I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes four years ago! It was during my freshman year in high school, a scary time getting even scarier with news of having diabetes! That day when I was diagnosed I was so scared and was wondering, what will happen? When I got out of the hospital I said to myself no one has to no that I have diabetes. My best friend Stockton had diabetes. I had to see him ***** his fingers and stab himself with a sharp needle every day. I did not want to have to do that!

For the first two years after being diagnosed I did not tell any of my friends, not even Stockton. How could I have done this? To tell you the truth I was scared what others would think, and what they would say about me. I finally got the courage to tell two of my close friends Stockton was first and Jake second. The first thing they said to me was NO WAY! After that they were yelling at me when I told them that I have had it already for two years.

You will be surprised about how fast a teenage kid with as much maturity as a three year old, can turn into a great shoulder to lean on in times of need. If I had to do it all over I would have walked out of that hospital and called everyone in my phone book! The biggest lesson that I learned was that the more that you are open with others, the more others will be open with you!

So embrace the fact that you are diabetic, and dont hide the fact!

-Matt Walsh