Dear Diabetes,

Lately you've given me some troubles. Pesky lows in the thirties. Drastic drops during the night despite adequate carb consumption. Bruises from my insulin injections. Packing on pounds between the lows and fear of lows. The list really goes on and on...like usual.

But lately, I've also been ignoring you. I'm in the throes of my senior year of college. With tests every week, research for papers, and all sorts of miscellaneous assignments. Not to mention that my future is looming large in my mind, with only about seven months left until I'm thrown fully into adulthood. So I've ignored you.

I've kept my testing to a minimum five times per day. Stopped freaking out at the sight of crazy numbers. Let my logbook get behind. Avoided eating exactly right or counting every last carb. I've just let you go by the wayside, drifting around the sea like a speck of sand. (READ MORE)

Sometimes I'm forgetful. And sometimes I choose to forget. Like yesterday afternoon, I got frozen yogurt with my mom before I headed back to school. But I'd been trending south on the blood sugar line after several hours walking around the (scorching) zoo with my family. So I decided to forgo insulin after my treat.

Big mistake. Because the sun, the heat, and the walking didn't have anything on the 50 carbs of waffle cone and yogurt. And my blood sugar was the one that took the hit. At a lovely 351.

Four units of Humalog later, I stopped kicking myself for being so dumb and got on with my evening. But as I dove into studying for my first exam and chatting with friends, I completely forgot about diabetes. I didn't think to check after an hour and a half to see where I was headed. I didn't even think to assess where I thought I was headed.

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Pink Sherbet Photography

At the beginning of the month, I wrote about online dating. I couldn't decide how to approach my health conditions. Was I supposed to hold them back or just put everything out there from the beginning?

I decided to take a medium sized approach. The few that have progressed to getting my actual email address, I've told about my diabetes. It was easier to "admit" about my diabetes than hide it. After all, my blog, Diabetic Echoes, and so many other things in my life are because of that one diagnosis.

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ajpscs

I've known him since I was a junior in high school. We met during the years that I wasn't taking care of my diabetes. I don't even remember telling him I was diabetic. I'm sure I did, but I doubt that I made it as detailed of a thought as it should have been.

It took me about two years after I met him to finally get my diabetes act together. By that time, he had moved out of state for college. We barely saw each other, so he never experienced what my diabetes was really like. He didn't experience the terrifying lows or the frustrating highs because he just wasn't around enough to see.

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Marc Turnley

Since I'm right in the middle of my "dating prime," dating is on my mind. Of course, there is the typical stuff about meeting new guys and just trying to be myself while catching their attention. Then there is the serious side of me that wonders about the long term situations and all that entails. To top it off (like a cherry on a sundae), there is dating and diabetes.

I'm usually okay with dating and diabetes. I don't hide it, but I don't flaunt it. I always take a survey of the situation before throwing diabetes into the mix. I don't really have a problem telling dates about my diabetes. It's something that is completely a part of me and therefore, something they must completely accept. (READ MORE)

ldleeuw

When I was little, I imagined a perfect life. I picked careers, pretended to make life-changing decisions and pictured my future. Nothing was affected by realistic needs and the facts of my life. I could be anything and never worry about discrimination in the workplace. I could live anywhere and not stress over medical access or insurance. My mind was limitless.

Now I make these life-changing decisions for real: I pick future careers, places to live and potential spouses. Now I have limits. My decisions factor in my diabetes and my future with diabetes. I look at things like job requirements, insurance benefits and personal reactions to my diabetes. Everything is affected by it. (READ MORE)