Meet Bryanna

Listen, friends, I’m here to tell you that living with type 1 diabetes is very manageable, but it takes perseverance. Hourly and daily perseverance. It’s not always a smooth road to navigate and even while managing it well, it’s more of a freshly paved road with areas of various sized speed bumps along the way. I live an extremely normal and healthy life and diabetes is just a part of it.

I was diagnosed at age 7. That same year, I experienced death for the first time. I lost my great grandma and my friend/classmate all in that same 12-month time period. Yep, this was in second grade. While still learning what this world was all about at the young age of 7, being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes was a big speed bump.

My parents and I spent many months going to diabetes training classes, taking notes, navigating ordering prescriptions, dealing with insurance companies, understanding nutrition labels on food, and learning everything there was to know about how to navigate through life with type 1 diabetes. You guessed it—big speed bumps these were. Oh yeah, and learning to not be afraid of needles. Yes, it’s possible when your life depends on it.

At the time of diagnosis, I had the BEST nurse and doctor on the planet. They’re hands down two of the main reasons I understood the importance of diabetes management at such a young age. A small speed bump that led to a freshly paved road. At one of our many appointments, my nurse said to me, “If you have too many high blood sugars regularly, you could risk losing your feet or legs when you get older.” This stuck with me.
I always reminded myself that I can’t lose my feet or legs at any point in my life. Those are important limbs to have and KEEP forever! So, from there on out, I persevered.

The T1D road is filled with speed bumps of many sizes, but always remember you can control the size of those speed bumps, and how you get over them. Your blood sugars are going to be high. They’ll also go low. Just make sure you learn how to get better each day. (And don’t feel silly for celebrating when your blood sugar is that sweet number 100—the unicorn number!) And, most importantly, make sure you have your people you can count on. No. Matter. What.

Type 1 diabetes has taught me how to plan ahead and strive for excellence, but being okay with coming up a little short sometimes. Every single meal you eat involves planning ahead on the correct amount of insulin to have on board or inject. I get high blood sugars and low blood sugars, but I learn from each of them and strive to be better tomorrow. I give a big shout out to this disease for helping me strive for excellence in my professional life and learning from my mistakes. Since college, most of my jobs have been heavily dependent on planning ahead and I’m always striving for excellence in my work. Thank you for this, diabetes.

Being a type 1 diabetic means we’re resilient, focused, motivated, and strong people. Every T1D I know fits each of these words to a T. You can live a very normal life as long as you take the time to understand the finer details. And before you know it, things become second nature and you can’t remember your life before it all. Navigate those speed bumps with strength and positivity, my friends—and always persevere!

I quite literally wouldn’t be here without the support and help from my mom; my dad; my life partner, Bob; nurse Georgia; and Dr. Loren Meyer. I love you all!