For many, St. Patrick’s Day is filled with celebration focused on luck; parades; leprechauns; wearing green to avoid a pinch; corned beef; cabbage; partying; and other traditions. I love the legend of St. Patrick who used the three-leafed clover native to Ireland, the Shamrock, to illustrate the doctrine of the Trinity. Although I’ve often said I consider myself “lucky” to be alive, I don’t believe in luck but have casually used the word in reference to my health. I’ve had type one diabetes (T1D) since 1982 and been on the insulin pump since 1988. When I was diagnosed with T1D at age 13, the prognosis was frightening especially being in the first month of my first year of junior high school. Thirty-seven years later, I remain free from diabetic complications but daily life with this disease requires discipline and hard work. Fortunately, I don’t recall life without diabetes so the daily finger sticks; blood sugar lows and highs; pump and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) site changes; and other daily diabetes duties are my normal. I’m grateful for the many medical advances that have taken place since my diagnosis because I’ve been spared the complications of T1D for yet another day. So, have I beaten the odds or am I lucky? The answer is neither. God is always with me and equipped me with the hope and strength necessary to manage T1D. Being aware of His presence helps me to find joy even though some days are more difficult than others. Then, I simply pray and talk to God.
March
March 17, 2019
Pictured here: My insulin pump, continuous glucose monitor (CGM), blood sugar machine, test strips, & everything else for daily life with T1D.
