Reaching Out

Yesterday was a very interesting diabetes day.

I started writing my blog pretty innocently back in January 2011. I had no secret ambitions. No plans for world domination. I just wanted to reach out a little bit and see if anyone reached back.

They did and I have made some pretty amazing friends and learned a lot of diabetes tips and tricks. I also like to think that I may have helped a few people along the way...and perhaps helped dispel a few diabetes myths.

Yesterday, I was asked to write an article for a newsletter that is distributed pretty widely in my field. It's a newsletter aimed at direct support workers who support people who have a developmental disability.

I was asked to write an article about supporting people who have diabetes.

I am honoured and excited by this challenge and can't wait to flex my writing muscles.

I was still grinning from that new when I arrived home after work to discover a FedEx envelope waiting for me.

From Animas.

With a thank you card and a CD of pictures from the photoshoot we did a few weeks back.

Later this year I will be featured in their Animas newsletter.

Neither of these honours would have happened without diabetes and neither would have happened if I hadn't decided to be open, honest and very public about living life with type 1.

I'm so glad I reached out.

I'm even more glad that people reached back.

Here is a small sample of the photos Animas sent me. It's pretty odd being in front of the camera instead of behind it but I'm happy with the results.