I live in Eugene, Oregon and work as a lifeguard at the pool where I had my first real job at the age of 20. I am now 43 years old and have not had an opportunity to truly begin working on a career or a family. I moved back to my hometown and began working at my old college job because I needed a safe place to learn how to be diabetic. I have been on the pump for about a year and a half, and I barely know what I am doing (it’s only been a few months since I finally began to understand how I can use the temporary basal rate to help control my blood sugars….and it rarely works).

I am creating this blog because I am finally learning to not think of myself as being diabetic. I simply am diabetic. It is a way of life that is finally becoming normal and (hopefully) intuitive.

It has taken me ten years to reach this level of acceptance, and everyday I struggle with my existence. The gift I have been given is this opportunity to wander a most strange and awkwardly painful journey as a means to grow and expand my awareness, while living a life I could never have wanted. My hope is to connect with other people (both with broken and healthy pancreases) to share my stories and remind all of us that we are never alone…no matter how lonely we may feel at any given moment.

Thank you for joining me on this wonderful, unpredictable, and terrifying journey called LIFE….