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November 14th is World Diabetes Day — created to raise awareness about the illness that affects me and more than 220 million people worldwide. In honor of the day, Bayer and I created a video, featuring the winner of the Simple Inspirations contest, Christine from Utah, and me! View the video and help honor and support the diabetes community!
At first glance, D.I.A.B.E.T.E.S. is Difficult, Intense, Anxious, Bothersome, Everyday, Timely, Eerie, and Sugarfree. But as a whole, D.I.A.B.E.T.E.S. is Discovering Internal Abilities to Boldly Encounter The Earth with a Smile. Sometimes life can be hard (for everyone), but you can do anything you set your mind to even with diabetes. Nothing can stop you if you approach it with the right attitude!
I was 408 and thought “Why me?” Storming up the stairs, I rushed into my room and collapsed onto my bed. The tears began to fall. Everything I despised about diabetes came to mind: needles, blood, the unquenchable thirst that comes with a high blood sugar, and the weakness of a low. Suddenly, a voice came into my mind. “Sit up, Lauren.” I sat up, beginning to realize how lucky I was to have diabetes. Call me crazy, but I am one lucky fifteen year old. I wiped the tears from my eyes and thought about how many worse things are out there. I am a healthy, normal teenager! In reality, diabetes is a manageable disease. And when I’m feeling down, I just have to remember that I can’t and won’t let diabetes stop me from doing anything.
When I was diagnosed with type 1 exactly two years ago it put a huge dent in my lifestyle. Being the freshman in college that I was, it seemed to make it even harder to fit in. All I wanted and needed at the time was someone there for me. Whether it was just for a hug or for them to tell me I’d get through this and be okay. That someone told the truth. You really will be okay and you will get through this. It will take some time, but just be patient. The harder you fight, the more you’ll overcome, the better you’ll feel!! Get out there and kick diabetes in the butt!! You aren’t alone in this!
When I was diagnosed with diabetes, I was not devastated or really upset at all. I tried to be positive about the situation, so I went out and played tennis and water-skied again and I was so surprised how easy it was to get back to my normal life. Now, a year and half later, I am number two on my high school varsity tennis team and am ranked five in the world in waterskiing. Having diabetes has not slowed me down and I see it as a little hassle I have to deal with. Don’t let diabetes slow you down. Look at it as a small hurdle you have to jump over. If you train your mind and heart to be strong, you can do whatever you desire.
NO DREAM IS TOO BIG. Diabetes doesn’t define who you are and shouldn’t limit you on your dreams, hopes, and aspirations. Even though I’ve lived over half my life with juvenile diabetes and know the challenges it presents each day, I’ve never allowed diabetes to be an obstacle to achieving all that I wanted to be. Having diabetes can actually make you a stronger person and it can fuel your drive to succeed at anything. The choice is yours. Live each day to the fullest! Monitoring your blood sugars, exercising, and eating healthy will all provide you with the perfect opportunity to achieving your goals. From my dream as a little girl of holding a state gymnastics title to now, attending college on a full academic scholarship, I’ve never let diabetes slow me down. IT’S UP TO YOU. DREAM BIG!
Found yourself lost in a maze? In a sea of numbers, trampled down by the craze? Needles, pumps and math problems are new, but you’re lucky to have such an awesome crew. Family and friends, whom we call type three. CDE’s and doctors for you would climb a tree. Don’t sink into denial, don’t hide in shame, don’t think for a second you stand on an empty plain. Calling all diabetics, we’ve got a new friend. We’re here to get you back on the mend. I can’t say your life won’t be different, or changed. I do know for a fact you won’t be estranged. In this community, the one you’ve just joined, there’s so much success it cannot be coined. Whether you’re a performer, a student, or an athlete like me, stay true to who you want to be.
Diabetes, the thing that makes me who I am. It seems like diabetes is this terrible disease that’s going to hold you back, but it’s not. Because of this illness, I’ve become stronger, more determined and learned that who I am is who I want to be. I’ve over come this disease in so many ways; it’s almost like I was chosen to help other kids with it. I never let the little cons of diabetes hold me back, and neither should you. Play the sports you dream of, play an instrument, write a story, you can do ANYTHING you desire. Diabetes makes you who you are and you should never want to be any different. If it wasn’t for diabetes, I would never be the person I am today. D-etermined I-ndividual A-thlete B-eautiful E-ffort T-alented E-energy S-pecial
Take a deep breath and relax. Your life is no where near over, if anything it has just really started to begin. You are now on a crazy hard, yet super rewarding path of life. The only person or thing that could stand in your way is yourself. There are going to be rough times during your highs and lows. And sometimes not everyone will be able to fully understand. But your family and friends will always be at your side with a hand for you to hold onto if you ever feel unstable. Don’t let the disease change you, but let it drive you to do better and greater things in life.
Being diagnosed with diabetes is scary at first. It seems as if your life has been turned upside down. It’s important to remember that YOU control diabetes, it does not control you. With that being said, never let diabetes hold you back from doing something. You can doing anything and everything you did before being diagnosed. Lastly, don’t let your condition be a label. Being a diabetic does not define you. The way you live your life will define you, so be passionate about life, do your part and make a difference!
When you are first diagnosed with diabetes it seems really scary. When you’ve had diabetes for a long time it is still scary but, that doesn’t mean you have to be afraid. Diabetes doesn’t have to stop you from reaching dreams; it helps you reach your dreams. Diabetes gives you self-control, determination, and strength. These qualities are exactly what you need to achieve your goals. Every time you prick your finger, give yourself a shot, or change your site, diabetes is helping you reach your dreams. I think this is exceedingly inspiring. When you wake up every day with an attitude like this, towards your diabetes, you will be inspired and you will inspire others. I believe that having diabetes is a gift, and when you treat it like a gift you can’t help but be inspired and be inspiring.
You may have diabetes but diabetes does not have you. Everything is dreamable, anything is possible, your life is unstoppable. With hard work come great rewards. Diabetes may seem like a hindrance but it is truly a gift and is what you make out of it. It gives you an opportunity to grow into an amazing person and to become a leader to others. Welcome to the diabetes family, we have got your back.
There are days, when you feel weak, you think about how tired you are that you must live carefully. Those days, are overshadowed by the days that you realize, having diabetes only makes you stronger. You want to make a difference; show people that everything in this world is possible. Having diabetes does not impair your life; on the contrary it opens up new horizons. You learn with time and the help of loved ones, that someone will always be there to help you when you fall, carry you when you are weak, wipe your tears when you are sad; but most of all that the strength inside your heart will shine through. You learn how to push yourself, you become determined to never let anything, especially diabetes, stand in the way of anything you want. Diabetes makes you stronger.
Live life and don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. Those are the exact words I would tell someone that is living with juvenile diabetes, regardless of how long they’ve had it. I was diagnosed almost six years ago at 13 years old, but I promised myself that I would never let that stop me from being successful in my own way. I have since done a considerable amount of traveling, placed in national and district broadcasting competitions, raised thousands of dollars for diabetes research and right now- I’m typing this from campus at the University of Florida, my dream school six hours away from home. Diabetes should never keep you from doing anything you want to do. In fact, it should encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and reach the unthinkable.
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