My name is Layne Meloy and my diabetic story is one that I have learned to love sharing with others! I love being a part of the diabetic community and I’m thankful for all the support and love I receive every day.
My story began in August 2013, when I was five months pregnant with my first son. I was 23 years old and a labor and delivery nurse. Due to my profession, I knew a lot of things about what happens and what to expect during pregnancy. But what happened to me that August I never would have expected.
While on vacation in the Dominican Republic, I became very sick. Although I had been experiencing symptoms for months, The symptoms I had while on vacation were extreme and debilitating. I lost 10 pounds over the span of several weeks, urinating frequently, unable to see and seemed to have an unquenchable and constant thirst.
A Diabetes Diagnosis
On my return back home from vacation, I passed out in the Miami airport during our layover. I was quickly rushed to the hospital, where it was evident that I was in a diabetic ketoacidosis. With a hemoglobin A1C of 11 and a five-month-old baby I was carrying, there was a lot of concern and anxiety for the health of us both.
I spent one week in that hospital and came home a very different person. All of a sudden, I was a type 1 diabetic, pregnant, and had a lot of hospital bills and diabetic supplies to pay for!
But none of that stopped me or my son. I delivered a perfectly healthy baby boy at 38 weeks.
My Life With Diabetes
Four years later, I welcomed my second son into our family. Neither pregnancy was easy and included the constant struggles with blood sugars, as well as preterm labor. Buy my two sweet boys were worth every hardship!
A year and a half ago I left my job as a nurse to be at home more with my family. I also decided I wanted to focus more on my health. I spent years taking care of others and now I wanted to take care of my own mind and body for a change.
In my journey to become a healthier version of myself, I trained for 6 months and ran a marathon in March of 2018. I also began a new journey for myself: I started a nonprofit called Type 1 At A Time, which helps families with type 1 diabetic children financially by purchasing insulin, supplies, and devices for them. I wake up every single day excited and thankful that I am able to help other families with the daunting and inevitably expensive life that is type 1 diabetes.
Most recently, we learned the sobering news that my now five-year-old son is positive for two of the TrialNet screening antibodies. This means he has an almost 100% certainty of developing diabetes himself.
This news is still fresh and this mama is still going through all of those stages of anger and sadness that one gets when learning about a diagnosis like type 1 diabetes.
What I've Learned From Diabetes
But one thing I have learned in my years as a diabetic is that although this life comes with many pokes, prods, pain and overall obstacles, I know that diabetes teaches you strength and determination.
Diabetes teaches us to remember that every day is worth living to the fullest; it teaches us to focus on what truly makes us happy.
For this reason, I know that the rest of my diabetic life will be full of wonderful and exciting times that I will deeply cherish along the way!
