For most students, eating is a daily function that occurs throughout the day with little concern on what goes into the body. For junior Skylar Rudberg, 16, monitoring his sugar intake is a “tedious” job to keep him healthy.

Diagnosed in 2004, 4-year-old Rudberg and his family were told by their doctor that he had Type One Diabetes, a condition that occurs without warning or instigation.

“It’s random,” says Rudberg, “You can get it tomorrow.”

Post-diagnosis, Rudberg says, “My mom was taking me home from the doctor’s, I had a diabetic seizure,” Rudberg said. “It scared my mom, and I had to go back to the hospital.”

Today, Rudberg doesn’t have such severe worries. On a tedius daily routine, he must keep a balance of about 300 carbohydrates and take insulin shots at home, as well as visiting the school nurse on a basis of 3 to 4 times to check his blood sugar.

“High and low blood sugar affects your mood; it can make you angry or make you not want to do anything at all,” explained Rudberg. “It’s like the flu on steroids, and it happens to me three to four times a week; so I have to constantly worry about my blood sugar and if I have glucose tabs in case my sugar gets low.”

Aside from the constant routines and monitoring of his body, Rudberg lives a normal life and is a part of the ALPHA gifted program. He plays bass and enjoyed baseball.
“I don’t let diabetes get in the way of my life,” said Rudberg.

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Mia Rocco

I am a junior at Southmoreland High School, where I participate in Art Council and Spanish Club. When I'm not writing stories for the Tam O'Shanter I'm spending my time writing other literary works, such as novels and short stories, or zoning out to Pandora. I aspire to be a published author by the time I graduate and plan to go to college for creative writing.

Latest posts by Mia Rocco (see all)

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• Rudberg speaks of life with diabetes - February 17, 2017