I’ve only had type 1 for just over a year now, and what a difficult year it’s been. I’ve been struggling to finish college and write my honors thesis - all while learning how to do diabetes! There have been good days, but a lot of bad days too.
I know that life goes on after diagnosis, but for me, nothing momentous had happened in this past year. Nothing to shake me out of that post-diagnosis gloom. Diagnosis was truly the at the end of the “bad” spectrum … I haven’t really had anything of note at the other end – the good end.
Until today.
I presented my thesis this afternoon and it went so well. Have you ever had that feeling – it’s sort of an out of body experience – while you’re publicly speaking and you realize, wow this is going SO WELL. That happened to me today and for those minutes I was presenting, and the accolades I received afterward, I didn’t even think about how my life was turned upside down last year.
I know I’m not articulating well why this was such a great moment…but I guess it was just the payoff of 18 months of hard work. The research and writing existed before my diagnosis and it continued after. I guess the joy of the moment linked my pre-diabetes life to my post-diagnosis one, and it feels really great.
Finally, something to trump “the badness.” Of course, my diabetes isn’t going away… but finally a moment to prove to me that life really does – and did – go on.
I am so happy.
Congrats Sophie! May you feel just enough moments of triumph like this one!!
Life does go on, and sweetie I am so glad that you are happy. Life is good, full of many moments that equal out to some good, long years of happiness. Happy times will outweigh the bad times with this “D”. You just proved that. 
That is so nice! Congrats! I know how to feel to keep waiting for something good to happen after too much bad. What was your thesis about?
Way to go, Sophie! This is just the beginning of many successes!
Thanks guys! You’re too sweet! I am feeling the love
@Kimberly: My thesis closely followed the relationship between an art critic from the second half of the 20th century, Clement Greenberg, and the abstract expressionist sculptor, David Smith. I was fortunate enough to receive a grant last summer which allowed me to pore over the unpublished correspondence between the two, and the analysis of those letters is really the centerpiece of my work. Thanks for being interested!
Congratulations. There is a lot more to life than bg’s and insulin doses.
Actually, the day I presented my thesis, was probably one of the most morose of my life. It’s not that I didn’t feel good for getting it done… it was more that I had worked so hard at it, and it had been my main concern, that I didn’t know how to deal with the rest of my upcoming life. I always feel that way about “endings”, although realistically I should view then as “completings”.
Congratulations! You stayed the course even through the D speed bumps. And your thesis seems incredibly interesting. I am in such awe of people who are artistically inclined. applause Happy you day!
Awesome, Sophie, awesome! I am so impressed. Now I have to go look up Clement Greenberg and David Smith.
You have just proved that diabetes is just a part of our lives. Some days it’s a much bigger part than others, but still a part, not the whole of our existence.
Fair Winds,
Mike
Thank you everyone for your kind words!
Kudos to you Sophie. This only proves to me, everyone and yourself that diabetes doesn’t limit you.
First, congratulations for your thesis. And what to say about your new type 1... maybe a small smile and a shy welcome in the D world, and I want to wish you a big Hope for a cure. Is your these in Histoire de l'art? ( my little sister taught Histoire de l'art at university and now she is an archéologue (castle, Maisons fortes...) And my other sister is Egyptologue ( grammaire, traductions)