When I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, my blood sugar was 7 times higher than it should have been and I was close to going into a diabetic coma.
Its a disease that you always feel you have to defend since people stereotype it as something "Fat" people get, and if they eat too many brownies they'll catch it. As a type 1 diabetic, I can eat whatever I want and how much I want of it, I just need to take the correct amount of insulin to cover it.
Knowing that you need medication to stay alive is a very mentally and emotionally draining thought, my life depends on if the pharmacist is able to provide me with the insulin I need, that my body is unable to make or my body attacks.
Everything affects your blood sugar. Sleep, stress, exercise, food, illness. Being diabetic is unpredictable and you don't know when you'll have a horrible day.
When my blood sugar is low, I personally get very clammy, and my hands shake and I feel sort of out of it. You need to drink or eat something high in carbs that is fast acting right away.
Though I was fortunate enough to have the support of a loving family and a devoted group of friends immediately after my diagnosis, there is no question the moments of feeling alone would have seemed less overwhelming with more people who could understand how it feels. Until society can find a cure for this disease (and we will), it is encouraging to see continual medical and technological innovation, so diabetics (both type 1 and type 2) don't have to face the challenges that come with these diseases alone.
Being diabetic is a struggle I live with daily.