Confession...

Okay. So I have a confession to make. And I don't like it.

Confession: I feel like I have just been diagnosed. I'm actually going in and out of stages of denial at this point, too.

Because I was diagnosed at 10 months old, my parents took care of the diabetes. Well, they did most of the care until about two years ago (when I turned 18 and decided I wanted to do it by myself). It's so weird for me to say this, but it feels like I was just diagnosed. I go in and out of stages of denial and depression etc. I didn't realize how much work was involved in this crazy disease until I started doing it all.

I have to log my blood sugars now. That's something that Mom always did. It kind of sucks because it's time consuming. It also kind of sucks because it is necessary. If I can see a pattern with my blood sugars, then I know what to look for and correct. I do have to say, since I got my dexcom and it is working properly that is a lot easier! I used to have to log it all by hand from my meter. If I do it right, I have to include what I've eaten and everything, so it should happen at least once a day.

I have to count my carbs. That is probably my least favorite chore. I know better now what I should and shouldn't be eating, because I'm the primary caregiver. I actually have to eat, even when I'm not hungry, at certain times of the day. There is a food schedule I have to stay on, otherwise the roller coaster begins and it doesn't end for a long time. I have also noticed that my blood sugar stays in better range when I eat more along the lines of a Paleo Diet (no grains or dairy). I have an abnormal reaction to gluten and lactose. My blood sugar will spike and it stays in the 200s-400s for several days. Now that I'm my own primary caregiver, all of that is stuff I am forced to consider every second of every day.

I have to calculate my own insulin, without much help or instruction. That's a really big deal. If I miscalculate and give too much, and don't catch it later, I'll die from a low blood sugar. If I miscalculate and don't give enough, I could end up in DKA or diabetic coma. That will either kill me, or give me additional life-long problems to deal with. I honestly had to get used to calculating insulin on my own. I had to figure out more than just carb ratios that. I had to figure out how much to give if I'm high, or how much to eat and correct for if I'm low. That is a constant battle.

I am responsible for making sure my blood sugar is in range so that I can drive, sleep, work, etc. I have to be between 80 and 180--and steady--before I am comfortable driving anywhere. I don't trust myself behind the wheel if I am outside of that range. This causes problems, Driving to someplace I might be fine, but that can change by the time I have to drive home. I have had to call someone to rescue me on more than one occasion because I could not get my blood sugar back in that range. Working brings in some more difficulties, If it is a busy day, my blood sugar has run low enough that I need a long break and I have to stop my pump. But if it is a slow day, I can't seem to keep my sugar down. Regardless of whether or not I can drive when my shift is over, these highs and lows are very dangerous to my health. Immediate health, and long-term health are at risk with these fluctuations.

There's a list of things I have to do before I can go to sleep at night. If my sugar is low, I have to make sure that it is brought up before I go to sleep. IT doesn't matter how tired I am, I cannot sleep if my sugar stays low. That could be the last bad decision I make. If my sugar is high, I have to make sure it is in range or dropping before I can sleep. If I see that it is dropping and I choose to go to sleep, I have to set a clock for about an hour or two later to make sure it is still dropping or it is in range. If it isn't in range, I set another alarm. It's worse than a child, because there in no benefit to it. It's more like my little monster.

I have to be more careful about my emotions now. Emotions drive my blood sugars wild, so if I am not careful with how I react or respond to things, my health is in danger. If I put myself in a stressful situation for a prolonged period of time, there is no telling what will happen to my blood sugars. If something happens that makes me very sad, diabetes reacts to that. If I make a decision I am not happy with and I feel regret for it, it does not escape diabetes' grasp. If I am too tired, or feeling sick, or even too happy my disease knows and it reacts to my emotions.

I have to inform everyone I'm around that I am not "normal." Especially on a job interview, I have to let my potential employers know that I have some special needs. If they aren't comfortable with that, then I have to look for a different opportunity. I have to get to know my friends very well before I go and do anything without my Tay-Dar. The better they know me, the more they catch the things that I am likely to miss. I have to inform my school and my teachers that I have some special needs, too, and I have to make sure that they accommodate those appropriately. (Basically, that means not getting angry if I have to check my blood sugar in class, get insulin or eat something to correct a low.) Because I do this all without help, I just have to make sure that they will allow me to do so. Sometimes this is a challenge.

Actually, I'll even admit that some days I don't have diabetes. Diabetes has me. Some days I let it get to me and it destroys me from the inside out. Literally. It's not like I haven't been doing this forever. It's just that I'm doing it myself now, so it all comes back on me. The thing with the emotions is a big deal, because I'm the one protecting me. People have no idea how much my little monster effects me, and they get mad when I put my little monster first. But I am the only one who is responsible for whether I live or die because of diabetes.

It's a lot to handle, so I'm thankful for the support I get from my friends and family. Especially the ones that I let close enough to find out how much I am struggling with it.

Things NOT TO SAY to a Type 1!

Reminder: DIABETES IS AN INDIVIDUAL DISEASE.

That means that two people with the disease can be affected totally differently. That one fact is not very well known, and it makes things very difficult sometimes. Especially when people make comments about care, treatment, habits or anything else that a type 1 is doing. They're always trying to help, but they don't usually know how EVERYTHING affects the diabetic. 

I respect people who are trying to help me, but sometimes it makes me feel like they think I don't know how to take care of myself. That is hurtful. So in light of that, I thought I'd write about some of the things I DO NOT like to hear. Unless people know me (personally) well enough to know what affects me... 

1.  What's your blood sugar?
   I hate this one. It makes me wonder what I did, and it makes me feel stupid. Always! I know that for most people that's not the intention, but I literally feel stupid every time someone that is not close to me asks me this question. Probably because I can act pretty stupid when my sugar isn't right, and I know that. So knowing that, I wonder what I did that made them think I am stupid. I don't think anything is worse than when people see me as less of a person (or stupid) because of my disease. 
2. You can't eat that, you're a diabetic.
   I assure you, I am completely aware that I am a diabetic. That does not mean that I cannot eat. I just have to be a little bit more careful than a lot of people. I can eat everything you can, and if you tell me not to, 9 times out of 10 I will eat it anyway just because you told me not to. I know what the consequences of my actions are and how different foods affect me--most people do not. So it drives me crazy when people think that they know enough about diabetes or me to tell me what I can and cannot eat. 
3. Have you eaten?
   Me: No, Mom, I haven't eaten. Sometimes I'm just not hungry. (I am actually talking to my mother, I'm not being disrespectful. Sort of.)
   Mom: Taylor, you are not allowed to go out on any more unchaperoned dates unless you will actually eat. Either I'm having a talk with your date, or I'm going with you so I can feed you when you are stubborn.
   Me: *Forces food when not hungry*
   Seriously, though. I hate when people ask if I have eaten if they are not close to me. I know when I'm supposed to eat, and I'm on a really weird food schedule because of jobs. If I eat off of my schedule, it messes up my diabetes in an terrible way. I don't like having to explain my food schedule to people. Also, if I have eaten that conversation usually leads to "You shouldn't have eaten that, you're a diabetic." 
4. I'd rather have you high than low.
   I've seriously had teachers and extended family members say that to me. What they really mean is, "I would rather have you high so that there is no possibility of you being low." Do you realize how that feels? They say that and then feed me when my sugar is perfectly normal--or try to, I don't do that anymore. But they do it because they're afraid of the immediate consequences of a low. No one considers the long-term consequences of the highs that I will have to deal with after they're no longer responsible for me. Also, having high blood sugars means that I am very ill. I feel so sick when my sugar is consistently high that I can't function properly. It's like they think that being high will not affect me at all, but people who do not know me do not understand. 
5. Oh, yeah. I know about diabetes. My best friend in kindergarten had diabetes.
   Just because someone you have not spoken to in 30 years had the same disease that I do does not mean you know diabetes. It doesn't even mean that you knew your friend's diabetes. It means that you have been around the public part of the disease. There is a lot of stuff that happens "behind the scenes" that you don't even want to think about. 
6. Hey, do you want to go do.... ANYTHING SPONTANEOUS.
   I actually have to plan around things I have to make sure that my sugar is going to behave and I have to make sure that there will be someone there that can take care of me in case it doesn't. Anytime I have something going on, there is a lot of planning involved. Especially if I have to drive. Just because my sugar is good right now, does not mean that it will be good when I have to drive home. 
7. Yeah, you can do that. Just don't tell your parents.
   There are so many reasons this bothers me, but diabetically speaking, my disease will tell on me. Just because I don't tell my parents I had that piece of cake when my blood sugar was already high does not mean that diabetes doesn't know it. It will make me sick for way too long to be worth it. This applies to so many different situations. 
8. Well, I bet diabetes doesn't bother you anymore since you've had it for so long.
   Diabetes will always bother me. It will not matter how long I've been dealing with it, it will always be hard. 
9. Shouldn't you have that under control by now? You've been dealing with it your whole life.
   That one makes me very upset. Not only are you reminding me I am a diabetic, you are also reminding me that I am terrible at it. Or at least you think I'm terrible at it. Fun fact for you: there is no such thing as "under control," it doesn't matter how long you've had diabetes. It will be eternally unpredictable. I'm doing the best I can, and unless you deal with it everyday like I do, you don't get to judge me on how "under control" I am. Not allowed. 
10. Hey, I heard that if you eat (...), your diabetes will be cured!
    Yeah, I saw that on pinterest too. There's a lot of truth to that whole "don't believe everything you see online" thing. There is no cure for my diabetes. It is treated with insulin, but insulin is not a cure.
11. You're fine, you have insulin. You're basically cured.
    No. Insulin is not a cure. Insulin is life support. Until the day when I can eat what I want, when I want, and not worry about it killing me in the middle of the night, I am not cured. Insulin makes the disease manageable, but it does not make me free. 
12. I hate needles. I couldn't live with that.
    Please don't remind me that I have a needle stuck in me 24/7 so that I can survive, and another one stuck in me to make it easier for me to manage the diabetes. Thanks. Also, I guarantee you that if you had diabetes, it wouldn't matter how you feel about needles. You would do what you have to in order to stay alive. It really sucks that there are needles involved, but it's better than sitting in a hospital room waiting to die. 

There are a ton of other things I hate to hear, but those are the ones I can think of right now. Please remember this if you know someone who is a diabetic. Try to think of how what you're saying might affect them, or how it will make them feel. That sounds dumb, but I'm pretty sure most people wouldn't think about how "I hate needles" makes me feel. It's also different depending on the person. In most cases, though, ask us. We don't usually bite and we like to tell people about our disease. Everything that you know about our disease makes life safer for us, so don't be afraid to ask questions.

The Tay-Dar

As promised, today's post is devoted to my wonderful little sister. I also call her my "Tay-Dar."Autumn has saved my life in more ways that I can count, so I'll try to stick specifically with diabetes-related topics here.

I think her magnificent "Tay-Dar" ability began when she was about six or seven. I remember the day it happened--or most of it anyway. My grandfather was in the hospital so we were all up and getting ready to go visit him. Mom was either in the shower or she had run to the store. I couldn't get to her, wherever she was. I remember telling Dad I felt low and him telling me to get some juice. I went to the kitchen and started drinking orange juice straight out of the container. Autumn yelled at me for that, making sure she told me how disgusting that was. That's the last thing I remember before I passed out from being too low.

A while later I woke up in Mom's lap with pancake syrup all over me and my emergency kit was put together and ready to go. I had dropped so low that my meter wasn't even registering a number. Autumn was really freaked out that day and I believe that is why she developed her Tay-Dar. 

"Tay-Dar" is what I call her unique ability to pick up on every single change in my blood sugar levels. She is usually more accurate than my dexcom, and sometimes she is more accurate than my meter. She knows how I start acting when my sugar is too far off in one direction, but she has also been able to accurately recognize when my sugar is headed into a dangerous number. We've always been very close and we might be able to give partial credit to the Tay-Dar for that.

I can recall some times where she has used her ability to save me before I even noticed something was wrong. One time we were at church for a drama meeting, both in separate buildings on opposite sides of the campus, and she randomly showed up in my room. She demanded that I check my sugar immediately. I was quite low and I didn't even realize it. If she hadn't have come to tell me, I probably wouldn't have checked my sugar. She has woken me up in the middle of the night on several different occasions and demanded that I check my sugar. Always I am either too high or too low, and she has saved me from some of the complications that can cause.

Nowadays, we have even done this thing that we call "tsuino" or "twin brain." Her God-given ability has expanded to where we actually do think the same things quite frequently! (Poor girl...) Now, rather than just recognizing what my diabetes is doing, she can tell random things that I am doing or have done before I even tell her. For example, I volunteered us both for the fall festival at the local public library in October. Before I even got in the car she knew what I had done.

God has an amazing sense of humor. Through Autumn almost losing me, He has bestowed upon me the amazing gift of her. We are so much alike, and yet still our own people. She has saved me in so many more ways than just what was listed here, but especially in terms of diabetes she saves me almost everyday. God gave me Autumn, and Tay-Dar, to keep me safe and sane. I am very blessed with my little sister and her amazing gifts.

My Story

I feel like it is necessary to share my story with T1D this month. It helps my readers understand why it is so important to me to show support and raise awareness.

I was diagnosed with this disease when I was 10 months old. I've had it for 18 years. It has shaped the way I live my life and it has an impact on almost every decision I make.

Obviously I don't remember everything I went through at the beginning. I was way too young to know what was happening, which I consider a blessing in disguise. I feel that way because that means that I never had a significant life-change. I hadn't had time to get used to life without the disease before it took over. That means that I don't really miss my old life, and for that I am grateful.

I don't remember this either, but my parents tell me that when I was little I used to say that "God told me before I was ever on this earth that He would give me diabetes. He also told me that I would have a mommy and a daddy who would take care of me so I didn't have to worry about it. It's going to be okay." Even though I do not remember saying that, I do remember feeling a sense of peace about the disease. That had disappeared for awhile when I got older.

Growing up was not always fun, but I think that's the case for even "normal" people. I didn't get to eat cake at birthday parties or go swimming with other kids because of my disease. I didn't mind though, to be honest. It actually bugged me more that kids thought it was contagious. Diabetes is a part of me. It's not contagious. It's not weird. It is just there. It doesn't define me.

My mother pulled me out of public school and started homeschooling me in second grade. I didn't want to do it to begin with, but that decision has made me a far better person in the long run. It helped me to find myself without the peer pressure and to actually enjoy learning. Through the homeschool I was able to better control the disease and it kept me healthier.

Throughout adolescence, I have managed to control the diabetes fairly well. It scared me, though. That was something I never experienced in my childhood. The more research I did on the complications that could happen and the dangers of the disease, the worse I felt. I started letting it control me, rather than trying to control it. I've discovered that that never helps. The moment that you let this disease control you through fear, it consumes you and you become overwhelmed. At least that is what happened with me.

Thankfully that phase didn't last very long and I regained my confidence with handling this disease. I'm sure that was a gift from God, because I still don't know how I regained my strength. I guess I had to realize that it was never about my strength, but it was about His.

Because of my doubt at that phase, I never actually saw myself making it to where I am now. By that, I mean 19. I never saw myself reaching this age, especially not with my health as good as it is. I was definitely wrong in that. For now, I'm just taking every single day and giving it to God. I want to give what is left of my life to Him and let it be used for His purposes. I realize that everyday is a gift so I am going to treat it like so.

I never minded sharing my diabetes story. Actually, I enjoyed it. I have always loved sharing it with everyone who would listen. I suppose that is why November and T1D awareness is so important to me now, 18 years later. I want to spread the message of hope. I also want to show people a few things. First, it is okay to be scared of your disease, as long as you don't get stuck in that phase. Second, it does not define you, no matter what other people say or think. Third, don't be afraid to share your story. Because you never know who you might inspire!

Some Ways I Will Be Showing My Support This Month

So I thought I would share with you all some of the ways I intend to show my support or raise awareness this month.

First--and I enjoy doing this--at least on the 14th (International T1D Day) I will be dying my hair blue!! That way, every time someone asks me about it I can tell them what it is for. This helps to raise awareness, as well shows how fun I can be.

Second I am giving several speeches at my school. Two different teachers have agreed to let me give a 15-20 minute speech during class about what I go through daily. I plan on giving my personal story, some information about insulin and different treatments/medical equipment, and statistics. I am both nervous and very excited about these opportunities. I also plan on making blue ribbons to give to the students in the classrooms if they want them...

Also, my big sister (Aschlii) has set something up with some different groups she is in on the social medias. She has told her "Dart buddies" that this is National Diabetes Awareness month, so they are supporting me in many different car-creative ways. (As a side note, you should check out her blog! The link is attached to her name above.) This will reach people nation-wide and on a totally different level than I am capable of doing alone, so I am very blessed by her willingness to do that for me.  (THANK YOU DARTSOFMERICA!)

I would like to see how many of my readers are showing their support as well. If you have done something to show your support or help raise awareness this month (even if it is just wearing blue) and you are willing to do so, post it on social media using the hashtags #fightlikeataylor and #projectbluenovember (also try #nationalt1dawarenessmonth or #diabetesawareness). I would be very blessed to see how many people love me!

Later this month I will be setting up a way to donate money to JDRF (the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). I'm hoping for at least $1 a day to be able to go toward research for a cure for this disease.

If anyone has any questions they would like me to answer this month, or something that they would like to see posted, please do let me know by commenting! I would love to answer questions to help spread awareness! (If you do not want to comment your question below, feel free to message me on my facebook page or email me at trryerse@gmail.com)

Also, if you have a different way to spread awareness please let me know! I want to hear your ideas!

Thank you for reading! Comment, subscribe, like and share! 
 

Kickoff for NATIONAL T1D AWARENESS MONTH!

Hello everyone!! It is November. Do you know what that means? It is NATIONAL TYPE 1 DIABETES AWARENESS MONTH! 

This month I will be posting a bunch of diabetes related things. Fun facts, personal stories, statistics and data, and some things that are currently being researched about this disease. As a Type 1 Diabetic, I want to show as much support and raise as much awareness as I can! I would be quite honored if my readers would help me do that. 

For those of you who do not know, Type 1 Diabetes is an auto-immune disease that occurs when the pancreas dies. In my case, I received an immunization at 10 months old that fought with my pancreas and won. That means I have to check my sugar 10-12 times daily, stabbing my fingers with a lancet to get the blood sugar level. It also means that I have to count carbs on everything and get insulin with a shot or with my pump as necessary. I don't get a day off. This is a full time, 24-hour-a-day, 7-days-a-week, 365-days-a-year kind of job. It gets tiring, but it is doable. 

A day to remember this month: NOVEMBER 14TH IS INTERNATIONAL TYPE 1 DIABETES AWARENESS DAY. If you would, please wear something blue to support me and other diabetics! 

I will try to post something at least twice a week this month, but it will probably be more often than that. My goal is to reach as many people as possible (I'm aiming for 100) to spread the word about what this disease is and how it affects us! Would you help me reach my goal? Comment, subscribe, share, etc.! I appreciate everyone's support. 

Inspiration

 I always kind of assumed that because I am a diabetic I won't be able to do as much as other people will. I know I can't do any kind of military service or anything like that, but at one point I had wanted to become a law enforcement officer. I was really young then--I think I was about four--and I pretty much convinced myself that diabetes would prevent me from doing anything like that with my life.

I wasn't afraid of the work. I was afraid of this sometimes uncontrollable disease and the affects that a career in that field would have on it. I never wanted to admit that, but the fear was there nonetheless. I figured being an officer would be dangerous for me because of the training required. I watched my Dad go through the Basic Law Enforcement Training program and I saw how hard it was. I just assumed that I would never be able to make it through, so I looked for a new plan.

After that, I considered going into nursing. I was quickly reminded that I have a compromised immune system, and being around sick people all the time wouldn't exactly be a good idea. If I get sick super easily, then I might always be sick. If I am always sick, how can I expect to hold a job?

Once I came to that conclusion, I decided that I would just be a Mom and a writer for the rest of my life. I had always planned on being a Mom, too. It just wasn't really a focus before that. After doing a little bit of research, I discovered that it was dangerous for female diabetic to have children. What do you think I did after that? I decided that the only way I could be a Mom was if I adopted my children. There was no way I was going to put myself in danger.

There are a few things I want to share after pointing all that out. First, I would like to say that I have reminded myself that God is in control, and His plan for me is perfect. It doesn't matter what I want for me, I have and will continue to submit to His will. It is better that way. Then, I would like to introduce you to one of my human inspirations.

When I started College I actually took an intro to Criminal Justice class, figuring that I could do what I wanted to do with my life anyway. Here is the ironic part: I really didn't like the course! After debating for so long whether or not I could go into the field, I discovered that I didn't really want to. I found Criminal Justice studies somewhat boring, and I knew for sure after that class that was not what God had planned for my life! I still have a lot of respect for law enforcement officers, of course. I will always support them. I just wasn't meant to be one.

Now I will introduce you to Kyle Cochran, one of my biggest inspirations. About a year ago, my little sister discovered the television show American Ninja Warrior. If you haven't heard of it, it consists of an incredibly difficult obstacle course that people from all around the country try to conquer. (I'll include a video of one of Kyle's runs.) I started watching the show with my sister, and we got to see Kyle Cochran attempt the course. Before they would show his attempt, they  did an introduction. We discovered that he had Type 1 Diabetes! Naturally, I payed more attention at that point.

When I watched to see what this young man could accomplish, despite his limitations, it definitely inspired me! He taught me not to treat Diabetes like it is a crutch. The hosts as well as his family make a point to say how much of an inspiration he is, but I feel that I had to share my reasons.

I know from experience that diabetes can be challenging. It made playing sports difficult. It made working in a fast-paced environment next to impossible. I cannot fathom the control that Kyle must have to be able to be an American Ninja Warrior! It makes me want to fight a little harder for the things I want to achieve. I think that "Divabetic" says it best this way:

I have made the decision not to let my disability affect my capabilities. Instead of giving up, I will Fight Like A Taylor.

Some Fun Facts About Type 1 Diabetes

Misconceptions are common, especially when people rely on sources they assume to be credible. In the age of internet, that is a dangerous thing! Not every source is reliable for everything. Sometimes people will take information from a source and hold it as a fact, when it is actually a myth.

So there are some myths about diabetes that I would like to address and correct. Let me establish my credibility by saying that I have been living with and fighting this disease for 19 years.

First: diabetes is caused by obesity. This one drives me crazy. This is a very common myth that most people believe to be true. Diabetes can be caused by obesity--if it is Type 2. The difference between Type 1 and Type 2 can be described fairly easily. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body's immune system destroys the pancreas, causing the patient to be insulin dependent. This isn't typically caused by eating too many calories or carbohydrates, despite popular opinion. My diagnosis came after an allergic reaction to my immunizations when I was 10 months old. How can a 10-month-old be obese to the point of diabetes diagnosis? For another example, one of my best friends was diagnosed at 3-years-old after her body fought off the chicken-pox virus. Both of us were completely healthy prior to our diagnosis. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body isn't able to use insulin correctly, or when the body is insulin resistant. Only 5-10% of diabetics have Type 1 diabetes. (For more information, you can look at the WebMD website here: http://www.webmd.com/diabetes/tc/diabetes-differences-between-type-1-and-2-topic-overview) 

Second: Diabetics can't eat sugar. There is sugar in pretty much everything, so the belief that diabetics cannot eat sugar is definitely incorrect. We don't even count sugars! We actually count carbohydrates, because that is what directly affects the blood sugar. Yes, it does sound dumb, but trust me that's how it works. Once again, it differs between Type 1 and Type 2 with how we treat it. Personally, as a Type1 diabetic, I just have to get insulin before eating something with too many carbs in it. I will add that if my sugar is too high (which I would say is 250+) then I won't eat anything with too many carbs in it. It can be too difficult to bring the blood sugar down at that point. I'd rather maintain my health than eat a cookie whenever  I feel like it. Type 2 diabetics can control it through diet and exorcise, which brings us to our next myth.

Third: ALL diabetics can control it through diet and exorcise. Additionally, insulin is only taken when the patient's disease is extremely out of control. (Some people don't add the last part, but that is pretty much what it means.) I suppose this can be true to an extent. I know for a fact that if I exorcise when I am high, then my sugar will come down. Of course, eating any kind of carbs will bring it up. But it doesn't always work that way. Sometimes I might be stressed out, and if that is the case, no amount of exorcise I can do will bring my sugar down. Insulin helps at that point, but it is not because my disease is extremely out of control. You have to consider the difference between a Type 1 Diabetic and a Type 2 Diabetic at this point. Recall that a Type 1's pancreas has been destroyed and therefore the person is insulin dependent. It doesn't matter how much exorcise a Type 1 does, the body will not produce insulin because it is not capable of doing this.

Fourth: Diabetes has a singular treatment option. This one might not sound so familiar, but the majority of people do believe this. It basically means that, assuming a person knows the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, the person believes that all you need is insulin and that will fix your problems. I can assure you, there is much more that affects this disease than insulin and/or food. This is an individual disease, and it does not affect everyone the same way. It doesn't even affect me the same way every single day. For example, if I eat the same food for breakfast everyday this week my blood sugar will not do the same thing afterwords. Sunday I might go too high because of the inactivity during church, while Monday I might drop too low because of my morning run. My emotions also play a huge part in what my diabetes will do. If I am stressed out over a school project, my blood sugar might stay high no matter what amount of insulin I get. The only way to fix that high is to relieve the stress. Alternatively, my blood sugar could decide to drop below 60 and remain there until I relieve the stress. (This is very dangerous!) I have done this before, especially lately. It gets to the point that I will literally take my insulin pump off and eat every two hours. Once again, this might not work the way I want it to. I could still remain low until after I have relieved the stress. Additionally, it doesn't affect every diabetic the same way. One of my diabetic friends might be stressed over a school project but be medically fine. But when she gets her heart broken, her disease a complete disaster to try and control.

Fifth: Diabetes is curable. This myth is quite hurtful. Some people assume that I can cure my disease through diet and exorcise, as I have addressed. But some people are persistent that this particular diet, or that exact food will cure my diabetes for good. The only way to cure this disease is to make the pancreas function "normally." It is hurtful because of the infinite amount of people that come up to me and treat me like I am stupid because I don't know how to cure it. I've even had some of my customers at work try to magically cure my disease with certain diet plans! Even when I know that most people are trying to help, it still makes me feel bad when they try to "cure" me. Partially because it reminds me that I am stuck with this disease forever. But partially because I take it to mean that they assume there is something wrong with me or with how I am dealing with diabetes. I can't express the fact that it is an individual disease enough. I am doing the best that I can, and I have plenty of help from my family, my doctors, and my God. I appreciate the care, but it is hurtful at the same time.

I didn't create this blog post as a rant, but it might look like that. I created it because I genuinely wanted to resolve these myths as best I could. There are a ton of things that I still didn't touch on, because it would take up too much time. I will probably write about those later. I want the world to be informed about the disease, rather than to just trust what the internet or their friends say about it. Thank you for taking the time to read.