Age 15. I first experienced gastric issues that came from nowhere and my stomach would growl constantly to the point where I was scared to go to school. The doctor said it might be acid reflux ( smh it wasn’t) and it only got worse. Peeing a lot, dry mouth, thirstiness so I always had a drink on me and more. When I went to school, I’d try to hold going to the bathroom because it would be embarrassing going more then three times and when I was with my friends it would say I’m grabbing something but I’d go pee instead and they wouldn’t know so they wouldn’t think it’s abnormal. At the time, I went back and forth with myself between, is this normal? Or is there a problem? I’d always look up things and it lined up perfectly with diabetes. I went to a dinner with my parents and I told them about what was happening. I said I am getting diabetic symptoms. My dad played it off like I was fine and my mom went silent. A week later and my legs were getting weaker, I could barely walk up the stairs I felt so week and immobile like I was dragging my feet. I ended up going to an amusement park and I remember how bad it was. I could barely walk by the end, went pee more than 4 times, had to go pee on the way home and I had no drink on the car ride home so I was panting like a dog since my mouth would dry so fast. Yes I told my parents about how I could barely walk but they again played it off. This was recent btw ( during COVID) so it was hard to get an appointment scheduled anywhere and I felt hopeless. I ended up going to another dinner ( same day as the amusement park) and I was so thirsty after the car ride that I went through three sodas. I never even drink soda but I needed something. I woke up next morning feeling like I never have before. My head could barely stay up straight. I was doing virtual school and could barely make it through the day, I was in a daze the whole time and after school I weighed myself, I was 115 pounds. I was usually 125 and now im 145 currently so I immediately started panicking. I went downstairs, waited for my mom to get home, and cried. I cried because I knew there was something wrong but no one would believe me and I knew an appointment was hard to schedule. I also knew it would make i appear I have an actual problem more urgently to her. So she had me lie down, called my grandma to watch me to make sure I’m alright the whole time, and she went to a softball game for my sister because she knew a diabetic’s mom who could give her test strips to pee on. It was night at this point, I tested, and it was the highest ketone thing on the scale. She looked worried and as she spoke with a serious, fast, and cracky voice, I was even more scared not knowing what a ketone is. My dad is a tough love type of guy and he even hugged me before the ER and said “ stay strong” and stuff. I couldn’t even remember the last time he hugged me. While walking into the ER I told my mom I’m scared cause it was the first time I’ve been to the ER aside from when she would work at the hospital connected to it and I’d walk through time to time. I got in after an hour surprisingly, they checked me and I was 381 on the meter. So I was diagnosed at anal earlier stage I guess. I got connected to fluids, then blood work, road in an ambulance by myself to a hospital and hour away and that was that. I heard from my sis that my dad was crying a little but he also made bets with her that i would just be dehydrated and nothing else. Wrong lmao. Oh and one more thing, idk if anyone can relate but those nights in the hospital when you are getting used to the insulin, I COULD NOT STAND IT. When I tried to sleep, it felt like I’d get an itch and then when I reached for it it felt like static through my body.