ALL OF US: Strength in Community
Editor’s note: This is the sixth post in the series, “ALL OF US,” by Chelsea Lugone and family, who will share their T1D journey onstage at the 2024 Breakthrough T1D Central PA Gala on May 18th. Whether or not you are able to join them at the event, you can still support their efforts with a 100% tax-deductible Fund A Cure gift today to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs in T1D research.
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ALL OF US: Strength in Community
Last night was a rough one. Kate and Ryan both had sport practices followed by a spontaneous trip to the park with their little brother. We planned our best, but ultimately Ryan dealt with repeated lows overnight. Kate had a pump failure in the middle of the night. I was up for more than 2 hours, on and off, listening to alarms every 15-60 minutes for most of the night. Today I feel out of it. Truly, like a space cadet… and yet my glucose was in healthy range all night!
There can be such an emotional and physical toll related to life with type 1 diabetes (T1D). This is something we talk about—but probably not enough—in everyday life. When I was working in clinic, I always made sure to ask anyone I was working with if they felt more worried, stressed, sad, down, hopeless, or if anything in general was mentally draining or taxing to them. I think that if we all answered that question honestly, those of us who know T1D and live it day in and day out would say, “YES, actually, T1D gets me worried, stressed, sad and down, and I do find it draining and taxing!”
As I mentioned before, I have always tried to be a glass half-full person. I try to be someone who wants to see the good in everything. But, today, I am going to be honest and say it: Today, I HATE DIABETES! I hate that I feel like a zombie because of it, and I hate that my children had their sleep interrupted because of it, and I HATE those unhealthy blood sugars! And you know what, it is okay and healthy for me to say it and feel it! It is very good for me, and as I write this knowing that so many of you know exactly what I feel and go through? That makes me feel a little better, knowing I am not alone!
T1D is such a unique health condition and unless you know, you don’t! Being able to connect with other people who can understand our highs and our lows (literally and figuratively speaking here) makes these super-challenging moments a little easier. One place in which I have found much comfort over the years by connecting more with others who really understand what we go through is within the Breakthrough T1D community!
Even before I worked in healthcare, I got so much out of seeing so many people trying to live their best lives with T1D. People who showed up at walks, community events, or even virtually sharing their T1D highs and lows, they helped me to feel normal! It also often encouraged me and provided new ways of looking at or trying things. Every single time I have ever been to a Breakthrough T1D get-together, no matter what it is, I’ve left feeling so glad I went! I feel just a little more refreshed, a little more understood, less alone, and inspired!
If you have never attended a Breakthrough T1D event, please, PLEASE, I beg you to try it! Try any of them—Gala, One Walk, Family Fun Ride, Hoops for Heroes, local park get-togethers, virtual meetups, any single one of these things! My bet—and my hope—is that you will walk away feeling glad you went, and you might even discover you feel the same way I do…
Even in this moment of not being very happy with T1D, I am reminded of how much I really do have to be grateful for, including all of you—our T1D community who is there, always!
- Have you had any rough times lately with T1D? How did this impact you?
- In the moments when diabetes is distressing or burning you out, are there things that you find helpful? Please share.
- Have you been to any Breakthrough T1D events? What kinds of experience or feelings did you walk away with afterwards?
- If you met someone who was having a hard time with T1D, what advice would you give them?
We would love for you to share your story. Our hope is to share all of our stories at the 2024 Breakthrough T1D Central PA Gala because this is about #ALLOFUS. For the chance for your story to be included on signage at the Gala, e-mail abreining@BreakthroughT1D.org and/or tag your story on social media with: #ALLOFUS #JDRFCentralPAGala #JDRFWestCentralPA