Joseph DeLucia

I was born at a time when urinating on a stick was the thing. Long acting insulin, syringes, vials, highs, waking up in the middle of the night with lows. I remember the first home blood test machine coming out when I was in college. In only two minutes you could tell what your glucose lever was, sometimes those were a long two minutes. The revolutionary short-acting insulin, followed by injectable pens. I got my first insulin pump 20 years ago. With the advent of CGM I continue to live an active, and healthy life. Minus cataract surgery four years ago, and laser surgery three years ago, I have been fortunate to stave off other diabetic complications to date.

I am one of six siblings. Three of the six of us have been diagnosed with T1D. With T1D I feel fortunate to have lived and enjoyed the life that I have. I have had a good career, a number of happy relationships and a son who graduates from college this spring. I rode many miles on a bicycle. At one stretch I did a five-hundred mile, week-long ride, nine years in a row. Oh, I am an FAA certified commercial hot-air balloon pilot. Early on in life, I decided to not use T1D as an excuse for not having adventures. As I have aged I look back and wonder if being T1D pushed me to do things I would not otherwise have done.