My name is Jovie and I am nine years old. I live in West Tennessee. I love photography, writing poems, participating in musicals and shows at our local theater, and playing my ukulele. I have one older brother, one older sister, and two younger sisters. My family and I live in a camper and are getting ready to travel all over the United States this summer so life is pretty exciting. I am mostly a regular girl, but I have Type 1 Diabetes, Celiac Disease, and am blind in one eye from being born with a cataract. All my medical challenges make my life a little more complicated, but T1D is the most tricky to manage.

When I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes I thought it was going to be the hardest thing I would ever face. It turns out that it really isn’t so bad.

I have an amazing family that has been with me every step of the way. My parents always remind me that God is with me on this journey and they are always available to help with pump changes and carb counting. From the very beginning my family and friends were there for me and helped me to remember that I am not alone and I am the same girl I always was even though I have new things to think about for my health. My doctors and nurses at Vanderbilt quickly became some of my favorite people and I love getting to see them at my appointments every three months. I have a wonderful group of people around me that make things about T1D much better.

Sometimes being a Type 1 Diabetic is really cool, like the fact I get to have a phone before all my siblings. (I need it so that my parents can get my blood glucose numbers.) Sometimes though it is really terrible. It is not fun to have to be stuck by needles all the time. My blood sugar going high and low makes me feel sick and shaky and sometimes keeps me from being able to do things that I enjoy. Having T1D and all of my other diagnoses can make me feel very different from the people around me. Things that come easy to others, are sometimes challenging for me and I feel frustrated that my life isn’t easier. But through these hard things, I have learned how to look for the bright side and try to keep my mind on positive things. I have also learned how to make good food choices and how to change my own Dexcom (continuous glucose monitor) and (Insulin) pump.

 

The most important thing I have learned is that hard days pass and things always get better.

For kids who have just been diagnosed with a new health issue or sickness I would want them to remember to lean on God and look for people in their life that can help them and support them. I would tell them that I understand how hard things feel at first, but it does get easier. My diagnosis is a part of who I am and I don’t mind being a T1D. I still enjoy plenty of things that regular kids enjoy like crafting, photography, reading, watching Star Wars movies, and going on traveling adventures with my family. I would remind other kids in my situation not to forget who they are (and who they have always been). I want to encourage others to keep finding things they love that have nothing to do with their illness or disease. Mostly I would tell them that I think they are strong and that kids like us still have a lot to share with the world.

MEET OUR AUTHOR

JOVIE ALLEN

Jovie Allen is the daughter of Crystal Allen. She is one of the five Allen children. She is currently being homeschooled through HLA in Tennessee.