It is often difficult to ask for help. Many of us see it as a sign of weakness, or as giving up our independence. In the case of those of us with diabetes, it may mean coming out of the insulin closet for the first time, exposing ourselves for possible loss of job opportunities, medical insurance, or even medical care. One might say that for some of us, getting the medications we need to live right now puts our future income, and our future health, at risk. On the other hand, sometimes that exposure can point the way for others with similar difficulties to find life-saving solutions. In that sense, those of us who go public with our pancreatically-challenged state are sometimes privileged to be the lightbearers for others' lives.

For those whose lives depend upon it, being without insulin is a scary thing. For people with type 1 diabetes, it can mean death in a matter of days. While not always as dire for insulin users with type 2 diabetes, the lack of that precious fluid still implies long-term damage accumulating behind the scenes. It is this situation that one of my younger STARFLEET friends is having to deal with.

Monday, this friend posted a message to one of our mailing lists that he is out of insulin and will not be able to get more until his disability check arrives, over a week from now. He has applied for Federal and state assistance, but there are many people in similar need, and the wheels of government turn slowly. While he has not asked his friends for help, many of your publicly-blogged struggles have given me a number of ideas and resources to pass on to this friend. I may not have been able to send him insulin, or the means by which to purchase that insulin -- but I hope that, thanks to your willingness to share your struggles with us all, my friend will be able to get enough insulin to tide him through to his disability check, and enough assistance to make sure he does not run into this issue again.

So, every one of you who has said, "I bugged my endo for samples", "I registered through Partnership for Patient Assistance", or "Check the drug company's patient assistance programs" -- every one of you who has posted a list of resources for other people with diabetes who are struggling to afford their medications -- every one of you who has mentioned that you asked for, or received, assistance through these programs -- you may have saved a life.

Thank you.