Megan

From her mother, Heather:

My daughter was diagnosed shortly after she turned 10 years old. As her mom, I had worked as a pediatric diabetes educator since my daughter was born, so I was very familiar with diabetes. Even my daughter was familiar with it as she had attended diabetes camp with me as a “staff kid” when I was a volunteer medical staff. She loved camp! So much so that when we were driving home from camp, the summer before her diagnosis, she told me she “wished she had diabetes” because of how amazing everyone at camp was. I quickly told her, “oh no, honey, we don’t wish for diabetes.” Months later, she showed symptoms of diabetes (needing to go to the bathroom frequently and increased thirst), so we checked her blood sugar, and sure enough, it was high. Her diagnosis was confirmed the next morning. On our drive home from the clinic I looked in my rear view mirror and could see her crying in the back seat of the car. She quietly whispered through her tears, “You were right mom, I don’t want diabetes.” I was heartbroken. I couldn’t fix this and I knew I needed to let her grieve. I needed to grieve. In the midst of it all, we remembered how happy and healthy the kids at diabetes camp were, and that diabetes didn’t have to stop her from all the good things of life. That next summer she was a camper at diabetes camp and she had a new appreciation for this place where she felt “normal” and good and didn’t need to explain diabetes. She made “diabetes friends” who understood her in ways other friends never could, and she was celebrated for her courage and strength in taking care of herself. Ever year, for the past 10 years, on her diaversary we celebrate the work and the perseverance that goes into taking care of diabetes. I want her to know that while these efforts, and struggles, are often invisible to others, that I see it, and I see her. She has now lived with diabetes for half of her life, but diabetes has not stopped her from living her best life. She earned a black belt in karate, competed in dance, participated in diabetes research, traveled, attended multiple concerts, graduated high school and is now in college. Her Endocrinologist calls her the “Taylor Swift of diabetes.” She leaves her appointments feeling good about herself and reassured that she can do this. She is rocking life with diabetes, one decade at a time!