Tuesday night, I was in awe.
For the fifth time in a year, I was gathered in a conference room at an REI near Seattle for a workshop. The room was crowded. People were vying for seats. This would seem the case for most REI workshops, but this was not your typical REI workshop. Specifically, it was for Type 1 Diabetic Athletes. To many, myself included, I would have thought that it was a very specific niche to fill, but obviously, the Pacific Northwest has something special about it.
| | All of these people are type 1 Diabetics in action |
"Sports and Diabetes Group NW". The most awe-inspiring group of Type 1s that you will ever meet.
The total for the night came to 41 type 1 Diabetic Athletes (not the highest record for these workshops!!) plus a few "support crew" people. The workshop was so popular that there was even a waiting list. In the room, there were T1s who have done Ironmans, climbed Everest, gone backpacking through Asia. If it's extreme and/or if it's a sport, there was somebody in the room who had done it. These people are amazing.
| | Summer Workshop- Look at how many people there are! Majority are type 1 Diabetics. |
| | Summer Workshop- Another View |
Obviously, Diabetes management is a personal thing for most diabetics. Yes, we listen to our doctors, but we also experiment when what we want to do (i.e. marathons and extreme sports) falls outside our doctors' realms of experience, practice, or knowledge. But we can't figure it all out for ourself. Being in a room with that many other Type 1s offers such a wealth of knowledge and experience. Everybody has their own personal tips and tricks. Most of all, we all come to the room with a deep understanding of what everybody else is living with and going through. A thought that makes me pause to reflect on what a blessing it is to have such a group.
These gatherings, which have been happening for the past year, have inspired me, helped me, and have been educational. These occasions are never pity parties- the people that go are some of the most fun and upbeat people I know, and we all have something in common: we're diabetic athletes out to prove to the world that we can do whatever we put our minds to.
This most recent gathering made me think back to my first two years of living with T1. I was new to college, new to Diabetes, and new to the city. I was desperate lonely with my Diabetes and actively seeking support groups. I found online forums, but they didn't seem personal enough to me. It's one thing to talk to people online; it's a completely different thing talking to someone in person.
I found a few groups that did meet-ups, but despite my efforts, the other people didn't show, the people were much older than I was, or the group was for diabetics in general which meant a bunch of Type 2s and very few Type 1s. The support groups that were available were not what I was looking for.
I learned to live with my disease, but the need for support and understanding was so overwhelming. I felt so lonely. I remember nights during my first year of college calling home at 2 AM crying, telling my mom that life was difficult, and Diabetes was upsetting. I remember spending days frustrated at blood sugars that wouldn't come down or that wouldn't stop coming down. I would think "If only I had someone to talk to about this". It's not that the people in my life weren't supportive, but after a while, you start to feel whiny talking to somebody who doesn't get what you're going through. I didn't want to be whiny. I just wanted to vent.
Two years ago, I was lucky enough to meet my BF. He is also T1 (and no, that's not why we started dating). I realized during the workshop that I haven't had that "desperately seeking support and understanding" feeling in a long time because I have a very personal support group. BF goes through the same things I go through, and understands my venting.
I cannot even express to you how awesome the Sports and Diabetes Group NW is. Not only is there a huge community of Type 1s, but the group offers a huge sense of togetherness and support that we need as diabetics. The Pacific Northwest is an anomaly. From what I know, there is no other group in the country like ours, and even if there was, not in such large numbers.
All I can say is that I am blessed beyond belief, that I have more support than I could have ever imagined, and I am awestruck at what type 1 Diabetics are out there accomplishing in this world.
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