Recently we asked our Facebook community to tell us about people who have lived long and well with diabetes – people who have lived 20, 30 or even 40 years or more with the disease. Having received a lot of great responses, we’re privileged to present these favorites on the blog this week. We’re hope you’re as inspired by these personal stories as we are!
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Name: Adriana Mendez
Age: 29 (diagnosed at 5)
Location: Phoenix, Ariz.
I’ve been living with type 1 diabetes for 24 years. I’m healthy as can be, with no complications, as well as a mom of two beautiful girls (which were the result of healthy pregnancies).
I’m very active: I lift weights, do mud runs, have completed two Spartan Races and more. Last month I completed my first 50-mile bike ride for Tour de Cure® in Napa and I’m currently training for my first Century Ride. You name it, I do it!
It’s not easy to manage diabetes with all this exercise. My tip: Test, test and test some more. It’s all trial and error. Logging in all my meals and activities really helped me figure out what worked and didn’t work for me. I’ve been doing this for a few years now, so I don’t log as often as I did at first, but that does help immensely.
When I think of my years with diabetes, I tend to think less about how medicine has improved, and more about how I’ve improved. I could have the best technology (which I do), but if I don’t know how to use it, it’s not going to help me in any way. Same goes for the meds: I could have great medication, but if I don’t know how to take the correct dose, it will not work.
It’s all about knowing how to use the tools that are given to us. Knowledge is gold. There are so many resources out there. In the end, that’s what helped me manage and take control!
I’ve had diabetes for most my life, so I’ve been through the higher blood glucose numbers, missing my insulin doses and so on. I know what “awful” feels like. Now that I have great control I know what “normal” feels like – and that’s enough to motivate me, even when I’m beat and I don’t feel like I can do it.
Additionally, if I’m not in good control then I can’t do the things I love: lifting, cycling and anything else that I may get into.
If you’re newly diagnosed with diabetes, or love someone who is, READ! Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Ask a million questions … and then ask a few more.
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