Simply strolling into the lunch line is not an option for sophomore Julian Torian. Picking an entree isn’t as easy a decision as it is for most kids. Torian has to count every carbohydrate that he eats. Every morsel of food he wants to consume must be accounted for. Torian has Type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes.
When he was diagnosed at age five, Torian didn’t understand what was going on. Everyday he was getting stuck with needles or told to check his blood sugar.
“I was really confused when I heard that I was diagnosed,” Torian said. “Honestly, I didn’t really know what it meant. All of a sudden I was pricking my arm and had bandages dotting them.”
Type 1 Diabetes does not yet have a known cure, but many families and friends of those that have been diagnosed are working hard to get closer to one.
“Every year they have this Walk to Cure Diabetes,” said Torian. “Sometimes I’m not able to be there, but when I can, it’s very uplifting so see all of those people there that care for me.”
Torian’s daily routine differs from the norm. He has to prick his arm to check his blood sugar several times a day, and change his pump site so that his pump can push insulin into his body to keep him healthy. If he didn’t do this, then Torian would feel sick a lot of the time.
“Whenever my blood sugar is high, I always feel a little nauseous,” said Torian. “It’s a bad feeling that I try to avoid as much as possible.”
To stay away from high blood sugars, Torian wears a diabetic pump that puts insulin into his body. So that he can carry it around with him everywhere that he goes, Torian has a fanny pack-like pack that he uses to tote it around with him.
“A lot of people ask me, Why do you have a fanny pack? And I’ll just tell them that it’s much more important than that,” said Torian. “If I didn’t have this pump, my life would be a lot more complicated.”
Torian isn’t alone in his fight to stay healthy. He has many friends and family that have been there every step of the way to help him.
“I’ve known Julian for about four years,” school nurse, Jill Stevens said. “I don’t get to see him much because he takes care of himself pretty well, but when he needs my help, you can bet I’m there.”
For the 11 years that Julian has had diabetes, it’s been a battle to stay healthy, and he’s fought long and hard through it.
“I’ll keep fighting,” Torian said. “Until there is a cure, I haven’t won.”