I have been a type one diabetic for almost 7 years. As with everything in life, type one diabetes has pros and cons. These are a few I have experienced over the years.
Pro: I have met my life-long best friends.
A decent amount of people have met their best friends through sports and school. I have also made friends from school and by participating in sports teams, but I met my best friends through a camp for type one diabetics. I have struggled throughout the years to find my group of people and this camp allowed me to find my group that 100% accepts me for who I am. They fully understand the struggles I go through because they deal with the same exact struggles.
Con: I have lost plenty of sleep due to a low blood sugar in the middle of the night.
I love sleep. I think I sleep more than the average person should. So when I have to wake up in the middle of the night to eat something because my blood sugar has gone low, I am not happy. Some nights I will wake up in a sweat, feeling like I am about to pass out. It also seems like this happens before a big day when I need as much sleep as possible.
Pro: I get to skip the lines at amusement parks.
Amusement parks and riding rollercoasters were two of my favorite things when I was younger. I still enjoy them but not as much as I did when I was in middle school. So when I found out I was able to get a fast pass, skip the lines, and get to sit in the front seats of the ride, I was ecstatic. I took full advantage of this and lived my best life at the front of every ride's line.
Con: I have times when I do not want to take my insulin or check my blood sugar.
Whenever I get tired of taking care of my physical health, I have a burn out. I don't want to change my pump site or take insulin for my food. Every so often I want a break, even if it's just one day not having to worry about my physical health. I take this break and usually end up paying for it because by the end of the day my blood sugar is so high I am throwing up and miserable.
Type one diabetes definitely has more pros and cons than the ones I just listed. It is a struggle for me sometimes having to live this life every day and knowing I'll more than likely have to do this my entire life. Although there may be more cons than pros at certain times, I wouldn't change anything about this disease or how it has impacted me. It has made me and many others stronger and more grateful.
