Over the years, I have learned a lot about myself and managing my type 1 diabetes. With anything in life, there are some good days and some bad days but with each day, something can be learned. Here are some of my words of advice and things I remind myself to keep me going!
1.) Life with type 1 diabetes is manageable and will not hold you back from living the amazing life you envisioned for yourself.
2.) Take advantage of the free resources that are out there! - There are tons of books, podcasts, support groups,etc. that can be accessed for free that can provide an abundant amount of knowledge and guidance.
3.) Connect with the type 1 diabetes (T1D) community – This includes people with diabetes and people affected by diabetes. Hearing the experiences from others in similar situations can really help to put things into perspective and help to educate you on what to do or what not to do. It also opens the forum for you to educate others based on your experiences.
4.) You can eat that (whatever sugary/high carb treat it may be) in moderation. Don't let anyone tell you you can't eat something and try not to get bothered when people ask "Aren't you diabetic? You shouldn't be eating that!" You want that cupcake, fine just account for the carb intake and monitor the blood sugar levels. Portion control and moderation are key!
5.) There will be many obstacles and bumps in the road along the way but never be too hard on yourself. You get knocked down - you get right back up again.
6.) Always be open to change, learning, and growth - Along this journey there will experiences that will make you question everything that you are doing but with each experience you grow wiser and stronger if you allow yourself to change, learn, and grow from it.
7.) Never be ashamed to take out a testing meter/insulin pen or pump – This is a part of who you are so why hide it? People may stare but mostly because they are curious not because they are judging.
8.) Adjust and adapt – Type 1 diabetes isn’t a direct science. You could be doing something one day that worked great and then the next day might not work at all. This forces you to adjust and adapt to each new thing diabetes may throw at you.
9.) Type 1 diabetes is a part of who you are as a person, but it does not define who you are.
10.) You are a warrior and never forget the strength you have to fight each and every day to survive.