Sitting here today, in a beautiful beach town surrounded by jungle on the West Coast of Costa Rica, seems the ideal moment to embark on this journey of discovery, knowledge-sharing, and community.
My intention with this site is to inspire, sometimes educate, and moreover dispel the message that diabetes restricts or inhibits our ability to enjoy life and experience everything this world has to offer. My dream is that no type 1 diabetic ever feels alone or isolated in their struggle to manage their health and someone can find something they can relate to in these posts.
I do my best to control my blood sugars and I pay attention to my health, but I am also a flawed human who makes mistakes, navigates the complications of daily life in this crazy world, and sometimes bends the rules on occasion because sometimes I just need a donut or some ice cream!
This blog is intended for Type 1 diabetics who want to know that having diabetes does not mean you are limited in your life. It is meant to reassure parents, friends, and family members that diabetes is not a barrier to life but merely an additional subset of considerations and constant decisions to make....what I call my “dark passenger” I take along with me wherever I go. This dark passenger requires some extra luggage and some special attention sometimes, but will never keep me from living my dreams and experiencing my life to the fullest.
A little bit of history about who I am. On November 2nd 1993, my plans to go see Pearl Jam in San Diego drastically changed when I heard the words “you’re a diabetic and you need to check yourself into the Emergency Department across the street immediately.” I clearly remember thinking "what the heck is diabetes" and questioning “what does that even mean?”
Fast forward, 30 years later, and I stubbornly refuse to allow my diabetes to slow me down and I want to inspire other diabetics to do the same. I've logged over 1,500 SCUBA dives, work as a SCUBA Dive Master, surf, race mountain bikes, set off on multi-day backpacking trips and any other adventurous activity I can get involved in. I don't allow my diabetes to stop me from off roading to the middle of the desert to camp or take off and explore the wonders of international travel.
My point is not to brag about the things I do and have done, I've had my fair share of learning curves and trepidations, but I am here to share what I have learned in my experiences and pass knowledge along when it comes to me. I am lucky enough to have some of the best diabetes tech out there which certainly helps, but that comes with challenges as well. I also certainly recognize my support network of incredible friends and family, I could not do what I do without you all. The support you all provide in your own ways never goes unnoticed!
Some of my initial blog posts will cover how I handle packing and travel with my gear as well as back up plans, some helpful tips I've gotten from medical professionals and some of the unique situations I have experienced being a Type 1 diabetic in the world. I also plan to test new ideas, equipment and ways of making this Type 1 life a little easier.
I look forward to sharing and learning from the extended T1D community, so feel free to rate each blog or use my contact page to reach out and let me know what else you'd like to see.
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