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“I will be the master of my life now and forever”<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I am Dr. Ekta (Ph.D.), a professor of psychology at one of the esteemed universities in India. When I was 12, I was rushed to the hospital as I fainted. I spent two days gaining and losing consciousness, and when I woke up, the doctor told me that I had Type 1 diabetes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n (People Also Like To Read: <\/strong>When a protest turns violent, the innocent suffer!<\/a>)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n At that time, I didn’t take it very seriously because I didn\u2019t have any idea about how it is going to change my life. But in a short period of time, I came to understand the seriousness of my condition.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n While all my friends were enjoying chocolates and sugary snacks, I spent my teenage years in preparing insulin<\/a> syringes, preparing for home visits from a nurse, and fasting before early-morning doctor appointments to monitor before-breakfast and after-breakfast glucose levels.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n As the years passed, I became self-sufficient in monitoring my glucose with a blood glucose meter. Yet I started getting irritated with all these things, as they became a hurdle in living a normal life.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n As most of us do, I started to ignore my diabetes but it backfired soon. Due to low glucose levels, I had to be hospitalized again and again, it was then I realized either I had to control my diabetes or it would control me.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This realization worked as a life-changer for me, and I decided I wouldn’t let my diabetes control my life anymore.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I evolved from using a vial and syringe to using an insulin pen. As per my doctor\u2019s suggestion, I focused on eating immediately after taking my rapid-acting insulin. I started doing regular exercise<\/a> and jogging, I took 2,500 steps a day (and counting them with a mobile app), three to four times a week. And most important, I started to check my glucose level seven times a day. My fingertips have become thick-skinned after years of daily pricks.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Around two years back, when I was 38, I missed my shot of insulin one day while driving home. Fortunately, I got home safely and checked my blood glucose immediately: 49 mg\/dl. Then I realized, it was time for a continuous glucose monitor (CGM). For the past two years, my CGM has been a lifesaver as well as a lifestyle changer. Now, it\u2019s so simple to just check and stay safe without any pricks.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Thanks to all these technologies, which help me in managing my condition easily. Now, I plan to celebrate \u201c30 years with diabetes\u201d\u2014as the longest companion of my life. I am living a normal life even with diabetes for the last 30 years with very few complications. I would like to end my story with a prayer of thanks.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n