Over the last 366 days (leap year added the extra challenge), I’ve lived my life with my camera at the ready, snapping photos of everything from CGM sensors to snacks … and the moments in between. I thought that the Diabetes 365 project would make me feel like diabetes is an overwhelming facet of my life, but instead I’ve seen that diabetes truly does not define any of us. We can grab pictures of our meters and our pump sites, but there’s also so much LIFE going on between all these moments of diabetes management.
I wanted to share my video with the TuDiabetes family and thank you guys for being such a huge part of what inspires me to take control of my diabetes. And thanks to Manny for uploading the video!
For much of my life as a diabetic, I would have agreed with you that we are not defined by the disease.
But today, after 14+ years, I admit I am in fact, largely defined by it. If it were anything else, particularly something positive, like a sport or hobby we invested an equal amount of time attending to and thinking about then I believe we would have no problem at all claiming it defined us. That isn’t to say there isn’t so much “LIFE” going on while we manage diabetes, but if I stop thinking about my diabetes management for even an hour, the difficulties that will arise will end up mandating my undivided attention for some time whereas constant but divided attention will more or less result in avoiding that scenario.
You have had Type 1 much longer than I have, so I appreciate that you may have a more matured (and maybe a more mature! perspective. Nevertheless, I have completely forgotten what it feels like to be a non-diabetic and unfortunately I do not expect diabetes to stop defining me until it is cured.
But that isn’t to say I mind it defining me all that much. Sure, it’s a struggle, and it can have rather nasty consequences, but there are some positive things about Type 1 too. I’ve compared my blood labs to other friends’ of mine around the same age and I’ve come to realize that close management of Type 1 diabetes can, at least for a good portion of our lives, make us a lot healthier than even a non-diabetic. In that sense, being defined by something that is a net positive in our lives, maybe it isn’t something to avoid.
Thank you for your contributions. I enjoy reading your blog and watching your videos.
perspective. Nevertheless, I have completely forgotten what it feels like to be a non-diabetic and unfortunately I do not expect diabetes to stop defining me until it is cured.