Chase Powell

I was 10 years old when I was diagnosed with T1D back in 2010. My case was so severe that the doctors then had told me that if I had gone to sleep that day, I probably wouldn’t have woken up again. Back then it was crazy for my 10 year old self to think about all the things I had to do, I’ll never forget the first time I went to the store with my parents after that, and looking at all the different foods I used to eat without a thought in the world but now had to try and remember how many carbs was in what, and the different insulin ratios.

Fast forward another 10 years, and I’ve been able to travel to France, Spain, and hopefully many other places in the future! In such a short time of 10 years, it’s pretty incredible just how far the technology has come. I’ve gone from finger sticks to sensors, and within the past year from injections to an insulin pump that handles almost everything for you. No more awkward looks or having to hide in the bathroom, just to do an injection!

T1D is a challenge, because it’s a challenge nobody else but you can see or feel, and there’s a lot of responsibility that comes with it just to keep yourself alive every day. It’s an hour-by-hour, minute-by-minute challenge and there are still many misconceptions about it that float around. With all that being said, I think the future is brighter than ever for people with T1D, and you can be, or do, almost anything you want to! Care is easier than ever, and there’s so many new things to help make managing it easier. Despite its many drawbacks, I think in many ways Type 1 Diabetes can help you grow as a person; it’s a crash course in responsibility, discipline in controlling yourself, and understanding the ins and outs of your own body – and you can experience many fun things along the way, such as:

• raiding the pantry at 3 in the morning to treat a low
• trying to talk to someone while super jittery from a low
• and my personal favorite, blaring blood sugar alarms just after you finally managed to fall asleep

For us, after living with them for so long, these things become just a normal part of our everyday life, and we probably don’t spare a second thought for them. To other people it may seem strange or even incomprehensible how someone can deal with it every day. I’ve had T1D for 14 years now, and I’m really excited to see how things improve for type 1 diabetics in another 14 years. Already, things have gotten so much easier and there’s truly little a person with type 1 diabetes can’t do that a normal person can anymore. I have nothing but respect for anyone else out there who deals with this disease, and I’m optimistic for what the future has in store for us!