I can #DBlogWeek

This year I have decided that I will attempt to blog every day this week for DBlog Week. Diabetes Blog Week is kicking off with positivity and the topic for the first blog post of Diabetes Blog Week 2015 is #ICan.

"In the UK, there was a diabetes blog theme of "I can..." that participants found wonderfully empowering. So lets kick things off this year by looking at the positive side of our lives with diabetes. What have you or your loved one accomplished, despite having diabetes, that you weren't sure you could? Or what have you done that you've been particularly proud of? Or what good thing has diabetes brought into your life?" 

I can do anything despite having Type 1 Diabetes, it just takes a little extra planning.

I can live my life just as my twin sister and my friends and other people my age do and Type 1 Diabetes can't take that from me.

I can overcome the challenges Type 1 Diabetes presents me with.

I can and have achieved a HbA1c of under 10% in just 3 months, even if I told my psychologist I aimed to achieve this in a year.

I can get up for school in the morning (Sometimes!) even after a tough night with my blood sugars.

I can prove to my consultant that one of these days I really will "get there", for a long time I didn't even know where that was, let alone when I would get there.

I can and have sat my GCSE exams and passed with an abundance of A's and B's.

I can complete a 5k race without Type 1 Diabetes getting in the way...the only thing getting in my way is my lack of stamina!

I can ride rollercoasters over and over again without being bothered by my blood sugar.

I can and have mastered the art of devouring a slice of bread in a few seconds- low blood sugar teaches you all about being speedy...

I can drink a bottle of water in record speed!

I can tell you about some of the positive things that having Type 1 Diabetes has brought into my life.

I can tell you about the time that I went to Parliament with Diabetes UK and spoke in the House of Commons to support their campaign for better healthcare for Children and Teenagers with Type 1 Diabetes.

I can tell you about the time that I went to Parliament with JDRF, was Co-Chair and did a speech for the event- Type 1 Parliament.

I can tell you about the time that I completed my Bronze Duke of Edinburgh award and made it out alive! Despite Type 1 Diabetes making attempts to ruin my fun.

I can tell you about when I first started this blog, and I can also tell you that I never thought it would have nearly 50,000 views two years later.

I can eat whatever I want and be totally fine afterwards with no major blood sugar mishaps.

I can be thankful for some of what Type 1 Diabetes has done for me.

I can be thankful for the wonderful friends that I have met through having Type 1 Diabetes, such as Holly, Paris, Chloe, Lydia and Ellyse to name a few.

I can be thankful for the #DOC, for the brilliant people that I talk to on Twitter and on Instagram who give me lots of support and advice.

I can still see the beauty in life and in this world despite having Type 1 Diabetes.

I can still smile and laugh even after a rough day/week/month (however long a rough patch with Type 1 could possibly last!) with Type 1 Diabetes.

I can use my experiences with Type 1 Diabetes to help others that are going through it too.

I can understand what it is like to feel like the moment you're diagnosed your world turns upside down, but be here six years later with my feet still planted firmly on the ground!

I can tell you that I may only be 17 years old but Type 1 Diabetes has made me mature faster than any of my friends and even my twin sister; and that's not exactly a bad thing.

I can say that although Type 1 Diabetes is hard and it has it's ups and downs and I would much rather not have it; it has given my life even more value.

I can appreciate and be even more grateful for life and live it to the full.

I can be healthy and happy and do everything that other people can do despite living with Type 1 Diabetes!
(...apart from things like scaling buildings and other scary things...I'm a bit of a wimp)

And I can still aspire to do great things in life and I can and will always have hope for a cure.

...I can do a lot of other things that I forgot to mention in this blog post, or just didn't mention for the purpose of not making this blog post too long!

-Ellie