This entire month has been dedicated to raising awareness about Diabetes, but one month truly is not enough time. This disease has no off days. It’s 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, and ALWAYS on your mind. This disease consumes your entire life and every single piece of energy you have. Diabetes is a full time job to keep yourself balanced with good blood sugars, correct insulin coverage, correct carb ratios, correct basals, and MORE. Diabetes has taught me an enormous amount of lessons in the long 10 years that I have had it. It has taught me to self advocate and just to accept myself for what I am. The journey to this point though hasn’t necessarily been an easy one. It has been definitely more low points than high points.
Lately, I’ve been struggling with dealing with everything that comes with it. I often wish I could just be a normal 17 year old. I am so tired of all the checks and alerts and pump changes and just having this disease in general. There are days where I cry and cry about this life I was given. I cry about how my parents have had to deal with all of this (including insurance battles!), while just trying to raise their daughter. I cry about how my friends get to live their lives and never have to worry about if their blood sugar is crashing. I cry about my future with Type 1 and how I will never escape it. I never asked for this to happen to me and I question; Why me?
However, I always look to the other side. I realize how grateful I am to still be alive and healthy and have the access to things I need to live. I’m also forever grateful for the community I’ve found through this disease. My camp family will forever hold a special place in my heart. They showed me how to live life and not let Diabetes live it for me. Most importantly, they understand and I will always be extremely thankful for them. So, my advice to you on this World Diabetes Day is to educate yourself on this disease and all the things Type 1 Diabetics have to deal with on a day to day basis. To all my fellow diabetics out there, you are so strong and know that there is hope for a day where Diabetes will be in the past. Here’s to hopefully not too many more years living this life with Type 1.
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