Age: 26 Year Diagnosed: 2007 Location: Los Angeles, Ca
"I have a funny, diabetic, life on the road in a band, story. So on tour we mostly live like trash and our van pretty much looks like the snack aisle in 7 11 exploded in there. So there's tons of snacks, and open bags of chips, empty beer bottles and other unmentionables. Well if you're a diabetic you know the 'Hansel and Gretel' bread crumb test strip life we live, no matter how hard you try, test strips find their way EVERYWHERE, especially in our van. My best friend (and the guitar player in the band) was driving the bandwagon and was munching on a bag of chips only to then realize that one chip she was chewing was not a chip! She spit out a used test strip of mine! It was gross and hilarious, and I kinda felt bad but also like, 'Close your chip bags people.'
I used to avoid everything that had to do with diabetes in any social situation. I didn't want to make a big deal or explain the whole shebang and felt embarrassed. That's so dumb! It's super duper dumb. Because once i got a little older, I realized myself what a huge battle I fight everyday and how life threatening it can be. Be open, explain it! It can save your life and your peers will be interested in hearing all your details, I promise! Also, theres gonna be those days, when you are like "really? This is what I have to deal with forever?" Yep, yes you do, and you got it. My rule is it's totally ok to have "Feel sorry for yourself moments" rock em, eat crappy food, do a fat shot of insulin, cry and move forward. We got this!"