiring quotes from the book:
"We never think we can endure as much as we can."
"I'm trying to put my life in perspective now. I'm trying to learn to be thankful for my health, rather than resenting a body that has betrayed me."
"A cure for diabetes. I don't even think about that. I just hope for advances in how to treat the complications of the disease. Ways to prevent blindness and restore circulation. A kidney transplant without a life of immunosuppressants.  I don't think this is hoping for too much, but a cure is too much to ask for."
Excellent book...I highly recommend it! Check it out if you haven't already.  

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