One...

I’m a day early, but I’m going out of town for Mother’s Day so I have to post this today.

It's time for a blogiversary!

(I looked back and the first post you will see is dated May 11, 2007, but the real first post was May 10, 2007. It's safe to say the first post was completely terrible, at some point along the way I decided to delete it. Sorry! Don't bother reading this blog from the beginning. It's terrible, seriously I wish I could go back and rewrite it all. )

It’s been one year since I decided to share my story with the world. I came to you a scared 15 year old girl searching for something that I could not find in my everyday life. I needed support and reassurance. I needed to know it would be okay. That the years of terrible doctors, doing the best I could, and hiding my disease from the world could be turned around. What I found was something remarkable. A wonderful group of people, who took me in, taught me what I didn’t know, and extended help whenever I asked. I'll never be the poetic eloquent one, so I present...

One Year in Highlights (lots of links in no particular order):

I’ve seen my A1c drop from 10.5% to 8.2% with the help of online resources, asking questions, and actually talking to my doctor.

I turned Sweet 16.

I marked 11 years with Type 1.

I started Diabetes 365, and so far I am 208 days in.

I made the decision to switch to an insulin pump. I was no longer worried about the exterior marker of Diabetes, and I felt I finally had enough knowledge to handle the responsibility.

I learned to drive, and did the responsible thing by letting the MVA know I have Diabetes.

I had my first A1c under 7%, a lovely 6.8%.

I walked in my first JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes.

But enough about me…

I just need to say THANK YOU! I could never write anything to sum up how much each of you mean to me. I know I'll never feel alone with this disease again. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

11 years.

These are the things I remember:

Peeing a lot, so much that my grandpa bought me a training potty for our trip home from his house in Pennsylvania.
That was the last trip we took without knowing.
Wetting the bed, and being thankful that I slept on the bottom bunk.
Thinking there was something completely wrong with me and I was a baby for peeing the bed.
Being scared of that final doctor’s visit before it all changed.
Running around the doctor’s office like a banshee refusing to get my blood drawn, and the nurse giving me this little elephant that was attached to her stethoscope.
Going to school one morning, hearing them call my name on the intercom. Seeing my mom, dad, and sister waiting for little me by the exit door of school. (In my mind they are all wearing trench coats.)
Complaining the whole way to the hospital about wanting chicken.
Asking where we were going, a hundred million times.
Being admitted, meeting a boy whose name I can only remember starting with a J, too. He was also diagnosed that day.
I still had no idea what was going on.
Meeting the doctors.
The shots.
Horror.
The breakfast of eggs, wheat toast, cereal, milk, and juice
I ate that breakfast everyday, even when I went home, I was so hungry then.
The cable tv.
The hospital room fit for a child princess.
The saline vials, the practice classes.
The cafeteria.
My mom sleeping in my hospital room.
My father and sister coming every day after school and leaving at night when visitors hours were up.
Being scared and not knowing.

These are the things I remember.

Sweet Sixteen!

Well according to my family it's not official until this evening. But hey I'm 16 today! On the diabetes front I had 5 birthdays until my little world was turned upside down. The plan for the day is school work, lunch with the parental units, and then the whole afternoon at an autopark!! No, I am not getting a car for my birthday, but a girl can dream. For now I'll settle for my favorite present my new digital camera. Have a fabulous day everyone! I know I will.