T1D Tuesday is a new blog series on TypeOneNation.org that
features guest bloggers who are sharing their voices of how T1D affects
their life. For the month of August we are featuring all things Back to School!

Today we have Dana sharing her experience of being diagnosed with diabetes in her junior year of college.

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I wasn’t diagnosed with type 1 diabetes until I was 22, halfway through my junior year in college. At the time, I was enrolled part time at a school in New Hampshire and living about 1,000 miles away from my family. After my diagnosis, my life changed, not only because of my diabetes but because I had was transferring to University of Colorado to finish my degree fulltime.
 
At first, I was incredibly self-conscious about my diagnosis. I was afraid people would think I got it from eating junk food or having a sedentary lifestyle; both of which are almost immediate cause for ostracism in Boulder. Going out with my new friends was an interesting experience prior to letting them know I was a diabetic. How do you explain why you brought a banana to a bar or frequent trips to the bathroom to check your blood sugar?
 
After I gained more confidence in myself, I became more open with my diagnosis. It seemed I was hiding for no reason; everyone I knew was more than OK with it.  My friends became a central support system. On days when I had a major exam, I had a few friends who would bring me a granola bar or an apple, anything they knew had carbs, to ensure I wouldn’t go low during the middle of a test.
 
My life with diabetes hasn’t all been easy and not everyone is as accepting as the people I consider lucky to call my friends. I went out a few times with a guy I really liked but when I showed him my CGM and pump, he freaked out and didn’t want to see me anymore. I’ve also met a few people who act like, because I have this disease, I am fragile or sick. Usually, this perception goes away once I can beat them in a run or take a long hike with them, but I don’t always get the chance to prove myself, which at first led me to doubt my abilities. Now, I’ve just come to accept that I don’t have to prove anything to anyone but me.
              
Fitting into a new place is hard enough on its own. Add on a chronic disease without a support system nearby and it can seem virtually impossible. My biggest advice to any other people living with type 1 and going to college: don’t be ashamed of your diagnosis, you need your friends. And, if you are unfortunate and meet those closed-minded people like I did, don’t let them tell you what you can and can’t do. You set those limits for yourself.

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My name is Dana Montgomery-Gair and I was diagnosed with T1D less than a year ago, October 4, 2012, at the age of 22. I am a student studying communication at the University of Colorado Boulder and hoping to go to law school after I graduate in May. I love animals and am a certified canine training and behavior specialist. I spend as much time as possible outside with my dog. Lately it is not uncommon to find me up in the mountains with my LSAT prep book.