My mom has never called me a diabetic. I have always been a girl with T1D. She always said that I shouldn't let the disease define who I am. Well, instead of listening, I created an AIM screenname: cRaZyDiaBeTiC90. Yes, that was my SN. My mom still, to this day, won't laugh at it, but come on now, you know you chuckled when you read it. I embraced the disease, because why not stand strong in the belief that I am a diabetic? There's just too many diabetic jokes not to! ;)
As the salesman was just about to close the shop two very excited diabetics (George and Scott) came running in the door!
“Wow, is that sign for real?” asks Scott.
“Which sign?” Asks the salesman.
“Hello? The one on the front of your window!” replies George.
“Well of course” said the salesman.
“WE’LL TAKE TWO PLEASE! One for each of us!!!” they shout in unison.
“What do you want?” inquired the salesman.
“A Functioning Pancreas!” exclaims Scott.
“But this is a music store!!!” Says the salesman.
A look of confusion falls upon everyone’s face.
George sheepishly replies, “But the sign says ‘Organ’s for sale.’”
I am the only diabetic in my nursing school class. If I stood in a line with the rest of my classmates, could you have picked out that I was the loner with T1D? I highly doubt it. I look normal. I'm just a simple, brown-haired, blue-eyed, freckled-faced, 23-year old. The only visible differences are my scarred fingertips and slight lipoatrophy in my arms and legs from not enough injection rotating. I laugh at the same jokes, study the same material, and snack on the same snacks as the rest of my friends. Luckily, in nursing school, most of my friends eat quite healthy! I'd have to say I look pretty average on the outside.
"You look so normal," a mother of newly diagnosed T1D sighed as she greeted me at the door. Instead of asking questions about insulin and diets, she asked me if boys still took me on dates or if my diabetes scared them away. I had never thought about it--did people look at me differently? I'd have to say, in my almost 22 years of experience, I have never been looked down upon because of my disease.
In elementary school, my friends would eagerly await for me to use a new needle to prick my finger so that they could add another colored cap to their collection. They'd watch patiently as I gave myself shots and ask if they could prick my finger. Their fascination was undeniably contagious and before long, the entire class wanted in on the action. Fast forward to today and my friends are STILL intrigued by my injections! Now, instead of watching, all my nursing friends want to practice on me!
I do not believe diabetes defines me. Do I believe that the big guy upstairs knew I could handle it? YES. Are there days when I want to give up? OH YES. It's hard, even if it seems quite simple to just follow along with the insulin regimen and check your blood sugar. There are no easy days; each day is critical in the progression of the disease. I'm just thankful the Lord put the right people in my life for me to make it through.
I'm marrying my other half this summer, and I couldn't be happier! Pug knows me better than anyone else. When my blood sugar's low, somehow a granola bar magically appears in my hands! He is the most involved when it comes to taking care of my diabetes, and I know, for a fact, that my father is handing his daughter into the right hands. I get random texts during the night asking what my blood sugar is, because he wakes up with an odd feeling that something may be wrong. He's just like my dad, who still wakes up in the middle of the night to check my sugar. Sorry, Pug, I had to brag on you for a second :) I am one lucky girl.
Warren G. Harding's campaign slogan, "A return to normalcy," was his promise to the United States that the country would return to its pre-world war mindset, without the negative thoughts of war tainting their attitudes. For the past 22 years, my family and I have been trying to "return to normalcy." I do not think we'll ever reach it while battling this disease. I do know that I have all my friends and family to thank for keeping me going. You will never know how much I appreciate your kindness and support!
