It can be difficult for people who don’t live with Type One Diabetes to understand what we go through every single day. As people who are relentlessly taking care of this disease and can hardly imagine life without it, this can be hard to comprehend.

I started this blog in 5th grade. I was 11 years old. I was depressed. I had passed out at a friend’s house with low blood sugar and subsequently was never invited back. I felt like a complete burden to everyone I was around. Mean remarks were directed towards me about my diabetes by ignorant classmates who hadn’t the slightest clue what they were talking about. But I didn’t realize that. I thought they were trying to hurt me. I never felt more isolated in my entire life. I was so embarrassed by my Type One that I would hide my pump and not tell anyone I met about it. I would never speak about it to anyone but I would cry myself to sleep. I didn’t want to deal with it anymore. It was never going away. I ended up making my Instagram account as a way to reach out to people like myself. It helped instantly. Seeing the confidence and happiness of others who live with Type One Diabetes inspired me so much and encouraged me to be more open and shameless with my disease. My mother always told me that you can’t choose the hand you’re dealt, but you can choose how to play the cards. I have since tried to live by that and make the most of the situation I am in.

Being a part of this online community has honestly shaped me into a happier and more confident person than I could have ever imagined when I made my account that day in 5th grade. I have met so many incredible people and have come across so many opportunities since I have changed my outlook. I even began to share stories and struggles of my Type One with some friends that aren’t diabetic again, and this brings me back to my original point.

People who do not have diabetes do not understand. I have heard of a couple people who have made fun of my account and my blog before, but it never bothered me because they didn’t know what it was for and how big of a part of my life it is. But recently, some very close friends of mine bashed what I do on here. They stated that I use my diabetes for attention, and that I’m “extra” and that this account is stupid. I was heartbroken. But after a couple weeks of thought, I am able to conclude that it doesn’t matter what they have to say about it at all. Or what anyone without diabetes has to say about it. I don’t post on here for attention. I post to connect with all of you. And to relate to people that are like me. They couldn’t possibly understand that. Or the mental toll that the constant vigilance of this disease takes on you. Those friends are no different than the friends 7 years ago who called my beloved diabetes camp a “fat camp” and tried to steal my M&Ms because I “couldn’t eat them because I have diabetes”. None of that matters. The best thing you can do for yourself and for them is to try and educate them, and if they don’t care to learn that is on them.

My point in writing this was mostly to reflect on how using my position as a “veteran” Type One Diabetic enables me to educate people who do not understand in hopes that it will spare the younger and newer diabetics from the harsh misconceptions that can come from the people surrounding them. One particular thing I have been working on the past couple years is not getting mad at people who say mean things. It is pointless to yell or get angry. It will not make them care or understand. Educating is the best thing to do and the people who really care about you will learn and will do their best to understand and be there for you.

That being said, my New Year’s Resolution is to not stop being myself and being open and happy. I do not want to let ignorant people ruin my confidence and comfort in my own skin that I have worked so hard to achieve.

I love you all and hope that you can all find people who care to understand that they don’t understand what you are going through every day. And if you don’t, I promise I will always be here 🙂