Introduction

Welcome to my experiment. I have been an on and off personal blogger for quite some time, but recently started reading diabetes-centered blogs in an effort to tighten the reigns on my own health and well-being. So here I am, starting my own diabetes blog, for both my benifit and the benifits of others living with the chronic illness.

Forewarning: Do not take anything I write about as medical advice. Consult your own endo before making any changes in your management plan (this is a given, I hope). Do not assume that all the termonology is correct. I was last "diabetes educated" eleven years ago and things have changed drastically. This is why I am starting to read and try and keep up with new developments in the feild. I'm only 22 and feel behind on the times, at least when it comes to diabetes!

Now, who am I? I am a college student, majoring in History. My ultimate goal in life is to work for the National Parks Service; I've been interning at a local park this summer. The NPS actually offers opportunities for me to use my degree. I'm going to get my masters first, starting next fall.

I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when I was 11 years old, on my mother's birthday (some birthday present). I was in the sixth grade. I was active, participating in dance and sports. I knew what diabetes was because I read the Baby Sitters Club books, and one of the characters had diabeetes. I actually kid of suspected I was diabetic, but never mentioned it to anyone (because, who wants that anyway?).

I have struggled wtih management since then. I excellently managed until I hit puberty (late, as many type 1's do, about 14). Since then, my numbers have been all over the place. In high school I got tired of going to the nurse before lunch and quit checking my sugar at school. Then I gradually quit checking it at all, unless I felt high or low. This trend continued in college, and like many people, I continue to sturggle with it today. I take my insulin shots, but don't check my glucose levels. Smart, huh?

The thing is, I am kind of in diabetes denial. I'm sure it's normal. But I'm 22. Ten years of 8+ A1c's have got to be taking their toll on my body.

For example. I'm overweight. Weight has been an issue, well, since I was diagnosed. I gained the weight I lost plus some within weeks (as is normal, I suppose). This is one thing I'll be writing about on here: figuring out how to lose weight (with the help of my diabetes team) and manage my diabetes. It's hard! But I know I can do it.

Here are a list of my goals:

-Get my a1c below 7.0 (It was at 7.8 at my last visit, the first time it was below 8 since before I started seeing this endo, 5 years ago), preferrably within my next 3 endo visits.

-Shed the 30 lbs I've gained since trasnferring colleges in 2007

-Start testing before and after meals to see how foods and activites affect my levels

-Just start testing in general!

-Take my meds on time - not after I eat, not three hours later.

I'd say these are problems many diabetics have. As I research solutions to these problems I plan on blogging. I hope that by helping myself I'll also help others.