Twenty Five Years With Diabetes.

Saturday* was my silver anniversary with this roommate of mine -

And you'd better believe I celebrated: with family, friends, cupcakes and wine**.

A quarter century of blood draws, finger sticks and shots;

Six of those wearing gear, just like the robots.

We've done a lot together; diabetes and I...

And I feel quite old knowing this many years have gone by.

Childhood summers filled with art classes, bike rides and softball.

We went to all-day music festivals as teenagers - unrefrigerated insulin? Bad call.

Double-digit A1C's. Hours of blood testing, we did without.

And because of that, we had an eyebrow piercing that totally grew out. 

International travel. Half marathons. In front of politicians we've sat.

Diabetes and I; we've done all of that.

I used to want to hide it. Diabetes existed in stealth.

And now? It's weird - I'm telling the whole world about my health.

But the weirdest thing, about sharing so much here?

Is that it actually doesn't feel that weird. It isn't always something to fear.

Because the greatest gift diabetes has given me (when thinking of it positively)

Is the friends I have in all of you - this wonderful diabetes community.

Thanks to you guys - for all you've done.
You've shown me that parts of life with diabetes can be kind of FUN.

So this is it - the big two five.

Celebrating resilience, a bit of luck, and being healthy and alive.

Why yes, that is a giant clipboard with a winner's bracket I drew.
And yes, we played You Don't Know Jack (really wanted to call it
The You Don't Know Jacket, but Aaron voted "Um, no."). And yes, we
then played Rock Band until 3:00 in the morning. And yes, I may have
totally dominated drums and singing-ish. Is there
another way to celebrate a 25th diaversary?

Thanks so much to my friend Natalie for making the
awesomely good cupcakes - with my favorite color, even!

*The overwhelming amount of well wishes and congratulations on Facebook and Twitter this weekend was much appreciated! You guys helped make the milestone even sweeter. (Pun totally intended.)

**Wine, and its consumption, not pictured. Because there are some things The Internet just doesn't need to know.