We all have our own story of that moment.
For me, it was being diagnosed at the age of 20, smack bang in the middle of uni exams. It was blurry vision that took me to the doctor, but all the signs were there – hindsight, right?
The diagnosis itself came as a shock (what even was Type 1 Diabetes? What causes diabetes? Why was this happening to me?) but more shocking was the steep learning curve to come.
People often ask what happens when you get diabetes. For me, it felt like re-learning how to live again. Not because diabetes overthrew my life, but because I was learning about how many minor parts of my day could impact my diabetes management: not just the meals I was eating and the insulin I was taking, but the time I was eating, what happened before the meal, and what I was planning to do after it. And that’s just one meal; let alone all the other things we get up to in a day.
If you're new to diabetes and wondering what it practically means (insulin, blood sugar, types of diabetes, and other mysteries), I've tried my best to explain it here.
Years later, there are still learnings and adjustments to manage (and hypos, so many hypos). But the most helpful thing along the way has been connecting with others who are on the diabetes journey, too.
In fact, many of the friendships, conversations and ideas that have shaped my life since diagnosis came from other people living with diabetes. I've shared more about those experiences and the community that grew around KYT here.
Diabetes used to feel like quite an isolating experience. Through KYT, I've found a community of people who get it, and felt huge comfort in hearing your diabetes stories. In case you're new here, or new to diabetes, I hope it helps to know that there's a community ready and waiting when you're ready for it.
If there's one thing diabetes has taught me, it's that none of us are meant to figure it all out alone. The right people make the hard days easier, celebrate the wins that nobody else really understands, and remind us that we're doing better than we think we are.
Thank you to the people who have shared their diabetes experiences with me and taken the time to hear about mine. I look forward to hearing more as this community grows. It's a relief to share this wild ride with good company.
Bridget xx
Designer & Diabetic
