Friends For Life Orlando, 2018

Just a few things of the many things I loved almost the Children With Diabetes, Friends For Life Orlando conference, I attend terminal week.

####### 

Super special money too bracelet.

People roaming the halls of Disney’s Coronado Springs wearing light-green too orangish bracelets, too who “get diabetes," without ever uttering the D word. I LOVE THAT. 

Littles running upward to me too shouting: Mama, she has a light-green bracelet similar me!

Realizing that the immature “teen” you've mentored/been friends with for years, is at 1 time a vibrant 21 twelvemonth sometime adult woman amongst t1d who is thriving! 
Sidebar: And who promised you lot (and pose it inwards writing,) that equally an adult t1 woman, she volition ALWAYS maintain an 8 pack of juice boxes past times her bed. 

Seeing the xvi too xiv year-old t1s too the awesome xi twelvemonth sometime orangish bracelet sibling you’ve known since they were inwards unmarried digits,(and missing the xvi twelvemonth sometime orangish bracelet sibling too her mamma, who were sidelined due to an injury,) are growing too becoming too it blows your mind.

Hanging at the bar amongst other green/orange bracelet adults too laughing amongst them almost everything - including all the beeps too blips from all the diverse diabetes electronicals.

Bumping into the petty man child who told you lot terminal twelvemonth that diabetes “makes him happy too sad,” too who at 1 time declares “that he loves diabetes,” and ROCKING YOUR WORLD, inwards the process. 

2018 too 2017.
What a departure a twelvemonth makes

Meeting a 10-year-old, light-green bracelet “First Timer,” too his orangish bracelet wearing petty sis inwards the dejeuner line, too who larn super excited to brand superhero capes at the Dexcom booth after you lot explicate to them that Dex's Super Hero Cape Making Station is an actual thing. 
Then light-green bracelet man child discusses amongst you lot (and inwards corking detail,) almost pumping; wearing a Dex, too how he gets his dear of sauerkraut from his Grandmother, equally he piles his dejeuner plate amongst iii big scoops. 

You larn dTechy amongst him too also tell him that you lot tin totally relate to his sauerkraut obsession because cheers to your dad, you lot experience the same exact means almost horseradish — too you lot both start to giggle. 

He follows you lot over to the dessert tabular array too you lot both laissez passer on away for the oatmeal cookies “because they are the best,” too the giggles continue.

A few hours later, two light-green too orangish bracelet wearing super heroes (and 1 amongst a penchant for sauerkraut,) are rocking capes too participating inwards your #IwishPeopleKnewThatDiabetes booth, too then caput over to the Beta Bionics booth too brand the crazy low-cal thingies too and then give them to you, too after you'd complimented them on their cool crazy low-cal thingies.  :)  

My novel FFL cape wearing, sauerkraut loving,
orange too light-green bracelet wearing, sibling Super Heroes!

Your special grouping of “First Timers alumni,” are at 1 time seasoned Friends for Lifers, who you lot receive got special drinks amongst at the puddle too central light-headed texts with.

T1 Chicks & Orange Bracelet friends @ the Omnipod political party for
T1 Adults at #FFLOrlando18 

D Squad goals met too exceeded because of a grouping of fantastical light-green too orangish bracelet wearing chick friends who receive got indeed larn friends for life. 

These women e'er encourage you lot throughout the year; mail you lot wake upward texts on the 24-hour interval you lot wing out to ffl; purchase you lot unsalted almonds too H2O at Publix, ply you lot amongst British chocolates, sympathise your “L Explorer” too “GM Running Club” references, too e'er brand you lot laugh!

Sitting at the bar too watching your “diabetes brothers” totally nerd out over Disney’s Avatar Ride, piece you lot too your D-Sister can’t halt laughing at too with them.

Attending adult t1 back upward sessions almost diabetes burnout too diabetes complications inwards a judgment costless zone. 

Your D mama friend who 1 time over again makes certain you’re OK amongst juice boxes too bottled water. 

Orange bracelets who receive got larn friends for life!

Watching your t1d friend experience FFL for the outset fourth dimension too through her eyes.

You forget that she’s shy because she's anything but amongst you. 

And you lot outburst amongst pride equally she reaches her destination to come across iii novel green/orange bracelet wearing friends inwards 1 sixty minutes at the bar.

Discovering that the shy petty Ninja Turtle loving, iv twelvemonth sometime light-green bracelet wearing man child from terminal twelvemonth is at 1 time a talkative, confident, too positive Spidey Super Hero amongst a huge smiling too an amazing attitude!

Experiencing 1 of the worst lows of your life surrounded past times people who dear too aid you, too proceed to cheque inwards amongst you lot throughout the day, into the evening, too good into the side past times side 24-hour interval - too inwards a means that doesn’t brand you lot experience similar a burden. 

And you lot are thus incredibly thankful that they were there.

Realizing a few days afterward piece talking amongst your diabetes blood brother almost that low, that perchance it’s fourth dimension to exercise something you’ve been putting off for a while. 

Sidebar: More on that later. 

Standing at the H2O ice machine on Fri afternoon after a long 24-hour interval of sessions, attempting to fill upward a ziplock bag with ice, thus you lot tin H2O ice your broken toe (long story), too failing miserably, because the goddamn H2O ice keeps spilling EVERY WHERE and you lot are almost to lose your proverbial shit.

Then, too simply equally your almost to allow out a current of expletives, you lot experience a slight brush against the side of your thigh too precisely where your Omnipod too regal direct hold are, followed past times a petty vocalization that’s barely a whisper, saying: I similar your gripper too your Omnipod. 

You plow to a greater extent than or less too reckon a petty daughter amongst blond hair, wearing a bluish too light-green bikini, amongst a pod on her belly that’s surrounded past times a super cool dark oval grip— too she’s looking upward at you lot amongst a wide too shy smile.

And you lot know it must receive got taken all the courage she could muster to walk upward too start a conversation amongst you.  

Your pump melts too you lot respond: I similar yours too. 

And too then you lot both start talking almost all things diabetes — your novel D friend is a twelvemonth too a one-half inwards too her mom is watching too smiling. 

All all of a abrupt you’re non frustrated anymore. You’re happy too desire to hug this amazing petty daughter too tell her that’s she’s exceptionally awesome, because she is, thus you lot do. 

You’re glad you’re wearing sunglasses because you lot know your eyes are on the verge of leaking. 

Then her mom grabs your arm and thanks you lot for “doing what you lot exercise because it’s amazing,” too you lot experience your cheeks turning red. 

You give cheers the mom for all she does, tell your novel friend that you’ll await for her inwards the puddle too inwards the hallways too she promises to exercise the same. 

You tell your goodbyes too walk inwards the direction that may (or may not,) atomic number 82 your dorsum to your room, equally tears start streaming downward your confront too inwards the best of ways.

And 1 time over again you lot are reminded how much you lot withdraw to endure at the Friends for Life Conference inwards Orlando - for yourself too for others.  
And how much #FFlOrlando18 recharges your diabetes batteries too your spirit - too 1 time again, you lot are thus incredibly grateful