Diagnosed with T1D at 13, 62 years ago. When I think about what it has been like I find analogies helpful: it’s two careers and paths simultaneously; like a secret agent – always separate and hyper conscious of control, ‘seeming normal’; old enough to have owned more than one badly carburated car which could not be depended on for power when needed – I often compare my energy deprived self to them; cat with 9 lives etc but it is a bigger number considering how many times I have survived catastrophic lows ( extremely labile all this time ). I have often looked at obviously healthy folk and marveled at what they have, and may not appreciate. Had cancer this year but seem to have made it through, had open heart surgery then a heart attack following an extreme low at 5 am, got the heart disease. Lost vision in my right eye 38 years ago but laser technology saved my other eye the first year it was available to counter retinopathy. And this month I finally screwed up enough courage to have cataract surgery on my one working eye. Vision had gotten so poor I had my license revoked last month. But Holy Cow the operation was a great success – clear vision ( not perfect, no ) and the world is so much brighter! The milestones of technology for diabetics have appeared when I needed them most. The advent of disposable plastic syringes was so epic I left college to spend a year traveling in wild places with the rucksack. That put my parents through hell for sure. Should be said that when you see a good functioning T1D out there in the world you are most likely looking at a hugely successful and very hard working individual who most likely does not think they are. Did not mention depression but that has been part of the life too, along with optimism which might be delusional but heavy medicine. My best wishes to all.