'How many other insulin-dependent Americans are still rationing, even though we know the risks?'
It could have been me. As I was leaving the pharmacy that past March, and armed with only one vial, I decided to ration my insulin. In my mind, it made sense. If I could reduce the cost of being alive, I thought, I could reduce their burden of keeping me alive. I won’t go into the details of how, but as a result of rationing over the next three years at school, I suffered physically and mentally, in and out of the classroom.
I was sluggish, inattentive, more emotional, and more impulsive. Though I was a student-athlete, I did not have enough energy to carry out my daily tasks or the demands of football practice and games. I slept anywhere between 12 and 18 hours a day, and consciously allowed my body to begin shutting down. I missed or was late to classes and practices. I didn’t study. I wasn’t focused.
My question, though, is how many other insulin-dependent Americans are still rationing, even though we know the risks?It doesn’t have to be this way, and it shouldn’t. In other countries, such as, the exact same insulin can be purchased for one-tenth of the cost if purchased in the U.S. because there are laws that prevent manufacturers from gouging the sticker to pad their pockets.
Last week, a group of people with diabetes and I decided to meet up in Detroit so we could take a bus to Canada to purchase insulin. The trip was coordinated by Quinn Nystrom, a Minnesota native and long-time American Diabetes Association friend. Our plan was twofold: To make a statement, as well as to, you know, get the insulin we need to stay alive.
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