DBW Day Five: Awesome things

Diabetes is mostly not full of awesome, but that isn't always the case. For today's Diabetes Blog Week prompt - writing about what awesome thing(s) we've done BECAUSE of diabetes - one thing immediately sprang to mind: participating in JDRF's Walk to Cure Diabetes in 2010.

With nine of our friends, Nick and I formed a team, raised money, and walked with thousands of other people in Philadelphia to raise awareness and support research for a cure.

Sure, it was a bit self-serving. I want a cure. I support those who are working towards a cure. But it was a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness even for those who didn't donate to our team. I sent out emails, I made a video, it took over my facebook page. And it was an amazing opportunity to see my friends in action. Sarah even flew out from St. Louis for it!

While trying to think of other awesome things that diabetes has led to, I polled Nick. The first thing he said was that because of this disease, I've been able to educate a lot of people about it, to challenge diabetes myths, to open the eyes of others about the prevalence and weight of this disease. He said that otherwise, dozens of people in our lives would think about this disease differently, would keep assuming that those with diabetes can't eat a normal diet, will lose their vision or their feet, were the primary cause of their illness.

And I'm hoping that as I continue to live with diabetes, more awesome things will present themselves, things that I otherwise would overlook or miss out on. Despite the fact that I would do just about anything to be rid of it, diabetes has not ruined my life and has even opened a few doors and windows.