Abigail David's Story

What were the steps leading up to your diagnosis?

The time between when I started experiencing symptoms and my diagnosis of type 1 diabetes was pretty short. About two weeks before my diagnosis, I started getting really thirsty, and because of that, I started having to relieve myself… a lot. I was using the bathroom upwards of 20 times a day and couldn’t ever seem to quench my thirst. I also lost a lot of weight really quickly. Even though I was eating a lot of food (being 16 I had a huge appetite), I was still shedding pounds daily and lost almost 20 pounds in two weeks. It was also the winter holidays, so this was especially abnormal with all the indulgence going on. One day I finally asked my Mom to take me to the doctor. I went in as a normal teen and left with this massive diagnosis; the next two weeks I spent in the children's hospital learning about how to manage my new disease.

What lifestyle changes have you needed to make?

At the time of diagnosis, I followed everything the doctors told me to do extremely precisely. It got to the point where I didn’t feel like I was healthy or thriving. I still experienced a lot of highs and lows despite following orders on what to eat and how much insulin to take. I finally reached a point where I felt I needed to take matters into my own hands and do my own research on how to live well with type 1 diabetes. This led me on a three year journey to learning about food, the body, insulin, diabetes and so much more. I took my diabetes into my own hands so that it would hopefully loosen its interference in my life. Ever since, I’ve been able to live the life I’ve wanted without letting diabetes get in the way. I have changed everything about the way I live in terms of diet and exercise, but because I took control, I have the head-space to focus on the things I love.

Who has been there for you? How?

Because I was diagnosed at the age of 16, I still lived with my parents. They helped me so much with my management and were 100% there for me while learning about the disease. I am incredibly lucky to have had their support and help through the difficult time of diagnosis. Other than that, I kept my diagnosis a secret from most of my friends, teachers and peers, as I didn’t want them to treat me differently. When I move across the country to go to college, I told everyone I met and my friends became incredibly supportive and have looked out for me since. I am also close with my sister who lives in the same city as me now (away from our parents), and she is always there for me when I need her. One of my best friends has type 1 diabetes as well, and she is there for me in ways that someone who doesn’t have the disease would never understand. She helps me so much emotionally and has extra supplies if I ever run out and am in a pinch!

What accomplishment are you proud of?

I think just getting to a point of freedom with my diabetes so that I can fully immerse myself in my passions has been a huge accomplishment for me. There are many things I am proud of myself for, but getting to a happy place with diabetes is definitely one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I gave up a lot to figure it out, and now my life is that much more full because of it. Anytime I do something like perform on stage, speak in public or do things that I know diabetes could’ve made harder for me, I feel proud.

What's your advice to someone else living with type 1 diabetes?

Take it into your own hands. Learn about your disease, as no one will ever put more effort into taking care of you than yourself. Don’t be too hard on yourself but never give up on yourself either. You deserve to thrive, be happy and enjoy your life without diabetes getting in the way. Follow doctors orders but take it one step further and join the type 1 diabetes community, do research on the disease, learn as much as you can and figure out how to integrate it into your life in a positive way.