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!

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.

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.

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.