15 years. I’ve been anticipating this day. From this day forward I’ve officially lived more of my life with type 1 diabetes than without. I don’t remember life before diabetes, & what started with finger picks and insulin injections is now cgm alarms and fighting with hybrid closed loop systems.
Autoimmune diseases tend to cluster & sadly I’ve developed multiple. While I could talk about the negative ways my life has changed, especially after a pretty bad health year, I decided to reflect on the silver linings this disease has given me over the last 15 years:
– I participated in multiple triathlons, bike rides & walks to fundraise for T1D research
– I ran a wildly popular diabetes humor/advice tumblr blog that had worldwide reach
– for 6 years I worked for a large diabetes org & I loved event days & working with the incredible volunteers.
– one time I programmed my old insulin pump to play the Super Mario theme song, & the How I Met Your Mother theme (instead of it’s usual Fur Elise)
– I got comfortable with my identity as a disabled woman
– spoke at a conference in 2014 about how chronic illness caused me to embrace daily failures as a part of life
I’m proud of myself for continuing to do the things I love. For spending hours in the swimming pool, dance studio & weight room.
I’m thankful for all the incredible people I’ve met because of this awful disease, for the swim coaches and teammates that supported me though low blood sugars from intense practices, for the friends who did their best to keep my spirits high when I needed it, for my clients and dance students who don’t bat an eye when I shove a fruit strip in my mouth real quick if I’m going low.. & for my mom, who I literally would not be here without.
My goals for the future:
-getting back to educating others (if you’ve ever sent me a message thanking me for sharing after I post any diabetes educational content, please know that your messages live rent free in my head & I think about them often)
-rotating my CGM sites so my thighs can have a break 🤣
My hopes for the next 15 years:
-universal healthcare
-the downfall of insulin price gouging & diabetic jokes
