Daisy

From her mom, Samantha:

When you are 11, 10 years is basically your entire life, and living your almost-entire life with Type 1 Diabetes means you really never remember your life without it. It has evolved from constant finger pokes and an array of brightly colored band-aids, to your Dexcom beeping at you for your attention in the middle of the night. There has always been sleepily drunk juice boxes and backpacks filled with fruit gummies and insulin. There has always been the constant nagging of Mom reminding you to check your snack package for the carb count before tossing it, and blousing before you eat. It has always been this little constant shadow following you around asking for extra attention, asking for extra care, asking for extra brain juice that you don’t always feel like giving out.

But luckily, you were born with a twin. A sister and friend who would always be there for tight hugs when you cried, and who would come visit you in the hospital when you were sick. A sister who would wait if your blood sugar wasn’t cooperating to have the special treat with you. A sister who knows the sound of a low alarm and comes running fast for you at the playground. A sister who can tell when you are sick of talking about diabetes and asks kids at school to back off so you don’t have to. Throughout the ten years of living with Diabetes, there has always been your family trying to quietly lighten the load and help celebrate with many walks and fund raising events. There will always be cake on dia-versary days and cool new swag to try to make carrying around all your things more enjoyable.

Daisy is, and always has been, a spit-fire spirit. At one point in elementary school with the guidance and help of the school counselor, she helped role model for a group of newly diagnosed children on a weekly basis where they met to play and hang out together, but also talk through their feelings in their new routines (especially at school.) The school had gone from having 1 diabetic child (Daisy) to four in the span of a year. She came home feeling so proud to help the other children feel seen and understood with the ins and outs of living with Diabetes. She will give presentations to her new class if she feels enough of them have questions about Type 1 diabetes that she can answer better in a group discussion format during Diabetes Awareness Month. She’s always up for making fun and quirky powerpoint presentations…and a chance to show off her art!

She loves art, participating in Band, and performing in the after school musical club “All Star Revue.” She enjoys anime, video games, and making cos-play items. She also loves going on hikes in the woods and swimming. She loves to travel and has been all across the USA (especially while moving around with her family), and in the past year had the chance to travel to Japan for a week (and plans on going back!) She has lived her life in the same way she would have had she not been diagnosed with diabetes, and I think that is a testament to who she is as a person. It is something she carries alongside her, and works with whatever she needs to in order to make what she wants to do happen.

After 10 years we are about to entire the new era of Diabetes during big changes in her life–being a teenager. I know she will continue to thrive and grow into a lovely young lady, who one day will help role model a life with Type 1 Diabetes for those who join the club and hopefully give them the courage to know that everything will be okay.