Diabetes and Community

For most of my life, I've believed that community is key. It's important not only for us to grow, challenge ourselves, take care of one another, but also to learn new things, have accountability, and face challenges together. I've grown up always as a part of an incredible group of people. From my beginnings in Maine, where I was born, right on Frenchman's Bay, where, when my brothers and I were younger we used to run to the neighbors house to play cards, get a piece of candy, learn about the stock market from Kal and Phyllis, to my best friend Beth's house, where we'd chase bees and step on them with our bare feet, swim in the bay (we would spend hours in the 57 or so degree water), and lay in the sun all day, I've always felt very blessed.

From Maine, we moved to California when I was 5, but used to drive back to Maine every summer in our orange 1972 volkswagon van. it only went about 45 (and that was on the downhill), well, maybe 55 every once in a while. But we found things to amuse ourselves. We'd play the alphabet game, clean the van (because I was afraid of bears), play bingo, tease our dog, try to get him to stop drooling on us as we drove across the Nevada desert with no air conditioning, fight over who got to sit in front, and more.

But in California also, we were a part of a community. We grew up at Wellspring Renewal Center in Philo, California. Where, we lived in a very small house (about 600 square feet I think for the 5 of us), with kerosene lanterns (later solar electricity, river generated electricity, and eventually when my 10 year old older brother was frustrated enough to dig an entire trench, 'real' electricity), no hot water, no indoor toilet, a huge garden that we mostly ate out of, but never did I not feel totally supported, and a part of a community. Granted, I did every once in a while wish for TV, donuts, and cheetos, but oh well. And people would give us these things, just as they also supported us with our interests, beliefs, activities, and lives.

Then, when I was 12, and was diagnosed with diabetes, it was also a community of friends, family, and others who were there. I still have a huge poster that all of my seventh grade classmates (and teachers) put together for me and sent to me in the hospital. Maybe I should recycle that, but it meant so much to me. And I remember, friends of ours sent a clown to entertain me. And, people visited.

For the last 20 plus years, while I've been involved in other communities (in Central America, locally in my neighborhood, in Maine still, my family, and others), I haven't focused on seeking out and being involved in the diabetes community.

And, I'm so glad that I have. I am touched by how kind everyone has been. Open, accepting, kind, and just so willing to listen and help one another. Whether it's anticipating how to best treat highs in the morning, or talking about how much it can such to not be able to convince your doctor that you are in bad enough control that you need a continuous glucose monitoring system, it's been a totally unexpected and wonderful surprise for me.

I'm really looking forward to continuing this part of my life, and connections that I'm making with others, who are not just part of my diabetes community, but becoming part of my life as well.