Discovering Diabetes

Is diabetes new to you or someone you know? The disease affects 17-million americans,many who don`t even know they have it. Diabetes is a daily challenge for many people. And one third of Americans don`t even know they`re living with it. But what are the warning signs? And how do you control it once you`ve been diagnosed? Tonight we show you how some are conquering the disease in the game of life. Kanakis breaks through and jams it in for two, makin` it look easy on the court, and at life. But that`s just one of many important numbers in his life. Others include #15 of his basketball jersey. The number of candles on his birthday cake,and the number of points he racks up with the O.U. offense on his Playstation. But for Alex, one number makes life a challenge. That number is one, he was diagnosed with type one diabetes when he was only six years old. "At the time i thought i wasn`t going to be able to play with my friends. He`s not only doing that, he`s winning the ulimate game because his diagnosis came early on."said Kanakis. "It`s not something you can visually see. there`s just nothing normal about waking your child up every morning at 6:30 and poking him with a needle. This abnormal lifestyle is something this family says comes with the territory. Alex knows that he must self-test his blood sugar levels 10 to 12 times each day, poking his finger once every two hours to test his blood sugar and keep it between 100 and 150 - the range for diabetic patients. "When I was first low I didn`t know what was happening. At first I thought I was going to die, but I was six," said Kanakis. Now as a vibrant and healthy 10 year old, this #15 5th grader knows exactly how to take care of himself. But what about those who don`t know what to do, or don`t even know they have it? Like Alex with type one, the pancreas stops making insulin, which is responsible for making sure our blood sugar levels maintain a balance controlling if it`s too high or too low. People with type two diabetes produce too much insulin, where the body becomes insulin resistant. Often times the insulin just converts to fat and contributes to weight issues for many. And type two common in adults, is becoming more common in kids. Alex`s parents say it`s tough to let him do some typical things a ten year old does, like spending the night at a friend`s house. But he knows how important it is to take care of himself. He even says he wants to give back to diabetic patients when he gets older as an Endochronologist. We`ll discover how your diet and exercise routine are essential to staying healthy as a diabetic. Reported By: Ryan Loyd