Monday, July 23, 2007

5 years

Yesterday, I "celebrated" having diabetes for 5 years. 5 years ago yesterday, I went to the doctor's to have some allergy medicine refilled and explained that I hadn't been feeling well for awhile. Later that afternoon, my adventure with this disease began.

Diabetes frustrates me on a daily basis, but I believe that it's taught be more about who I am than anything else in life. It brought be a great internship last summer, and it continues to make me wish that I was a doctor (so instead of 4+ years of school, I work for a medical NPO.) It makes me more sympathetic to others who have to struggle daily to manage their health. It makes me more active in our political system and I continue to submit my letters to my congressman and my sentators, encouraging them to make decisions that benefit people like me. It made my family closer because I knew at first I could not do this by myself. It makes me value everyday and appreciate the people that I spend my time with.

But, there are days like today and day's like yesterday, I wish that diabetes didn't exist. I wish that July 22 was a day I remember because it's my fiance' mom's birthday, not the day that I packed up and headed to Walter Reed. I wish that it wasn't the day I had my first shot of insulin or my first finger poke.

5 years ago...

2 comments:

BetterCell said...

Hello Allison.......
I acknowledge how you feel about Diabetes.
For me, it has been with me for so long, that there is no longer any "running away" from it because it will always in whatever form it wants to take, remind You of its presence.
Are you going to celebrate this "special day" with a cheesecake and a large bolus of insulin?

HVS said...

5 years is when you realize that there still isn't a cure. You call the doc up who dx'd you(if you're still seeing them) and you pointblank ask:
"Where's my cure?"
You never forget that day.