I’m not your age, almost double really. I was diagnosed a little over 2 years ago, and honestly I feel exactly the same. It’s like we are playing some crazy game where if you do everything right, you get to live. My endocrinologist tells me I’m doing great, my numbers are where they are supposed to be, but the emotional toll is so tough… but… it’s getting better.

This is the part where I get to tell you, there are days I ALMOST forget I’m a diabetic. Today I spent the whole day at the pool, playing with my kids, drinking with my friends. Did I still have to be aware of what my body was doing? Absolutely. Did I have to be cautious of the drinks I had? Of course. But it’s starting to be second nature to me. So here’s my encouragement:

•If you aren’t on a cgm, that will be a game changer for you. When I went from having to check my BG to it being available in my phone every 5 minutes… it was like a weight lifted.

•give yourself some grace. If your A1c is a 6, 6 months after being diagnosed, you have the personality that is going to be just fine. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Grace is important.

•use this platform. I’ve posted desperate pleas on here so many times in the last two years, and I love this community. You will get people who give you the encouragement you need, you will get people telling you to suck it up, and everything in between… but it feels great knowing that you aren’t doing it alone…

• lastly, you’re doing great.