Living with diabetes is a real balancing act

I am a type 1 diabetic. I have now been living with type 1 for 9 years. For a kid, having diabetes can, and will be, difficult. It is not easy at all living with it.

I was diagnosed in 2007, nine months after my second birthday. When I was diagnosed, I was put on the needle and vial. Now I am on the Omnipod insulin pump system. My average day looks like this: Carb counting, school, sports, carb counting and repeat, 365 days per year.

It’s not all bad. Here are some advantages to having diabetes:

• Being able to skip the line at amusement parks. At Hershey Park, you get a medical pass and you will never have to wait on a line again. If your blood sugar is low during the day, you get to have juice and a snack. Just make sure to recheck.
• Customizing your gear. It is so much fun to make all your gear look awesome. I plan on dyeing my kit all black and duct-taping designs on my pods more often. Remember, as long as your parents say it’s OK to customize your gear, start making it look crazy cool. You can make all types of designs. I have had a British and a graffiti design on my pod.

In Massachusetts, there is an amazing camp for diabetic kids, Camp Joslin for boys and the Clara Barton Camp for girls. I went there over the summer and I loved it. Everyone is just like you and is willing to help you, teach you about diabetes and to also have fun. There are many activities as well, from soccer to kayaking.

So for all you diabetics, remember you are unique! Since we are different, let’s embrace it and make the best of what we have.