That Stupid Pancreas!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WpPjdWTmS0 Did you know that Nick Jonas was diagnosed with type one diabetes at age 13? And that he wrote a song about it? The song is called A Little Bit Longer, and it's about life with type one. I've been listening to it for months (I know it's not a NEW song, but it's a GOOD song, and that's my kind of music so 😛) and I was thinking today about how it kind of applies to the situation of COVID-19 and how hard it's been on everyone in so many different ways.  The line that is repeated throughout the song is " A little bit longer, and I'll be fine. " In the context of life with type one diabetes, I've always taken it to mean just a little bit longer and we'll have a cure , just a little bit longer and I'll be back in range , just a little bit longer and people will understand , just a little bit longer and I'll be fine .  When you're diagnosed with type one, you're told tha...

I'm taking Canadian Geography as a course this semester, and as well as the names and locations of thirty major rivers, water bodies, and islands, and the names of all the provinces and territories, another thing we're learning about is the concepts of geographic thinking. This week we are focusing on interrelationships (how one thing can have an effect on another thing basically). Things like how the movements of tectonic plates cause earthquakes and tsunamis and other natural disasters that cause destruction. How things are connected and how everything has an affect. "Now, Anne, you brilliantly beautiful Potterhead, why are you talking about geography class in your diabetes blog?" Well, my brilliantly beautiful readers, I am talking about geography and interrelationships because my A1C is tomorrow. I had actually completely forgotten about it, but my mom reminded me and I naturally began to wonder what my result is going to be. I don't remember what my last...

I'm sure nobody is keeping track, but in twelve days, I will have lived with type one diabetes for three years. I feel like that statement needs an exclamation point or something with a little bit of emphasis at the end, to illustrate the importance of the subject matter. I'm gonna leave it as a period though. It's not really something I want to shout from the rooftop. Could you imagine if I actually did that, though? Went onto my roof and screamed about how I've had a disease for three years? People would probably think I was crazy. So yeah, a period it shall remain. Moving on! People sometimes get confused when I try to explain the concept of a diaversary. Which I can understand, I mean, who would celebrate a disease? Not me. That's not what my diaversary is for. It's not a Hooray-I-Got-Diabetes-Let's-Eat-Cake kind of situation. It's more of an acknowledgement of how my life has changed and how I've dealt with it and grown. Growing is kind o...

Dear Type 1, First time that I heard your name I didn’t understand Everything you’d do to me The needle in my hand I braced myself and winced As I jabbed it in my thigh Hands and breaths were shaky But still, I didn’t cry A chorus of “I’m sorries” Stuck to me like glue Mourning all I’d lost that day The life I thought I knew First time I went low I was playing with my friend Sweaty, shaky, terrified I thought it was the end You’re evil, sick, horrible Cruel in every way Forcing kids to consider that It might be their last day I had a picture in my head Of what my life would be But the hell I’m living Is nothing like my dream Everything is different now From how it was before Didn’t ask for my permission Before kicking down my door You took so much, everything But let me draw the line You can’t have my love for life That, at least, is mine Sincerely, Anne Pettigrew

My favourite thing about a blank page is that it can be turned into anything.  It can be written into a story of beauty and struggle.  Into the lyrics of a love song. Drawn with careful strokes into a picture of loved ones. The beautiful thing about a blank page is that it can be anything you want it to be. Even something as simple as a letter. Take this blank page for example: And turn it into this: Blank Pages and JDRF's #AccessForAll Campaign I haven't posted in a while because I've been busy advocating on behalf of  JDRF in their #AccessForAll campaign ! I contribute to the campaign by sharing my story and raising awareness for type 1 through public speaking at various JDRF events as a Boston Pizza Youth Ambassador. There are lots of ways that you can help, too - like filling a blank page with a letter to your local MPP about life with type 1 diabetes. You can write a letter explaining type...

Earlier this week I made the (long) trek out to Hamilton from Toronto (in rush hour, no less!) to share my story at one of the  Access For All community events that JDRF Canada is hosting around Ontario, to raise awareness of the need for equal access to the advanced, life-saving and quality of life-improving technologies of CGM’s and FGM’s (if you don't know what a CGM or an FGM is, click  here  and  here  to read my posts that talk all about them!).  (Me doing my speech)  (Group shot of everyone ready for fair access to medical technologies for everyone living with type 1 diabetes in Canada) (me with local politician, MPP for Hamilton Mountain, MPP Monique Taylor. It was great to see that she cared enough to be there and learn about type 1 diabetes and why all type 1's should have fair access to lifesaving medical technologies) I always enjoy sharing my story and advocating for fellow type 1’s, and last night was great ...

Let's get one thing clear right off the bat: I'm a Scout. When I say camping, I do not mean staying in a trailer with heat/air conditioning and having a microwave where its easy to heat up frozen food with carb counts. That is called  glamping. I'm talking about sleeping in a tent, where the weather doesn't cooperate and you can't adjust it with a switch. I'm talking about cooking food over the campfire, doing your business in the woods (or an outhouse if you're lucky), and unplugging from social media. This is REAL camping! I like to go camping because it is fun to disconnect form devices and reconnect with nature. It feels awesome to climb trees, go for a hike, take nature photos, and paint beautiful scenery. However, camping can be problematic when you live with T1diabetes. There are a few key things to remember. Depending on what time of year you're camping, there are different things you might be doing. In my six years of Scouting and goi...

Sorry I've been kind of MIA for the past few weeks, but life has been pretty hectic! Along with working through a few Grade 9 courses and volunteering at two day-camps, I was just diagnosed with celiac disease last week, so I just haven't had the time to write a blog post. However, today I am officially back in business with a post explaining all about celiac and how to live with it safely! First thing's first, celiac is an autoimmune disease just like T1diabetes is. Oh, one second: A Brief Moment in Anne's Diabetic Dictionary T1diabetes; noun short-form Pronunciation: type-won-dye-uh-bee-tees 1. A short-form for the term "type 1 diabetes." Other variations of the short-form "T1diabetes" include: "T1diabetic" Antonyms include: "T2diabetes" (type 2 diabetes) Used in a sentence: "T1diabetes and T2diabetes are very different things." This Has Been a Brief Moment in Anne's Diabetic Dictionary ... ...