Liv Functional

My story with type 1 diabetes | بالعربي

Time to go back home

After 12 years living an amazing life in L.A. I decided it was time to return back home to Kuwait to be with my family. I sold the house and was ready. BUT, COVID happened!

My business came to a stop, I had already sold my house. So I ended up as a roommate with my friend Caroline. I found myself stuck. I didn’t know how to cope. The stress from the unknown was starting to take a toll on me without me even noticing it.

Hunger, thirst, and blindness

A year had passed since covid, and in February of 2021, I woke up with blurred vision that lasted all day. I thought it was because I was getting older. I went to the eye Dr. got new prescription glasses. My new glasses worked for about a week. Then, I needed a stronger prescription.

Nope! It can’t get that bad this fast, right? I mean, you don’t get old within two weeks. I couldn’t read text messages anymore. The realization that I was losing my vision was the scariest thing to deal with! To add, I began to get tired on walks, had strange allergies, and I was hungry all the time. Even though I was eating my three balanced, healthy meals. There were moments when I was convinced that I had COVID. But every test was negative. I was also always thirsty. I started to be fatigued, have blurred vision, and experience hunger. All this, and I had no idea that I could be diabetic! It doesn’t run in the family! so I didn’t know.

Misdiagnosed

I would have good days and bad days. Until, one day, I looked very pale and had extreme brain fog. My kidneys started to hurt. My roommate noticed something isn’t right So, I went to see an urgent care doctor. It was Valentine’s Day, February 14^th, The nurse checked my blood sugar, and it came out to a whopping 500 – normally it’s 100.

The nurse, my friend and myself were all in disbelief when she asked if diabetes ran in my family. What? No! She requested more tests, but she was convinced that I had diabetes. She gave me antibiotics for the kidney pain and pills for diabetes. I though, she doesn’t know what she’s doing, I’m not diabetic, I just had some tea with honey. She said “I could have eaten all the honey in the world and my blood sugar wouldn’t register even close to 120.

I went home and took the pills. I still felt horrible as I waited for the test results. I was so confused as to why I was hungry all the time. I also had no idea why my kidneys were hurting. My friend, Caroline, called the doctor. They said the results are back, take her to the ER immediately.  

The ER Diagnosis

I don’t remember walking into the Emergency Room. The nurses were working quickly. Very quickly I had ten tubes connected to me, a heart monitor and an IV on both arms. I remember hearing one of the nurses saying that I have already entered “cellular decay”.

At this point I did not have the courage to ask what is wrong with me. But when I did, they said that I was extremely dehydrated to the point that my veins were too thin to insert a needle. The emergency room doctor is waiting on the lab to diagnose me. All while the IV needles had to go through a wider vein on my shoulder.

The diagnosis came along. This time, the Doctor said that my body had developed an autoimmune disorder where my immune system is attacking the pancreas. He said it firmly looking into my eyes as if he wanted me to “get it”. He continued ” your pancreas doesn’t produce insulin anymore, your body had gone into diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and if you hadn’t came to the Emergency Room, you would have gone into a diabetic coma”.

I stayed at the ICU for 4 days to stabilize my body, get the fluids I needed and lots and lots of insulin to bring down my blood sugar. I was alone dealing with all this. My family is back in Kuwait. In the hands of the Drs. and nurses. Caroline was the only person I knew but she couldn’t be with me because of Covid restrictions. I received a crash course on insulin, counting carbs, insulin sensitivity, injecting insulin and all that type 1 stuff. Most of which I couldn’t implement right away. I started researching on my own, I bought books, joined groups, went on meetups, walks, meeting dieticians and following online educators. My job became ME! I have learned to follow my gut and to know what works best for me.

I learned that there is a honeymoon phase that can be extended. It’s where the pancreas is still producing little insulin, but will ultimately stop. I have researched and have successfully prolonged my honeymoon phase. I read think like a pancreas, because I am my pancreas from here on out, for the rest of my life, I need to give myself insulin.

I quit sugar

It was quite the journey to get where I am today. The education I received from Dr. Berg inspired me to quit sugar. I wear a continuous glaucous monitor, so I learned what food works and what doesn’t I learned that i have options. So, I spent as much time in the kitchen as I did researching.

What stress can do

Stress is the number 1 factor that will tip off our body and completely change our balance. Becoming type 1 diabetic changed me. It opened my eyes to a new purpose: To help others and to make a difference in people’s lives. I wanted to share this knowledge and my story with the world.

As I celebrate years being completely sugar-free, I also celebrate a couple of my own recipes that are packed with anti-inflammatory ingredients. Holistic and functional food that I want to share with others. Therefore, I created LIV. A carb-free food brand bursting with creative flavors. My goal is to make functional snacks that replace chips, candy, and other high-carb foods, while still providing the same level of satisfaction.