I was a diabetes advocate long before I ever self-identified as one.
When I was in high school, shortly after being diagnosed, I created a team for the JDRF walk in Massachusetts at Six Flags New England. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that main reason I wanted to go was to spend the day with my friends at an amusement park. Raising money for a disease I had was simply an added bonus!
Living in the Northeast, it’s funny how quickly the season changes from summer into fall. One minute I’m lounging in my beach chair, toes in the sand, soaking up the sun, and the next I’m digging through the back of my closest for my tall brown boots and my tiny space heater.
I remember the day I bought my first medical alert bracelet. I think we were on our way into Boston for an appointment at the Joslin Diabetes Center. My parents and I stopped at a pharmaceutical supply store that had previously been a pet shop during my early childhood. I would have given just about anything to have been browsing for a fish or hamster rather than something I had to wear that would signify just how different I really was.
When I was first diagnosed, I never envisioned that one day I would be able to describe myself as a passionate diabetes advocate. It didn't occur to me that diabetes might be something that would eventually become a larger part of my life, rather than remain just a medical-related set of routines and protocols to follow. When I was a teenager, diabetes was something I didn't want to THINK about, never mind talk about unless I absolutely had to. So it came as a great surprise when life led me down a road of self-discovery, education, and an interest in spreading awareness.
A few months ago, I switched my primary care to a physician at a functional medicine practice. Functional medicine may seem ambiguous, but it is defined as a biology-based medicinal approach that implements holistic treatments while focusing on the root cause of disease. I have wanted to find a functional medicine doctor, or in my case a D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathy), for quite some time now, believing that it would be the next step to further optimize my health and wellbeing.
Over the last few years, I’ve had the opportunity to travel to some really great places around the country. It’s funny to think that the first time I ever took a flight on a commercial airplane was only three years ago. Now I’ve been to several places on my bucket list! Since beginning to travel more, I’ve been to Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, and a few other really amazing places – including North Carolina twice.
When you’re diagnosed with a chronic illness like Type 1 diabetes, it doesn’t take long for you to start thinking about your future. You may start to wonder and worry about the days, weeks, months, and even years ahead. But, like the rest of the human race, it’s impossible to really know what the future has in store for us. Life is unpredictable and can often change swiftly and without warning.
Every aspect of our physical reality is made up of vibrational energy – including the thoughts within our heads. Sometimes I wonder how many people actually realize this. What happens in your mind is so much more than simple ideas, emotions, and images. There is a life and a power to all that goes on within.
There’s so much more to living with diabetes than meets the eye. Sure, it’s easy to get wrapped up in dealing with how much time it takes to test, carb count, and calculate insulin doses. Our mind often notices how difficult the physical symptoms of a low, or high, can be, but how often do we truly turn inward and think about how having diabetes really makes us feel?
As trite as it may seem, New Years really is a great time to reflect on the previous year. As we begin to set intentions for the twelve months to come, we can think back on how much we’ve changed and about the growth that’s yet to come. It’s the time of year when the holidays finally end and life begins to settle back into the familiar routines we’re used to.