CHANGE THE WORLD - #DBLOGWEEK DAY 1

Today's prompt: Let’s kick off Diabetes Blog Week by talking about the diabetes causes and issues that really get us fired up. Are you passionate about 504 plans and school safety? Do diabetes misconceptions irk you? Do you fight for CGM coverage for Medicare patients, SDP funding, or test strip accuracy? Do you work hard at creating diabetes connections and bringing support? Whether or not you “formally” advocate for any cause, share the issues that are important to you.

There are plenty of Diabetes related issues that get me FIRED UP: Test strip accuracy , insurance coverage (& how expensive Diabetes can be even with good insurance), Diabetes stigmas & misconceptions about Diabetes from the media:

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(people saying things to me like: "But you're so young",  "Oh, you must have the bad Diabetes", "You don't look like you have Diabetes", "So you will probably just adopt", "My neighbors' mom's aunt's dog's friend's cousin had Diabetes and they had... their leg amputated, went blind, died, etc...", "Did you used to be really fat?". 

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I could go on and on and get mad about how unfair Diabetes can be and some of the weird baggage and strange scenarios it brings...but one thing that has been important to me is the community Diabetes has also brought!!!

What has changed my Diabetes World has been the people I have met that without Diabetes I otherwise wouldn't have.

The Diabetes Online Community has opened up a huge world of support for me and introduced me to people who "get it" because they are living it.

If it were up to me, I'd change the world by making it mandatory for someone newly diagnosed to meet (in person, face-to-face) with someone who is on this same journey with Diabetes.

It's been great to share tips for better blood sugar control, swap war stories of highs and lows (literally), and currently...it gives me hope for the future, as I have FOUR FRIENDS I can call and meet up in person with who have been through pregnancies with pre-existing type 1 Diabetes.

People with Diabetes have changed my world!!!