I am seventeen years old.
Seventeen...
In less than three months, I'm going to be an adult in a sort of limited legal way.
The idea of growing up and everything sort of freaks me out. I mean, growing up sort of snuck up on me, it seems like yesterday I was the shiny and newly diabetic in the eighth grade, and now I'm a senior in high school and applying to colleges and suddenly, my life is more about what I want to do than ever. Not what my parents and teachers want. Not what my friends want. What I want.
Getting to chose what I want is empowering, definitely. But the freedom, of course comes with more responsibility, responsibility which I'm more than willing to take on, and I feel more than ready to accept.
But how does this affect my diabetes? That's harder to answer.
I have been blessed with access to great doctors and diabetes educators, and they have taught me indescribable amounts about how to take care of myself. I'm thankful that I'll be able to keep going to the pediatric endocrinologist who knows me for a little while longer, but I know that when I have to find an adult endocrinologist, I'll know how to advocate for myself, and what to look for in a doctor, and I'll be aware that it might be a struggle to find a doctor that deals with a lot of type ones... But I know I'll be fine.
But thankfully, for now, I can focus on senior year and applying to colleges.
