My Story: "I Was 13-Years-Old When I Was Diagnosed With Diabetes And My Life Changed Overnight!"

I was 13 years, nine months and three days old when I was diagnosed with diabetes. I was a midfielder in the football team, and we were about to play our first game on the 5th. I had complained of feeling excessively thirsty and was losing weight – symptoms I attributed to my demanding practice schedule. The following morning, I underwent a blood test. The next afternoon, the doctor called my parents and told them that I had to immediately be admitted to the Intensive Care Unit(ICU) – that my blood sugar was 1050mg/dL. None of those numbers meant anything till then.

My Life Changed Overnight

On the 1st, I was Jazz Sethi- a midfielder, literature major, dancer, fries addict, injection phobic and stress surfer; then, it all changed overnight. Diabetes and I are now that till 13, I took life with attitude rather than gratitude. Things came easily to me, be it academics or the creative fields. I mistook popularity for respect and found that the more I did to 'outdo' someone else, the less I got in return.

I still remember how my bouts of 'why me' slowly and steadily transformed into a lens of 'what if'. Suddenly, it was not what I could not do, but what all I could do. I started actively taking notice of my friends and their lives. I started listening with my senses. I wanted to remove any 'limitations' that diabetes brought with it. And it felt good. Good to give back – to both– diabetes and life.

I Have Now Made Peace With Diabetes

It took me a decade to truly make peace with my diabetes, and in turn, with the life, I was living and would continue to live. I thought I wasn't afraid of permanence, I have 18 tattoos and all that jazz, but a tiny portion of me thought maybe life would be different. That changed when I decided to start my organization that brought together diabetic patients. I felt proud of creating a community that is built on empathy, courage and strength. The greatest thing that diabetes gave me was my purpose.

The last 11 years have not been easy. I cannot eat french fries without injecting and need to have a needle in my body all the time. When I am stressed, my blood sugar levels will fluctuate, and I am not even aware of the long-term effects on my body. I know one thing for sure – it's not the quantity of life you are given, but the quality of life you live that makes it worth it.

If you too have an inspiring story to tell the world, send us your story at mystory@thelogicalindian.com