Diabetic Designer

Well now that I’ve gone from super chaotic, stressful schedule the last semester to basically have actual time to relax... of course my sugars won’t be nice. They’ve been crazy because I’ve already been stressed about my grades, depression, anxiety, and what’s coming next in my life for next semester. I’m not taking as many classes, but I will be starting as an editor for the college paper with little experience as assistant editor. Now my role did rocket past the previous roles in a short amount of time and it really isn’t a big deal, it’s just my shy, nervous self coming out to play.

Living with these things in general can be stressful, but with diabetes thrown in... its complicates things more. When new situations arise, it causes my sugars to go crazy. Whenever I say this to people I feel they just nod and agree with me that it takes a lot out of me. Now I know they won’t understand, but it kind of sucks when they nod just to be like “oh yeah I understand it must be hard on you.” Just have to keep pushing forward and taking care of me the way I know.

Taking it one day, one blood test at a time.

This question has been something that I have been asked numerous times, even today. Sugar is kind of essential to living whether you have diabetes or not, we all need some sort of sugar. Sugar is energy for the body. Just because I have diabetes doesn't mean I can't enjoy my sweets and trust me when I say I love sweets. I grew up on baking goodies that were super sugary. The trick is proportions and moderation. I know when people ask that they aren’t trying to single you out, but sometimes you can’t stop from feeling that. A lot of people don’t know a number of things about diabetes. For instance, one time in high school a friend tried giving me a chocolate kiss. Now they didn’t know about my diabetes until another friend said so. I took this time to educate them on the fact that it’s ok to have a little bit of something and just not to over do it.

Living with diabetes isn’t easy, but we take it one day, one blood test at a time. Hoping good BGs and a nice day.

Well it’s the end of the semester so that means crazy blood sugars, irregular sleeping schedule, and stress finishing projects. This semester hasn’t been as bad as previous semesters. I can’t wait to be able to relax and enjoy myself while having good BG levels. Although this also means the holidays so that means baking for my family. Let me tell you kinda sucks being diabetic with all the stuff we make, but just means proportions and maybe having a little more insulin.

I’ve never brought my diabetes into my art, but this semester that changed with this project and two of my other projects. This is my final relief printing project, one that is hung up in one of the galleries of the five from the series that we had to have.

Part of a project I worked on this semester

My story begins when I was 4. My family and I were on vacation and I started acting out of the ordinary. Cut the trip short, got home to the doctors and that's when we got the news...They told my parents to admit me to the hospital next door because they had found my diabetes. I've decided to start this blog because I don't know very many diabetics, especially ones my age. This disease is hard and not many people truly understand what I go through on a day to day basis. So I'm going to start writing down my life from my past to now and into the future and just the thoughts I have including my struggles along the way.

Hope to maybe help someone, maybe even someone who's going through the same thing.

I decided I wanted to do this so I had a place to express some of my thoughts and daily life with diabetes. I also thought that maybe this would be a way to connect with people. I’ve been living with this for years and it’s had its highs and lows (pun intended), but I try to live my life to the fullest everyday. 

I hope that maybe this might help someone who is going through this as well. Just because I have this doesn’t mean I have to put life on hold.