Wednesday, March 20, 2013

10 years with Type 1 Diabetes: My 10th Dia-versary

10 Years With Type 1 Diabetes



A type 1 diagnosis is life-altering, nobody can forget the day of diagnosis. There is even a slang for it: Diaversary.

Ten years ago today, I was diagnosed with having type 1 diabetes. It was March 20, 2003 and it is hard for me to believe I have been living with type 1 for an entire decade. This means 3,650 days, over 21,900 finger pricks and over 18,250 injections of insulin.

The news that I had type 1 was a relief in a sense but a life altering change. My physical condition became real to me. It had a name. There was nothing I did wrong to acquire this disease. It was an autoimmune response that attacked my pancreas. I wasn't just tired from lack of sleep or too much exercise. There was a reason why my vison had gone from perfect to seeing the world in a complete blur. I was visiting the bathroom every five minutes and losing weight while eating and drinking everything in sight. I was sick and wasn't going to be cured. All I could do was manage this condition. It would always be there. Life was now life with type 1 diabetes.

I now mange my diabetes with an insulin pump and it has helped give me more tight control over my blood sugar and has helped avoid the many scary nights of almost becoming a victim of dead in bed syndrome. Even though I'd like to hide my pump at times, I am proud of it and don't really care about the strange looks and comments I get from people. No, it is not my phone or camera! It is my insulin pump. I have type 1 diabetes.

My days are more involved and I can't just run out of the house quickly. I must make sure that I have extra alcohol wipes, pump cartridges, pump cannulas, insulin, syringes, batteries and my glucose meter. I must also always carry some form of sugar in case of a low. Now you understand why I always carry such a big purse.

I'm blessed to live in this country, with access to the best medical care in the world and for my amazing endocrinologist. She has made a significant difference in my diabetes care and I can't thank her enough. She is also a type 1 and can relate to the daily diabetes struggles.

Today is an occasion celebrating me and my life with diabetes. The numbers I'll be thinking about are not only ones of my glucose meter and the 3,650 days I've already gained in life, thanks to insulin and diabetes advances. I'll be grateful and am looking forward to the next decade of life with type 1 diabetes. I feel confident the next decade there WILL be a cure!







4 comments:

  1. That’s the spirit Sarah! Nothing can be stronger in overcoming a medical condition than your faith and strength that everything will be alright. It is so nice to see people like you who serve as an inspiration to others living with diabetes.


    Jerald Griffith

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  2. I feel your situation, Sarah. Time flies so fast doesn’t it? I think at the end of the day, what this disease has given you is the ability to appreciate life a little more. You see, life is just a passing fancy here in the world and we are given trials so that we can live it fully. It may be hard, but we are getting through it and surviving. And you know what, we all really are blessed.

    Tim Crawford

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  3. What an wonderful post. Very nice to read. I very much appreciate the way you have provided extremely useful information about the 10 years with type 1 diabetes. These days people in general are extremely concerned about diabetes and always on the lookout for an effective solution. Recently I came across a book called "The 7 Steps to Health and the Big Diabetes Lie". Trust me the book practically breaks hundreds of myths related to the disease and provides an effective solution. I have found it extremely useful and effective. Maybe you can also read it out at once.

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