My journey with type 1 diabetes began in August of 2012 when I was diagnosed. It was just a few days before school and I even missed the first few days of school because I was in the hospital. I was scared and didn’t know what to expect. My doctor told me I had to take shots before every time I eat and that terrified me!

Before I found out I had diabetes, I had to go to the bathroom a lot, drink a lot of water, and I had lost over 20 pounds. After starting on insulin, I found that none of those symptoms lingered and I felt better again.  We had to start counting carbs, reading labels on everything to see how many carbs were in it, and other things a normal kid wouldn’t do. As things went on though, everything got easier and I noticed that certain things changed.

Then, we found out about Breakthrough T1D and the walk they held every year. My family and I went to the walk that year and the next year we even formed our own team. I also began volunteering at Breakthrough T1D during the summer too. In 2013, I started on an insulin pump and things became much easier. I didn’t have to take shots anymore and I could bolus as much as I wanted whenever I wanted to eat something. Life with diabetes changed me because I became more aware of what I ate and I’m sure I started eating much healthier than before.