Be Deliberate; Celebrating Life’s Sweet Victories

Happy Diaversary to ME!

This was me LAST year. . celebrating:

Why do I recognize the anniversary of such an awful day; the day of my diabetes diagnosis? Well, I can’t speak for anyone else, but for me, it’s all about celebrating the victories won.

There have definitely been battles lost. Diabetes may have contributed to the very quick growth of my breast cancer. Diabetes seems to have lengthened the lifespan of the peripheral neuropathy in my feet and legs, originally caused by chemo. Having diabetes and cancer will exclude me for an individual life insurance or medical insurance policy. Diabetes means I will never again enjoy the wonders of scuba diving (Unless I CAN find a school that will certify a T1 PWD, no luck yet.) Diabetes means I will continue to enjoy the groping of TSA officers. Diabetes means I will continue to carry a rather large purse around with me, with all my gear.

These are not the things I celebrate.

Today, I celebrate the change in my nutrition and overall health. I’m probably healthier today than I was prior to my diagnosis. I celebrate the many, many friends, now considered family, I’ve come to love through the Diabetes Online Community (DOC). I celebrate the difference I can make in others’ lives because I’ve become an advocate. I celebrate what I’ve learned about my own health and body and the fact that I can spot a change much sooner than any Dr. can. I celebrate that I am living well with diabetes, in a time with modern conveniences like insulin pumps, simple glucometers, glucose tablets, continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and fast-acting insulin. I celebrate my family, who don’t just rely on me telling them about diabetes; especially my DH, the best Type Awesome in the world, who has become an advocate himself. He is constantly researching, explaining, tweeting, writing, planning, organizing and explaining again to those around him. He’s owned this journey from the first day and I’m so fortunate to have him joined at the hip! I celebrate resources available to me, like Team WILD and our local JDRF AT1 group. And, the reason so many of us eat a big, ol’ sloppy, chocolaty gooey cupcake (or other form of sugary death on a plate? . . .to thumb our collective noses at the disease that would try to tell us “we can’t.”

There ARE things I can’t do with diabetes. . .there are so many more that diabetes can’t stop me from doing.

Be Deliberate about celebrating life’s sweet victories.