How Wetting the Bed Saved My Life

Two years ago today, I was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes. This was the worst, yet best thing that has ever happened to me. What looked like a life threatening disease that would shorten my lifespan, turned out to be ‘life gaining’ disease that opened up my life in so many ways. I have grown spiritually, mentally, and emotionally more than I ever have over just the past two years. God has been so faithful to me throughout my life.

February 20, 2017:

After constant urination and constant thirst, my mom and I thought that I was dehydrated. As time went on, I had wet the bed twice in about a week (sorry, couldn’t control myself). After my mom found out, she insisted that we should go to the doctor. I was furious. Put yourself in my shoes; imagine your mom forces you to go to the doctor because you wet the bed, and tried to hide it from her. Yeah, it’s safe to say I did not want to go because I was very embarrassed. A few nights before, I went to say goodnight to my parents, and my mom told me that she had called and asked that if our family doctor was available or not for that Monday (we had off of school for President’s Day), and that if he was, that they would call us to set up an appointment. I remember arguing that night, telling my mom to cancel it. I still, to this day, remember her saying, “If it’s the Lord’s will for us to go, than Dr. Yoder (family doctor) will be available.” So, fortunately, he was available, and we went to the doctor. I still didn’t want to go; I mean, it was my day off. I had just played in the CCAC championship game for basketball a few nights before, and was really exhausted, and I was used to sleeping in until around noon on snow days and Saturdays (life of a teenager). Although I didn’t want to go, I realized there was nothing to lose, and that I wasn’t going to get out of going anyway. After explaining my symptoms to the doctor, he had a nurse check my blood sugar. She ended up having to check my blood sugar a second time, because my blood sugar was so high (higher than 600) that the glucose meter couldn’t even read it. Our doctor had to go run some tests with my urine, so I then sat in an office with just my mom, aching in pain, asking my mom, “mom, what’s the worst thing that could happen to me?” Her response was calming to me at the time. She said, “the worst possible thing would be Diabetes, but don’t worry about it, you are most likely just dehydrated.” I sat on the chair, shaking and I was honestly scared. I had lost over 20 pounds, and the doctor looked worried, so why wouldn’t I? The doctor then came in, and informed me that I had Type One Diabetes. When I was told, I froze, turned white and cold and almost passed out. I remember the doctor said to my mom, “it was so good that you called when you did, because if you hadn’t, Jack could’ve passed out and died within a few hours.” In that moment, I could feel the Lord’s presence. The fact that He works everything with a purpose and around the most perfect ‘schedule’ is mind baffling. Just a few short days before, because of my pride, I was begging my mom to cancel the appointment. I am beyond thankful that she didn’t (thanks mom). (Also, isn’t it a little weird how me wetting the bed saved my life? 😉)The Lord has blessed me so much. I had never, before my diagnosis, really had to rely on the Lord, I just lived my life the way everyone else in the “Mount Calvary bubble” did. My life verse(s), which is 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, perfectly explains how I feel about diabetes. It states, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (ESV). I view diabetes as one of my weaknesses, and boy do I have a lot of them. I think that a lot of people don’t understand the seriousness of Diabetes and how much my life revolves around it. Even before I was diagnosed, I barely even knew what it was. I just assumed you had to take a pill like once a day or something. Type One Diabetes can cause stress, depression, fatigue, headaches (headaches, and more headaches), extreme thirst, sore muscles, dizziness, having to give yourself 5-6 shots a day, weight gain, and a mind that has to be focused 100% of the time. One slip up, and I’m dead...literally. After thinking through the side effects, I can only trust God even more. I do not deserve to be alive right now, but because of God’s Grace and perfect timing, placing me in a time period where medicine is easily reached, I have been blessed with extra time here on earth to worship Him. Because of God’s evident grace in my life, there are things on that list that I haven’t dealt with too much. Not to say I never will, but by living one day at a time, I am able to trust God with the long term outcomes, health-wise. The fact that I have yet to have a diabetic episode (although I’ve come close), extreme depression, or extreme stress is a miracle. Throughout the last two years, I have felt the Lord working in my life so much more, and have developed a true passion for Him. Knowing that He blessed me with a disease that I can use to glorify Him is so humbling. Although it is often hard to say, I honestly would say that being diagnosed with Type One Diabetes has been the best thing that has ever happened to me, since accepting Christ. It is so awesome to see how God uses the imperfect parts of our lives to display His perfection.

The day I was diagnosed, my parents and I were confused, and didn’t even know where to start. I mean, it’s not everyday that a teenage athlete is diagnosed with Type One Diabetes. That night, while waiting for my dad to pull the car up, my mom told me, “Jack, we’re going to take this one day at a time. Let’s not think about 10 years from now, let’s focus day by day”. That had been the theme of this journey for us. “One day at a time”. As I was thinking through this, it reminded me that this quotation is important to all of us. Our relationship with the Lord is not a race to the end, it is a daily walk. We have to choose, day in and day out, to live a life honoring to our Savior.

I want to thank each and everyone reading this for all of your support. I cannot even begin to express my gratefulness for all of your texts, prayers, conversations, and even letters. They make me cry (in a good way). Diabetes takes a lot out of me, but knowing that other people care for me and my health like you all do, gives me goosebumps, and even more of a reason to care for my health. I have seen many answers to prayer regarding my health, and I am so appreciative of that. God is so good, and He’s working a miracle in my body, but more importantly, my life. I cannot wait to see how God uses me in the future, but for now, I need to trust that He will use me, and has been using me now.

-Jack Hilsher