Yeah, it’s very weird to think about how it might have been more helpful to have advance notice (or might not! the concern is real). I also think less mystification of (any kind of) diabetes would have been very helpful. The cultural wisdom of “your life as you know it is over” isn’t wrong per se, but there’s far more continuity than even the medical professionals helping me through early diagnosis told me. I don’t eat as much pasta as I did pre-diagnosis, but the impression I was given was that I should consider never eating pasta (or cake, or rice, or) ever again For My Health… and let me tell you, pasta and cake are very important to my mental health.

Like I said, I don’t wish the knowledge that either “I could be dead” (from an accident) or “I will die (much earlier) without my medication” on anyone, but it’s also an absolute gift. I don’t live my life like it could be the last days because 1) that’s exhausting and 2) you never know regardless, but it definitely makes me grateful for what I have.