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Damage Control
1. What are some ways that you have responded to the hard times when dealing with diabetes?
Working in education with diabetes can be very hard because with diabetes if you're having a bad day you need to still be able to put on a good attitude and face for the kids and that can be hard with your blood sugars. One way I have responded to that is by communicating with my co-workers and really just pushing through the day. When I get home and I get my blood sugar in control, just go to bed, and wake up the next day with a fresh mindset because sleep is so important.
2. How have you become stronger because of diabetes?
Diabetes has given me a community to represent and something that I feel like I belong to. As diabetics, I feel like we go through similar struggles and no one else really knows how those struggles
truly feel unless you are in those shoes. I think it's given me something to try and show others that might be struggling that there are other people like us and that we can achieve anything even with our diabetes.
3. What have you learned about yourself through dealing with diabetes?
I've learned that diabetes, while it impacts my life in a lot of ways, it doesn't control my life necessarily. It has its challenges, but life has its challenges and I am still able to do whatever I want for the most part. At the end of the day, I see diabetes as a speed bump that won't stop me from doing what I want to do.
4. Is there a story that comes to mind when you think about how you are taking control of diabetes?
Running both of my marathons. Running and diabetes can be very tough especially when you are running as long as 26.2 miles. Doing long runs close to that distance can be challenging as well. You have to be prepared for lows and highs and all kinds of curveballs diabetes might throw your way. Communication with my endocrinologist is something that has helped me get through these as we are able to come up with a strategy that works. For both my marathons, I had near-perfect blood sugars!
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