“BEING TRANSFORMED BY ILLNESS”: ADOLESCENTS ’ DIABETES EXPERIENCE

This research aimed to understand the experience of adolescents to live with a chronic illness like diabetes mellitus type 1. Symbolic Interactionism and Grounded Theory were both used as theoretical and methodological frameworks respectively. The results allowed us to know the adolescents ’ perceptions about their experience in living with diabetes through three themes: Knowing the diabetes diagnosis; Being transformed by illness and Being a sharp life. The adolescents in this study were resilient people because they became stronger in spite of the illness, being transformed. In this way, the resilient adolescent is capable of healing his/ her wounds, being in charge of his/her own life and having a full life. DESCRIPTORS: adolescent; diabetes mellitus type 1; pediatric nursing “SIENDO TRANSFORMADO POR LA ENFERMEDAD”: LA VIVENCIA DEL ADOLESCENTE CON DIABETES El objetivo de esta investigación es comprender la experiencia del adolescente que sufre una enfermedad crónica como la diabetes. Utilizamos el Interaccionismo Simbólico y la Teoría Fundamentada en los Datos como referenciales teórico y metodológico respectivamente. Los resultados nos han permitido conocer la percepción del adolescente sobre su experiencia y vivencia con la diabetes a partir de tres temas: “Recibiendo el Diagnóstico de Diabetes”, “Siendo transformado por la Enfermedad ” y “Llevando una vida puntiaguda”. Los adolescente