So it’s Friday. End of January. Whenever the calendar comes around to the 30th and 31st, my mind starts going back to 1991.
On January 30th, I saw a new doctor (still my Mom’s doctor) for the first time. We went through a physical exam and I gave some blood and a urine sample. Later that afternoon, the office called to ask me if I could come back to see the doctor first thing the next day, January 31st. That’s when I received the news that I would be living with Type 1 Diabetes for the rest of my life. I was 28 years old.
There’s a lot more to that story, and my mind goes back to every detail when these two days come around again. When I mentioned this 23 year diaversary to Maureen she was like, “Oooh… should we get a cake and celebrate?”. I said no. I feel like it’s important for me to celebrate the fact that I’ve made it this far. It’s not quite so important that I devour something as a memento. Though a little peach pie would be nice. A little peach pie is always nice. But I digress.
After work I’ll head home via the liquor store, and I’ll enjoy some pizza and salad with my brother-in-law, who’s in town on his way to New York, where he’ll start soon at the Bronx Zoo. Our next door neighbor will join us, and probably a couple of others too. I’ll take a moment to check my BG and work out the special dual-wave bolus (known by me as the Karen pizza bolus). Come to think of it, a martini would be okay too.
And that’s the best thing about surviving 23 years with this bastard of a condition known as diabetes. I have to do what I have to do, but in the final analysis, if I’m still living a good life with great friends and greater family? That’s something to celebrate!
No doubt parents of kids with diabetes want a cure. No doubt all of us want a cure. But in the absence of that, I think D-parents, and all of us, just want to know that a good life is possible even with diabetes on board. You know what? It took me a lot of long years with bad numbers and rebelling against the daily grind of this disease, but I am living a good life. I’m not going to blow smoke and tell you that it’s a walk in the park. But whoever said “living well is the best revenge” really knew what they were talking about.
Diabetes Blog - Happy-Medium.net 
Comments
Happy Diaversary, Stephen and best wishes for many more years of “living well” with and despite diabetes.
LikeLike
Thanks Laddie! Hope everything is going well.
LikeLike
A big congrats! Your meal and drink choice sound heavenly!
LikeLike
Thanks Katie!
LikeLike
I will drink a toast to you tonight, my friend, and will also dial up the “Karen pizza bolus” (honored that you call it that). And I wish I could join you tomorrow for a slice of peach pie. I hope you really know just how inspiring you are to me.
LikeLike
Thanks Karen. Right back at ya.
LikeLike
You deserve to celebrate and we celebrate you for all that you do to celebrate others. (Is that enough celebrating?)
LikeLike
There’s never enough celebrating… Thanks!
LikeLike
Happy diaversary, Stephen! I’m going to drink a martini in YOUR honor tonight! Keep on rocking it! 🙂
LikeLike
I think your little digression at the end of the third period sums up my thoughts on diagnosis-anniversaries completely. That peach pie would taste just as good on that day as on any other day, but fabricating a reason to devour one can’t possibly turn out well.
I also think it’s cool that you have such vivid memories of your diagnosis. (Maybe not GOOD memories, but vivid ones). Mine are such a blur…I was so young. I wonder if knowing my own response to the news might affect how I think and speak about living with diabetes now.
LikeLike
Happy diaversary! Enjoy your peach pie… which you should definitely have a slice of.
LikeLike
Happy (belated) diaversity!
LikeLike