Before and After Diagnosis
Happy World Diabetes Day! This is my first World Diabetes Day living with T1D (Type 1 Diabetes), and boy is life ever different!
This was me a couple of months before my diagnosis in January of 2017
If you told me at the time that this picture was taken, "Hey Anne, at this time next year you will be living with a life-threatening disease that will change the path of your future and your very existence. You will be giving yourself up to 5 needles every day, impersonating a pancreas, and eating candy to survive!" , I would have said, "You're crazy!"
But now, that is my reality, and it still surprises me sometimes. And yet, in spite of this life-altering disease, our lives can still be great. In fact, they can even be better.
I know that you're probably thinking, what does she mean, better? Diabetes SUCKS! How can it possibly make life better?!
But that is not what I'm trying to say at all. What I'm saying is that having to deal with something as terrible as diabetes has given us better character traits that we might've never had otherwise.
We are stronger because we deal with something that could take our lives, 24/7, without any breaks.
We are more tolerant because we endure countless needles, injections and finger pricks, and we have to ignore uneducated people who try to help but just end up getting on our nerves.
We are more independent because, even though we have our families, friends and doctors supporting us, at the end of the day it is we who must be aware of our diabetes and stay on top of managing it.
And we are more responsible because you cannot properly manage diabetes and be a careless person. It just doesn't work!
Diabetes requires us to have these aspects to our personalities, and if we didn't have them before diagnosis, then we had to acquire them over time.
Yes, diabetes TOTALLY SUCKS! I hate it, my family hates it, I'm sure that you hate it too. And hey, it's totally okay to feel that way!
No matter how much we hate it, life goes on. The sun rises and sets, days come and go, and we are doing fine.
Until JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) comes out with the great news that there is a cure for T1D, I will survive.
We will all get through this with a little help from our family and friends, and a whole lot of courage.
This is me today.
My life is different in every way imaginable, but I'm getting through it. I have a great family, awesome friends, and wonderful diabesties.
We are in a war with diabetes, and as long as we don't let it crush our spirit, we are winning.
We win every time we have a high blood sugar and don't feel guilty because it's not our fault.
We win every time we decide that we won't let the high carb count of our favourite food stop us from eating it!
When I was first diagnosed, and I was meeting my endocrinologist and nurses and learning how to manage my diabetes, my endocrinologist said something to me.
He sat me down and said to me, "You are a kid who does all of these amazing things. Diabetes is not going to stop you from doing them. Life comes first, diabetes comes second."
Every time my blood sugars aren't cooperating or I'm low and can't participate in activities, I repeat this to myself.
"Life comes first, diabetes comes second."
As long as we think in that mindset, we are kicking diabetes' butt.
And it feels pretty darn good!
Thanks for reading this post of That Stupid Pancreas!
If there are any questions/comments/concerns, please don't hesitate to email me about it here
Don't forget to check us out on Intsagram by clicking here
Or check us out on Facebook by clicking here
And check us out on Google+ here
Do you want to get email notifications every time I post something new? Then become part of the family by clicking the subscribe button at the top of the page!
Today's question of the day is...
What is the date of your diagnosis? Mine is January 31 2017. Comment yours down below!
I know that you're probably thinking, what does she mean, better? Diabetes SUCKS! How can it possibly make life better?!
But that is not what I'm trying to say at all. What I'm saying is that having to deal with something as terrible as diabetes has given us better character traits that we might've never had otherwise.
We are stronger because we deal with something that could take our lives, 24/7, without any breaks.
We are more tolerant because we endure countless needles, injections and finger pricks, and we have to ignore uneducated people who try to help but just end up getting on our nerves.
We are more independent because, even though we have our families, friends and doctors supporting us, at the end of the day it is we who must be aware of our diabetes and stay on top of managing it.
And we are more responsible because you cannot properly manage diabetes and be a careless person. It just doesn't work!
Diabetes requires us to have these aspects to our personalities, and if we didn't have them before diagnosis, then we had to acquire them over time.
Yes, diabetes TOTALLY SUCKS! I hate it, my family hates it, I'm sure that you hate it too. And hey, it's totally okay to feel that way!
No matter how much we hate it, life goes on. The sun rises and sets, days come and go, and we are doing fine.
Until JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) comes out with the great news that there is a cure for T1D, I will survive.
We will all get through this with a little help from our family and friends, and a whole lot of courage.
This is me today.
My life is different in every way imaginable, but I'm getting through it. I have a great family, awesome friends, and wonderful diabesties.
We are in a war with diabetes, and as long as we don't let it crush our spirit, we are winning.
We win every time we have a high blood sugar and don't feel guilty because it's not our fault.
We win every time we decide that we won't let the high carb count of our favourite food stop us from eating it!
When I was first diagnosed, and I was meeting my endocrinologist and nurses and learning how to manage my diabetes, my endocrinologist said something to me.
He sat me down and said to me, "You are a kid who does all of these amazing things. Diabetes is not going to stop you from doing them. Life comes first, diabetes comes second."
Every time my blood sugars aren't cooperating or I'm low and can't participate in activities, I repeat this to myself.
"Life comes first, diabetes comes second."
As long as we think in that mindset, we are kicking diabetes' butt.
And it feels pretty darn good!
Thanks for reading this post of That Stupid Pancreas!
If there are any questions/comments/concerns, please don't hesitate to email me about it here
Don't forget to check us out on Intsagram by clicking here
Or check us out on Facebook by clicking here
And check us out on Google+ here
Do you want to get email notifications every time I post something new? Then become part of the family by clicking the subscribe button at the top of the page!
Today's question of the day is...
What is the date of your diagnosis? Mine is January 31 2017. Comment yours down below!
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