so… waking up getting ready to go… and I’m 363… packing with a Diabetes eye— no fun, Not having a consistent schedule like I usually do is not agreeing with my diabetes… at all….

oh well. Paris… here I come!

Prompt- Today we’re going to share our most memorable diabetes day. You can take this anywhere…. your or your loved one’s diagnosis, a bad low, a bad high, a big success, any day that you’d like to share.

Every day is a memorable day. not just a memorable diabetes day. But if I had to pick one. Pick one? What? Golly, in all honesty… this is really difficult for me. I could talk about memorable days later on right? Just need to pick one. Okay. One that comes to mind and means a lot- yeah. That’s what it’ll be.  It isn’t exactly a day- but it’s okay. Right? One of the most memorable diabetes days I have had involves Diabetes Camp- of course.

All of camp is a wonderful memory in my book.

Camp Kudzu- that place is literally my home. It is my favorite place on the planet– over Disneyworld/land. Yeah. It’s that awesome. It’s that wonderful. It’s inspiring. It’s my family. It’s where I belong. It’s the place I love, and where my heart belongs. I tell people all the time, and they just nod their heads while my face glows in delight just talking about it. The only way, you can truly understand is if you have been to a place that makes you feel that way. I’m pretty sure that Camp saved my life. No joke.

So last summer- I was finally old enough to wear that awesome shirt that says… STAFF! The two years prior I had been a CIT (Counselor in Training), and from age 8-16 I was a camper. At 19, I finally had the opportunity to give back. I attended all three sessions, gladly! Some people thought I was a little crazy- maybe I am? But who cares, I loved and still love every moment of it.  You don’t have to do all the sessions – but I knew that as a camper- I would do all the sessions at least once (no… more times). So I signed up right away for all the sessions.

As the summer came closer- I realized wait- my friends without Diabetes are now old enough to go to camp! They can be on staff! So I told a few people about it. You know how college kids are?

A little before camp- I heard that one of my closest friends since middle school was going to camp for session 2! Heck yes! He was basically like my brother. I was so excited he was coming.

I was also nervous- someone from the outside world coming to camp? Wait. What was going on! The realization hit me- I was mixing my two worlds together… woah.

Camp- was amazing- going to camp changed my life once- going back as staff- changed my life again. I got to see the other side of camp. Which was truly amazing.

I had always loved camp, and felt like camp was a family. This first week made me feel the love even more. I felt closer than I ever had before to this group of people. I felt so loved and appreciated. Camp makes me feel like I am not alone. Camp makes me feel like I belong to something amazing. Camp made me a better person. Camp teaches me things nothing else can teach me.

Well, things got even better. The next session arrived. and my friend came to camp. I was so nervous!! Would everyone like him? Would he like everyone? Would he be ready for the exhaustion that came with camp?

Well– he loved camp. Everyone loved him. He was fine with the exhaustion. He ended up coming to the third session, and he has signed up for EVERY session this year.

First person I took to camp? Success! He now “gets it.”

I have repeatedly told him how much it meant to me that he came to camp- but he didn’t just come- he became a part of it. It means more to me than I can even put into words actually.

One of my closest friends- coming to camp- loving it- coming again – and being a part of something amazing- yeah- that’s my most memorable Diabetes Day.

Love, Words, Inspiration, and Insulin! -Until next time! and until there’s a cure!

 

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We’ll both be glad you did! -Mindy