A meeting with the dietician was next.  Insulin is given based upon the amount of food that will be eaten throughout the day.  Ali would need to stick to a special diet to keep her blood sugars in control.  Eating too much would elevate her blood sugars (hyperglycemia) and not eating enough could lower her blood sugars (hypoglycemia)  and cause her to have an insulin reaction.  Ali and her parents set up a meal plan with the dietician based upon the amount of food Ali would normally eat in a day.

 

24.  How can an individual with Type I diabetes become hypoglycemic.

25.  List symptoms that may accompany hypoglycemia.

 

The last meeting of the day was with a medical social worker.  She gave Ali tips on how to fit in at school with her diabetes, how to educate her teacher, and how to deal with the upcoming Halloween, Thanksgiving, and  Christmas holidays, where there is a lot of extra food and sweets.

 

Three days after being admitted to the hospital Ali went home with a brand new lifestyle.  She was soon testing her own blood and even giving her own shots.  She regained her energy and soon began to put on some much needed weight.  When her friend's older brother expressed amazement the she would give herself a shot she responded, "It's not that hard.  And besides, it makes me feel so much better it's worth it!"