Meet Shannon

It has been a long road with diabetes since age 11. My pancreas was damaged when I was struck by a car in 1981, so doing the math, 43 years of being type 1. I have endured and learned to deal with diabetes for 16,191 days to date. So yes, I am experienced and still relatively healthy. 

When I was first diagnosed, diabetes was thought to have been inherited, and that mine was simple sudden onset due to trauma from an accident on my bike. At that time, in 1981, there were little to no technologies, and resources were slim to none. You’d take an NPH [insulin] shot once per day and stick to a strict diet of X amount of calories, and you'd pee on a ketone PH strip—if it didn't change colors, you were doing good for the day! 

As time progressed, home blood glucose testing machines made it possible to manage your BG and for the first time gave some power and control back to you so you could take corrective doses and make adjustments allowing for some flexibility in your life. As technologies progressed, by mid ‘80s, the insulin pump hit the market and was quite a marvel. I remember the first time using a MiniMed 105 pump. It was cool to put you in control of your doses 24/7, but it did have its downsides. Yes, they were 3/4" metal needles back then and yes if you moved a certain way or your pants or belt rubbed them it hurt like a knife cutting into ya. They've come a long way now with better infusion sets, CGMs, and now semi-autonomous pumps. I'm proud to say I just got one a month ago and have finally achieved nearly a normal BG for 24 hours a day, 85–100% in target BG every day. Could be perfect if life was boring and I didn't have such a diverse diet.

Yes, if I analyzed everything I was consuming, I'd have BG in rage 99% of the time. I say 99% because there are other factors we all know affect our BG that are sometimes beyond our control, like stress, sickness, digestion (or rather indigestion, lol) and an occasional absorption site or BG sensor failure. 

So the American Diabetes Association has been a great resource over the years and definitely has improved today’s help, community, and education. I just wanted to say thank you to its individuals and as a whole. I most likely would not be here today if It was not for their help, education, and resources for dealing with my 16k days of this disability. 

I wish to help others with diabetes, in technologies, support, affirmation, education, and even careers. There must be a better way to live and get beyond the disability that plagues us.