It's My Anniversary

I know, you are thinking, here she goes being a girly girl. No, you are wrong. Today isn't exactly a Hallmark card anniversary for me. Today is the anniversary of the day my entire life changed. On this day in 1993 I was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes. I was 10 years old. This picture was taken about 4 months before I was diagnosed.

As I look back over all of these years I kind of wonder if my life would have turned out the way that it has. Before I was diagnosed I really liked a variety of different things. I kind of wonder if I would have played other sports or maybe even had more friends. You know having something wrong with you at a young age really scares other kids. I got to be the butt of the joke or people thought they could catch Diabetes by being around me. All of this fueled me to play pool.

I really didn't like pool when my dad opened a pool room when I was 8. But when all of this came about, I really found out that I loved it. It helped that it kind of came to me naturally. Ever since I have stuck with it. For many years people didn't realize I had Diabetes. I really tried to hide it from everyone. I didn't want to have excuses for not doing my best.

When I was 20, I had a serious low blood sugar scare, which landed me in the hospital, I decided it was time to get an insulin pump. For those of you that have seen me in person or maybe noticed on TV, it is the small thing in my back pocket (often confused with a cell phone or MP3 player). The pump works as a pseudo-pancreas. I have more flexibility in when I eat and what I eat. Basically, it makes my life easier. When I made this decision I told myself it was time to be an advocate and not be ashamed. I started educating people rather than hiding. It's amazing how understanding people can be when you just let them in.

My advice to anyone dealing with anything like this, don't let it run your life or let your life be defined by your disease.

Of course I have my "Why me?" days or days that things just can't get under control but it's part of life. I always just remind myself that I'm not the only one in the world going through this and there are people out there dealing with things much worse than this.

Well, thats my rant. It feels much better to talk it rather than just sitting here thinking about it.