Devastating Facebook Post Reminds Everyone Diabetes Can Be a Dangerous Silent Killer

There is a common misconception that diabetes affects people only if they eat poorly or are obese, but one young woman’s Facebook post is a stark reminder that diabetes can affect anybody no matter what their diet, gender, or age, with disastrous results.

Madeline Milzark posted to Facebook last week an image with the hashtag “#WhatDiabetesReallyLooksLike” of her sitting on her bathroom floor with a cup in her hand and blood sugar-tester laying before her.

“Diabetes isn’t your piece of cake, or that super sized McDonald’s meal with extra fries, or anything you see coated with sugar. Diabetes is an 18-year-old girl sitting on her bathroom floor shaking and not able to breathe because her blood sugar dropped and praying her grandma’s phone is near her and she got the text message to bring some sugar since she’s too weak to yell and the whole room is spinning,” wrote Milzark.

Her post has resonated with thousands since she first shared it and it’s not hard to see why. Her honesty about living with diabetes and those who suffer from the disease touches parents, children, friends and family, and anybody who may have it.

“It’s a disease that isn’t picky when it chooses who to attack, it doesn’t care if you’re 2 months old or if you’re 73. It doesn’t care if you eat Big Macs and McChickens every day of your life or if you’re a strict vegan who goes to the gym daily. Diabetes is me. Diabetes is a whole ton of people who fight for their life every single day and go to bed not sure if they’re going to wake up the next morning,” she continued.

Milzark seems to have taken issue with people sharing images of “huge” desserts with a hashtag “#Diabetes,” and to rethink their carelessness, that diabetes isn’t just about eating a doughnut when you get a little shaky; it’s life or death for millions of people around the country and the world.

It’s estimated 29 million Americans live with diabetes.

A GoFundMe page has been set up for Madeline to raise money to purchase her an insulin pump.

Milzark’s post is shared below with the full text.

“Diabetes isn’t your piece of cake, or that super sized McDonald’s meal with extra fries, or anything you see coated with sugar. Diabetes is an 18 year old girl sitting on her bathroom floor shaking and not able to breathe because her blood sugar dropped and praying her grandmas phone is near her and she got the text message to bring some sugar since she’s too weak to yell and the whole room is spinning. It’s a 9 year old boy who is trying to play outside with his friends and ends up being carted away in an ambulance because he went unconscious when he didn’t feel his sugar slipping. It’s a 32 year old girl who FINALLY got the news that she’s pregnant and going to have the family she’s always wanted, but instead of celebrating like she should be she’s worried to death that her blood sugars won’t stay in range with all of the hormones and that it’s going to kill her baby before she gets to meet it… and maybe even her. It’s a 3 year old who doesn’t understand why her mommy has to stab her with a syringe every single time she eats, but not her brother. It’s a 4 year old girl that I read about recently who lost her life because a doctor misdiagnosed her diabetes as the flu and she ended up a victim of diabetic ketoacidoses, where your blood literally turns acidic from the lack of insulin in your body and attacks your organs. Diabetes is your mother, your neighbor, your cousin. Diabetes isn’t the morbidly obese man you see on tv. It isn’t something people ask for or give themselves. It’s a disease that isn’t picky when it chooses who to attack, it doesn’t care if you’re 2 months old or if you’re 73. It doesn’t care if you eat Big Macs and McChickens every day of your life or if you’re a strict vegan who goes to the gym daily. Diabetes is me. Diabetes is a whole ton of people who fight for their life every single day and go to bed not sure if they’re going to wake up the next morning. So before you tag your huge dessert#Diabetes, think about what #Diabetes really looks like.

“Thank you to everybody who has shared this so far! I am so overwhelmed by the positive response I’ve gotten and I love seeing everyone’s stories they send me. I made a Facebook page called Type One Madeline to post more awareness posts, please “like” it and share it to keep spreading the word! Much love to you all.”