Your post reminded me it’ll be 35 years this month. I don’t remember the exact date either. But I do remember David Bowie “Young Americans” had just been released, playing on the car stereo while getting a ride home from my hospital stay. Wow that was a long time ago. I never feel like celebrating - I just feel more like a survivor - another year without diabetes getting me down (or at least too far down 
Exactly.
It is nice to read the different point of views for this topic,
it reminded me also that i am going to celebrate my 1st year this week.
It was a true battle to get the doctors to admit i wasent crazy and just diabetic
and it is a constant matter of balance at this point. But i feel truely lucky to be around
eventho it will never be the same. Im not going to eat a cake for the anniversary but i will treat myself with a
haircut and a coffee with friends !
Cheers to all of you troopers!
i’m the same as dena. i’m 50 years in and i don’t even know my anniversary date. really, it’s just another anonymous day to me. i’m complication free; 100 percent healthy and happy with life. D is with me but in the background; like the drone of a distant interstate highway. you know it’s there but it doesn’t affect what you do.
My one-year anniversary of Type 1.5 diagnosis was February 27, which is the day before my birthday. My wife and I celebrated by spending the weekend snowshoeing, skiing, and relaxing at Elk Lake, a snow-bound resort in the Central Oregon Cascades. We played so hard that I woke up both mornings to near-hypo 60 bgl even though we also ate a lot of really good food! Given the timing, I think it will be impossible to mark my birthday without thinking also about the diagnosis anniversary.
April 18th 2009 was my 10 year anniversary. It was the year I took control of my Diabetes and decided I had to do better for myself and the people that cared about me. I guess people noticed because that day my sister took me shopping and when I got home my friends had a surprise party set up for me. My sister made t-shirts for everyone that said “Diabetes” on the front and “A pain in the Pancre-■■■” on the back. My friends still wear them to this day, which I find hilarious. Knowing that my friends took the time to plan it out and for them to recognize that my diabetes was becoming a large accepted part of my life was a great feeling. Thinking about that day makes me want to continue to do better with my control, so that I can live my life with these people in it for as long as I can. It was one of the best days of my life. It was the perfect year to start celebrating because it was the year that I made peace with my life as a diabetic. From now on I’ll celebrate in my own little way every April 18th, until the next milestone one, like 15…20…30…50… and we’ll have another party.
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I know what you mean. I have always thought of “celebrating” my day (August 7, 1977) but I never seem to remember to. I am like you–tired of dealing with this every day. Especially since it does not seem to get any easier the longer I have had it. But I guess we should celebrate the fact we have lived this long with it and hopefully it will not get any worse! God Bless
I haven’t had my first anniversary yet either, but I really like the idea of the giant cupcake and a huge f-you to the old diabetes!
Those shirts are adorable. What a sweet family you must have.
:] such an awesome shirt idea! You should submit it here: http://shop.cafepress.com/diabetes or somewhere similar to get more of them out there.
I am wondering if there’s a way online or similar where we can acknowledge or celebrate within the community of people who “get it.” Maybe put a banner on your profile page or something? Kinda like facebook does for birthdays? Or come up with some new area on TuDiabetes where people get recognition for another year? Like veteran diabetics…golden diabetics? :] I don’t know, just brainstorming here…
My 1 year dx anniversary is coming up on the 13th. I demand presents and cake.
Well Jan, 23 (2010) was my one year… three days before I turned 17 so my boyfriend and I went to dinner and a movie it was a wonderful night topped of with out first kiss!
cheesy but it was a great night!
Well, my diagnosis was on July 24, 1976, so I guess that will be 34 years this year. While I’m glad to be here, I don’t think it is cause for celebration because a cure would be another 5 years away for over 3 decades. I think a drink of tequila is in order!!
I havent really “celebrated” my dx date. Usually I take a few moments to reflect on my life and how Im a fighter (it will be 13 years this august 11th!). This year I’m actually going on vacation with the boyfriend the week before, which is a nice early relaxing celebration, so to speak
I haven’t had one yet. Mine’s not until this Sunday.
I’ll save the celebrations for Elliot P. Joslin, the inventor of the insulin pump, and the genius who hacks through this country’s pharmaceutical bureaucracy to find a “cure.” I’ve gone 21+ years celebration and complication free and plan to keep it that way.
Perfect. Joslin was definitely a leader in diabetic treatments still used today but I’m more inclined to celebrate Dean Kamen who invented the portable insulin pump. Born Apr 5th - Birthday cake here I come!