This is the reality.

• Waiting until the day where someone tells me to shut up about my situation. I can't help it man, this is my life from now on.
• I check my blood sugar at least 4 times a day. But I now have to check 6 times a day because of the loss of nerves in my hands which can be fixed if I monitor my blood sugar levels even more.
• I was allergic to my first insulin (which was my most affordable option). My face, legs, and feet were swollen for a week and I somehow shot two weddings during that time frame. I went from paying 35/month to 100/month for the shit that keeps me alive. What I thought was going to be covered from my insurance, led to several phone calls trying to get a hold of my doctor at UCI to get me an affordable insulin and calls to my pharmacy to see if there were any updates. All before having to travel for more weddings to shoot.
• I used to pay 80 dollars a month for my health insurance. To 130. To over 200. To over 350 with all my supplies / diabetic medication.
• I can't snack. Ever. Because that means more carbs and more used syringes.
• I've had to inject myself in the airplane to and from my flight to Tahiti. Count carbs by just looking at my dinner plate. And have to wait 15 minutes after injection (for the insulin to kick in) while my food stares at me.
• I check my blood sugar even more frequently on wedding days because I tend to get low blood sugar from all the running around.
• There are so many factors that I have to think of when it comes to every day life... am I allowed to drink coffee (not anymore because getting jittery can be confused for being low blood sugar), am I allowed to drink alcohol (in moderation, slow slipping, no more shots), how much exercise can I do in a day that will not screw up my insulin, how much of my diabetic stuff I need to pack when I go on trips, etc.
• I never knew how frustrating it is to not be able to eat right away. So I try not to wait until the last minute when I get really hungry.
• Dealing with my health insurance and dealing with all the stuff that they only partially cover is the most aggravating part of all of this. I'm really not frustrated that I have to take insulin, it's my health insurance that's a bitch.
• It doesn't bug me when people are ignorant about what they know about type 1 diabetes, unless they come off as if they know what it's like or know everything about it. 
• Getting sick is extremely dangerous for me and I can DKA again and end up in the hospital. Sick people please stay away.
• Only diabetics will understand staying in between the numbers. Before I had the problem of always having high blood sugar, but because I'm on insulin now, if I take too much insulin, it can go under. When this happens, my body knows something is off. I have a weird feeling. I have to check my blood sugar and correct it by eating a fast-acting sugar (juice or hard candy, etc.). Sometimes I'll know right away when I start sweating, feeling anxious, and my hands start shaking. But other times, my body won't have these symptoms and I just have to carb count correctly. My blood sugar is almost always low in the morning.

On a brighter note...

• I feel so amazing. I feel like what 25 should feel like. I have so much energy. And what felt like being the laziest person in the world this past year, I want to tackle all the goals I've put on the backburner.
• I'm so much healthier. I actually eat veggies. I try my best to stay away from processed foods.
• My boyfriend is the most supportive human being and I feel so eternally grateful to have him in my life. I really mean it when I have no idea what I would do without him throughout this entire process.