Morning, all! For anyone unaware, November is National Diabetes Awareness Month and World Diabetes Day was on the fourteenth.
Obviously, my relationship with this incurable disease has evolved over the years. Having to take over the daily functioning of a vital organ every day for the rest of your life once you’re diagnosed is a heavy burden.
It’s something I came to resent as a teen and young adult, especially in moments when it was clear even my best efforts weren’t enough to keep the disease in complete control. My period of rebellion did irreparable harm to so many parts of my body, the full extent of which is likely still unknown.
But I’m now in a much better place in my relationship with the disease. For one, I will never again underestimate its power over my body and quality of life. I value life and health far too much to further risk either for things like vanity, ambition, or simple resentment.
Over the last few years, I’ve been so grateful to find the online diabetes community. Discovering resources such as the Beyond Type 1 app and Diabetes Sisters meetings and listening to podcasts such as Diabetic Tim‘s and the Talking Type 1 Podcast has been life-changing.
I’m so proud of my community for the authentic and diverse voices and stories coming through right now. Daniel Newman’s podcast has quickly become a gold standard in sharing those stories and making it clear to other diabetics that we’re not alone in our struggles, setbacks, failures, and fears.
We’re stronger together when we’re honest with ourselves and each other about our experiences with this illness. We also raise greater awareness as to diabetes’ impact on society and individuals by making our voices heard.
I was so honored to be interviewed by Daniel Newman in this week’s episode of the Talking Type 1 Podcast. I hope you’ll have a listen and then go back and hear the stories of his previous guests. We all struggle. We all need to feel as if we’re not alone in our darkest moments. And sometimes, we need to hear how someone else made it through the storm in order to be reassured that we, too, can make it.
Katherine Itacy 