My friend L's mom died over the weekend. I've known L as long as I can remember, probably close to 30 years. We were girl scouts together in grade school, played flute together in middle school and while I played the piccolo in the high school marching band, she twirled along as a majorette. Though we were never "best friends," we've kept in touch over the years through mutual friends.

L and her parents are in the background of many of my childhood memories. Her dad, R, was the high school band director and I remember her mom, J, at girl scouting events going back as far as the first grade.

It's always sad when someone dies, but what makes this even more sad is that L's dad died a few years ago. She's too young to lose both her parents.

J died of multiple organ failure following a routine surgical procedure. I suppose she wasn't in the best of health going in to the hospital, but no one ever suspected she wouldn't come home again. I have to think if there was a chance she wouldn't survive, her doctors wouldn't have gone through with the surgery. It was more elective than necessary, from what I understand.

J had diabetes and to hear people talk about it now, she didn't take very good care of herself. I don't know what to make of that. On one hand it feels like people are saying she brought this on herself and, as a person with diabetes, this angers me. What gives anyone the right to judge how someone else manages this disease. Especially someone who doesn't live with it day in and day out. If you don't have diabetes, you don't know how hard it is to live in this world of gluttony and baked goods.

And on the other hand, I'm angry that she didn't take better care of herself. That there's a good chance my friend would still have her mother and her son would still have his grandmother if she had taken better care of her disease.

And of course, I'm angry at diabetes, for claiming another victim. It's always sad when a fellow diabetic dies. But the hope is it will strengthen my resolve to keep fighting and keep healthy.