Dani & I (June 13th 2018) |
I feel as though I have been lucky along my path with diabetes, I have always been greeted with support and not once felt alone in my diagnosis. I always had someone to connect with whether that was in person or online. I know not everyone has that privilege. The biggest factor in keeping my chin above water, is the people that have come into my life as a result of living with diabetes. They truly have become part of my life story in a way that is much larger than I would have ever imagined.
Upon diagnosis, I met with Chloe, who was the first type 1 I had ever met. I remember the exact feeling of sharing our stories - our life stories. Hers, about her life with diabetes so far, while mine was just beginning. I remember hearing what her symptoms pre-diabetes was and feeling so connected. I get it, I was there too. From there, I began to meet more type 1s through Connected in Motion and my clinic. I met up with someone I had gone to elementary school with, Mitch, who had lived with type 1 for quite some time at that point. Once again, meeting with Mitch was a reminder that I had support, and that I wasn't in this alone.
It became apparent that aside from taking insulin and checking my blood sugar for the rest of my life, I needed to find these people. People like my good friend, Dani who is the absolute nicest and most caring individual I have ever met. These are good hearted, full of lived experience people. It wasn't just a matter of finding someone who knew what it was like to have a low blood sugar, but also finding a person who just genuinely wanted to help and be apart of my life story.
I met so many wonderful people each and every year, trying to connect others so they could also feel this special bond. Keeping in touch with 'my tribe' because I knew that you don't find these kind of relationships so easily, I was lucky. Almost ten years into my diagnosis and my friends who live with diabetes outweigh the number of friends I have without diabetes. I am so, so incredibly thankful for all of them who have shaped me along the way, been a source of motivation when I struggled, and have just been there through it all.
Kayla
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