One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced since being diagnosed with Type 1 is trying to balance being a normal kid who can go out with friends and eat, with keeping my diabetes under control and having a good A1C. Throughout Middle School and High School I was bullied partially because of having diabetes. People thought that it was weird and I should be made fun of for not being able to produce insulin. During those three years, there were times where I would neglect my diabetes in an effort to not seem like a weird kid, as well as just not wanting to deal with the burden anymore. As a result, I went into Diabetic KetoAcidosis, or DKA, three times, and have had a too high of an A1C ever since. One of the biggest things that has made me want to take better control of my diabetes was going to Camp Joslin, which is just for kids with diabetes. Going here taught me so many lessons about my diabetes, and has made me realize that I shouldn’t care what people say or think about me and that Diabetes isn’t what I’m going to be defined as. I made many great friends being at camp, and we help support each other in the everyday struggle against T1D. While diabetes may be a large responsibility that can be very tough, the friends I have made from having it, and the experiences I have gained, make it all worth it.
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