Back in November I wrote a song called "Not By Choice" for World Diabetes Day.

The words I wrote were pulled from my memories of how it felt to be diagnosed and not know what type one diabetes was. Thoughts like, “why did this happen to me?” “What did I do wrong?” And I blamed myself for a long time too.

Then I found this community online. The Diabetes O.C. which we affectionately call it and a community I mention often. When I found this group of other people with diabetes who had those same feelings, I realized that we could help one another and not give up hope. (READ MORE)

This month marks my fifth year of lancing my fingers, injecting or infusing insulin, monitoring carbs, and Having Type-1 Diabetes. In some ways it seems like longer but in others, it seems like this journey is just starting. That beginning trip to the emergency room is still clear in my mind. Mostly I remember the support and attention I got from family and friends, and the uncertainness of what the diagnosis meant. But here I am, through the ups and downs, after the successes and failures, in front of diligent times and moments of negligence, still happy and healthy with a life touched by diabetes.

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In the last several weeks at work I've gotten two "Is that your phone?" comments about Dex, one "Is that your pager?" comment about Toohey and one "I think we just violated HIPPA" comment. Oh, and two very long, in-depth conversations about diabetes, pumps and continuous glucose monitors. It's interesting how much of this information had become visceral to me... I found myself explaining things I hadn't thought I would need to but realized that basic diabetes knowledge is not so common.

Actually, I take that back. Some people know enough about diabetes to be dangerous, but what they have no clue about is pumps and CGM. Which is fine. In fact, today I told a co-worker after a lengthy conversation about how the pump and the CGM work that I don’t mind talking about it. I clarified by saying as long as I wasn’t being judged and people who were asking questions were willing to accept that I am the expert. (READ MORE)

It was a blizzard.

It was pouring.

It was the coldest day of the year.

It was the night our power went out.

Like a parent recalling the day their child came into the world, Susanne talked to Charlie, as he sat on her lap, about what happened five years ago this day. The day he was diagnosed with diabetes. Not nearly as uplifting as a birth story.

He listened intently to the story as if not knowing how it would end, interrupting only once to say, "I think I remember riding in the ambulance."

"I remember the binky constantly falling out of the crib in the hospital room," Susanne said.

I remember the crib looking industrial and cold. It was like a large cage.

"Where did we sleep?" Susanne asked. (READ MORE)

I think I am losing my mind.

Back when I was in High School I never thought about diabetes or the fact that I could get it. I never thought that a disease would sneak into my life and change it forever. It was just not on my radar and not on my parents radar either. They were just as shocked as I was when I was diagnosed.

So now I am the parent and since I have diabetes, it I think about all the time. I hope some parents with diabetes can tell me how you deal with this but I think I am a little paranoid about my children getting diabetes.

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I got the call at work. I can't remember the date, but I'm pretty sure it was the day after No. 1's fifth birthday.

I have a pretty casual relationship with the nurse practitioner I see. I'm sure that's why he felt comfortable giving me the news at work instead of calling me into his office to drop the diabetes diagnosis bomb on me. I had been seeing Harry for several years, mainly for a host of small things and because it was pretty easy to get in to see Harry on short notice. Need to see the doctor? Can you wait two days? Need to see Harry? Can you be here in 20 minutes? Not to take anything away from his skills or anything, but I've established that I'm not a patient person. (READ MORE)