AUBREE BOSCHMA 14, FRESHMAN AT CHANDLER CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
HOW HAS BEING A STUDENT AT CCA IMPACTED YOU? CCA has always encouraged me to do my best in all of my school work. I really learned a lot at CCA, and I am so thankful for everything they have done to helpme. They have spiritually helped me by having bible class every day and chapels with the most impacting sermons.
WHAT ARE YOUR STRATEGIES TO KEEP FOCUSED WHEN LIFE GETSBUSY? I believe I am a very organized person and when it comes to my school work, I like to put that first. Yes, sports can make it hard to complete my school work but, at the end of the day, I always end up finishing it. Determination is a big factor in my life because, without it, I wouldn’t be a straight-A student and I probably wouldn’t care about college.
YOU WERE DIAGNOSED WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES ON THE DAY OF YOUR EIGHTH-GRADE GRADUATION, AT WHICH YOU WERE THE SALUTATORIAN. HOW HAS THAT AFFECTED YOU? I can still remember that day like it was yesterday. Right after my graduation rehearsal, my mom took me to the doctor because I wasn’t feeling well [and had experienced symptoms of diabetes]. When they checked my sugars, it was 560 and the normal glucose is between 80 and 120. Since my sugars were so high, they were positive I had diabetes. I was then rushed to the hospital so I can get insulin in my body right away, and during that time I was in complete shock. I learned that I would have to give myself a shot of insulin and prick my finger to check my blood sugar every time before I would eat. I would have to count my carbohydrates for every meal and snack. Did you know that a Coca-Cola has about 50 carbohydrates in it and for me thatis a whole meal? That day I tried to forget it and remember that I had my graduation and I still had to give my speech and, luckily, that went great but that night everybody looked at me differently. They didn’t really know how to talk to me and everything was awkward and that made me angry. That night I wondered, why me? I was pretty healthy, and I was an athlete so I worked out often. The next few days were a blur. We had about three hours of diabetic training, and it was not the way I pictured the start of my summer break would begin. But then the next few days I realized that this wasn’t just a disease. This was a blessing. It made me see the world differently, and I am actually thankful that I got this. Yes, it has been as truggle, and I will not deny it. But, in the future, I hope to be able to use my diabetes to help others. My family has helped me so much, and I can’t imagine doing this without them.
WHAT ARE YOUR CAREER GOALS? I have been wanting to be a nurse for a very long time. I am thinking about being a pediatric nurse, because Ilove working with children. After college, I want to go to a country that is in need and help them medically. Since I was diagnosed with diabetes, my parents and I thought it would be very cool if I went to school to be a diabetic educator for children. I can help people learn about what they have, and I will be able to say I know how they feel.
PHOTO BY LORI KRENZEN
