Why I chose dorm life

                                              ( yes this is my room and bed lol )

It is a decision that every type 1 has to make, where to live when at college. It is a hard one too I must admit. We think about the regular stuff like who is going to be there, what if I do not like my room mate, cost and needs, but as diabetics we must also think of safety, diabetes care, emergency help, and a list of other things. I personally chose the dorms because I knew it would work for me based off of the following:
1. I am surrounded by friends who know me and my diabetes and can help in an emergency vs. living in an apt by myself or with one other person.
2. Everything is close by life class and food at the dining hall and the convenience of a restaurant in my dorms helped.
3. We have officers who are emergency trained 24/7 in our dorm buildings to help if the need arises.
4. Cost is cheaper so I have more money for snacks and health insurance lol.
5. Community. ( not diabetic related but the friendships I have made are priceless)
6. Study groups easy to find and close to room if not in my room when needed.
7. If I forget something on my way to class like say a meter or even pump ( yep has happened after shower lol) I do not have far to go.
8. Health clinic in my dorm can we say convenience?
9. Great activities to attend like the theater productions or laser tag or my favorite is the dorm against dorm basketball and kick ball games.
10. and last but not least independence with security of knowing help is there if I need it.
These all can up in conversation with my friends and family when deciding what was best for me and honestly I would not change it.

Still here...........

You always here a diabetics first priority is Diabetes and it is always on our minds even when everything is going right. I had a wonderful day with amazing friends who always keep me smiling. I had a great day with diabetes did not have to do any tweaking or extra testing. I am sure all the stars lined up perfectly and all was right with the world. Even though all went great and I did not feel like a diabetic that day, and feeling normal diabetes still manages to say "hey I am here". How you might ask seeing all was perfect? well this is one of the pics and of course my pump "pinky" was right there front and center. Did this ruin the pic? no, did it change my thinking? no ( again diabetes is always on our minds behaving or not). It did none of that but there is no denying my diabetes even when I feel "normal" because I wear my pancreas on the outside. As you can tell I have no problem wearing my pump for the world to see (I mean it is almost like a badge of honor for the battle we fight daily) and that will not change (  great advocate conversation starter allowing one to spread the word), I am lucky because I have access to the greatest diabetes care possible with a pump and cgm and I will not take that for granted but it would be nice to have one day that I am not reminded of my diabetes.

And this is why.....

This is the leftovers of a terrible low that just did not want to come up. I am sharing this because this is why I want a cure. I should have been writing my history paper on the Antebellum period, but no instead I spent an hour trying to fight this low. It was a stubborn 34 mg/dl. I am lucky to have an amazing group of friends who are joining me in my JDRF walk this year. It is going to be amazing and this post is just part of the reason as to why I walk because in all honesty a high sucks just as bad but until the cure is a reality I will con't to walk and fight. To have the people I have in my life willing to join the walk and raise the money even though they personally do not deal with the disease is just wonderful and I feel amazingly blessed by it.

Meeting the others

    I was lucky because I got the chance to meet another pump carrying member of the t1 club. He noticed my pump before I ever new he had one. I was walking back to the dorms after dinner and he saw me and said "hey how long you been pumping?" I looked around for a minute because I was sure I knew all the diabetics, then he said hey you and pointed at me and I answered and we got into deep diabetic pump talk. It was great you know the feeling of meeting someone who "gets it". He is a nice guy and can count carbs as well as I can (for some reason I find that cool). Found a new D buddy and got excited have to get a pic with him next time.
We are up to 4 pump wearing type 1 diabetics on my campus and that my friends makes me a happy camper but I think we scare our school nurse in the clinic.