The Art of Being Diabetic

Life doesn’t always go our way. We don’t always get what we want and quite frankly, sometimes it just sucks. At the age of three, I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.

I never had that ideal childhood because of my medical restrictions or the restrictions that other people thought I had. For seven years, I was taking insulin injections five to seven times throughout the day and it seemed to get in the way of everything. When my peers would bring in birthday cupcakes, I was the student that never got one, even though my mother authorized for me to get the same treatment as other students and said that I was able to take care of my diabetes on my own. But other parents wouldn’t even bring in a treat for me to take home; they never even included me in the cupcake count, never even asked, because I’m just a kid with a disease that they thought they understood. Instead, I would get a “goodie bag” full of pencils, erasers, and sugar free gum.

From a very young age, I learned that I would live differently, that I would be treated differently, and that nothing about diabetes was going to be fair. When I got my first insulin pump, everything changed. I self-managed my diabetes entirely and teachers, parents, and peers all stopped restricting me and I regained some sense of normalcy in my life. When I reached high school, I joined the tennis team and I learned just how much physical activity and heat could affect my diabetes. I spent numerous practices sitting out with low blood sugar and many nights after practice fighting it. It became a constant battle of highs and lows that, over four years, I am still figuring out. Now, I am able to manage my diabetes to the point that many people I come in contact with regularly don’t even know I am diabetic.

There is an art to being diabetic. It’s an art of highs and lows, ups and downs. It’s countless days of feeling ill, of feeling irritated, and of feeling cheated. It’s the pain of being poked numerous times with needles all over one’s body. It’s the dread of medical expenses and the anger for it. But it’s also the laughter if realizing one’s fingers no longer have prints. It’s the joy of finding others out there who are just like you. And it’s the importance of being support and inspiration for others around you. Diabetes has impacted and influenced every aspect of my life. In fact, it has even changed how I go about my life, but most importantly, I am able to make a difference in the lives of others through my story. I am able to inspire others and give them advice. Diabetes has impacted my life and now I can be the impact in others.