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Do you do anything special to acknowledge the anniversary of your diabetes diagnosis?
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Not most years but I think every 5 years deserves something I don’t usually eat. This year (35th) was cheesecake and it was worth it!
Good idea! I’ll have a hot fudge sundae when I hit 65 years…at least a few bites!
The Christmas season marks the anniversary of my epilepsy, previous cancer and diabetes dx along with many family members deaths.
I mark this as anniversary as a time to enjoy my limited time in a decaying body on Earth!
I am so sorry Molly !!! my heart is with you !!
I chose “other.” My diagnosis was close enough to my birthday that I kind of lump the two together.
I just passed 48 years, hope to pass 50.
You go girl!
Oops. You go guy!
you will, and more!!
Diagnosis date is not a special date for me.
I do not even know the exact date. It was October 1964. (I think?) My doctor (GP) is long since deceased. I contacted the hospital, and if they had any records left they would have been in boxes in some offsite storage facility.
Joslin wanted proof ofmy diag. of 1953… my Docs were all dead….
I sent for my file from the clinic where I was diagnosed. (1962), They sent it to me in about a month. Used it for the 50 year medal.
It’s not a celebration… just an extra day to let our daughter do fun things she wants to do.. to make it a positive.. not a negative. She deserves an additional special day for all her frustrations and stresses through the year.
Now THAT is how a good Mom thinks. I freakin’ loved that comment. Good for you, Ms. Smith.
I guess I have missed something! Why would it be something to celebrate? Do you celebrate a cancer diagnosis or any other disease diagnosis? And promote it?
I said “no.” However, I celebrate each birthday as a milestone of survival and an excuse to have fun.
This anniversary is not one to celebrate
I’m proud that I’ve survived another year. But, I’m sorry folks, having Diabetes is not something to celebrate. It’s a disease.
No. I know the year, but other than that I have no idea on what date I became a diabetic.
I too had a Christmas season diagnosis; 66 years ago. Makes me melancholy.
Liz, at what age ??
I usually have a glass of champagne and toast my parents. My dad had Type1, but he still got married, became a pediatrician, had two kids and lived a very active , but short, life. I thank them for having me. T1d be damned!
It was 55 years ago. I would rather forget “Period”.
I’m not even certain of the date, just know it was between 15 December 1965 and 15 January 1966
Special meaning it is automatically announced on computer calendar like a birthday.
Being 55 years ago, I do not know the exact date, only that it was probably in January of 1967. I do not celebrate it but I do take pause to be thankful that I suffer no complications.
Celebrate by passing this info to newly diagnosed..
I haven’t had an anniversary yet and I am not sure if I am going to acknowledge it or not yet.
“No” only because there wasn’t a “hell no” option.
I remember it well Dec 13 1973 and honestly it’s really not something I celebrate.
I acknowledge by dressing completely in black! Ha!
I think about it and note the passing years. It’s also my dad’s birthday.
I was diagnosed on my 10th birthday…so yes I do celebrate both my birthday and how many years I’ve been diabetic—-60 this year with no complications 🙂
Yes me also 90/69… no complicatations.. why not others HOPE..
Me too! 72/60. Woo hoo forall of us!
I was dx’d the day before my birthday so I celebrate my birthday.
No, but I do celebrate each day of life.
I’ve never understood why people acknowledged their diagnosis date. Are they celebrating? Maybe it’s a negative perspective but even if it’s a “yay I made it one more year” feels off to me.
I broadcast my age [90] and T1D years [69] to give HOPE to any Newbees… and it has helped !!
Heck NOOOOO!!
It was my 40th birthday present. Maybe that’s why I’m not fond of birthday celebrations.
I was 4, I don’t know the date only a month range where I was dx, and I don’t find it anything to celebrate.
I was diagnosed and I’d may/beginning of June. I don’t even know what day I would acknowledge.
Nope – I don’t celebrate things I would rather forget, like the 7 operations due to a benign tumor when they removed my right nostril or my hysterectomy 😏
I celebrate milestone anniversaries -50 yrs with diabetes and will in 3 yrs for my 60th year with the diabetes. I am proud I am still around. It is something to celebrate.
YES!!!
To me, it is not something to celebrate. It stinks! I’m not happy about it one bit. Jeez.
Tina, I celebrate that I have surived [now 69 years] with this monkey in my life of 90 years!!!
I’m pretty disgusted this question was even asked.
This year I hit the 50-year mark.
I don’t “celebrate”… But, I do think having some sort of mental self-high-five for surviving this long is in order.
Celebrate might be the wrong word… what about “acknowledgment” or “memorialize”?
I don’t normally acknowledge such a thing (which was a life and brain-changing traumatic event for me), but this was a special year. I have been more vocal in telling people how long I’ve been diabetic… almost like a stereotypical parent who shows their kids’ photos to all and sundry. ;p
That is my “celebration”… that I’ve survived! No party or balloons or oddly-specific Hallmark cards… but the congratulations all of us deserve for dealing with diabetes!!
Sorry, t1dexchange! I picked up “celebrate” from other posts and didn’t re-read the question.
Here’s how I see it: It’s not an acknowledgment of getting the disease, it’s an acknowledgement of survival.
(And, that crazy “positive” for me… I’m usually the downer in the room! LOL)
No, but I wish my sister Happy Birthday that day, lol. I really spoiled her special 10th birthday dinner going into DKA and being diagnosed/hospitalized.
Not really. However, I did celebrate when I hit year 50 in December 2012 with the Joslin bronze medal and a Lilly Silver medal. My thoughts and feelings were that I deserved to be awarded recognition for living with diabetes for 50 years! And this year I will pass the 60 year diaversary mark!
Me too Connie, 60 years in July. cheers.
Every curse has a blessing. I was diagnosed TYPE 2 May 28, 1998. My older sister passed away from cancer May 23, 1998. She had a good attitude, worried for her boys, brought us boys (her 5 brothers) closer.
I watched my mother and brothers mourn, made me work harder, read everything I could, to live through diabetes. So my “anniversary ” isn’t so much about me. But yeah I’ll remember it.
Since it’s on July 4th, there’s always a toast to being here to enjoy the fireworks, with a heartier celebration on more significant years (ie, half century). This year I’ll celebrate 56 years with amazing challenges and opportunities to beat the odds!
No, but I did receive the 50 year medal at Joslin Clinic for living with type 1 diabetes for 50 years. That was 18 years ago.
In 2015 on my 60th yr. living w T1 I attended my first diabetes conference with 90+ other adults. It was a very significant experience, enabling long lasting friendships with others I had only met online. I congratulate others who announce their “diaversaries” on social media because I think each day is a victory of survival. Perhaps in 3 years, if I’m able, I’ll do something to celebrate 70 years of life w T1.
Since my mid 20’s when my therapist encouraged me to think of ways my diabetes has been a positive force, to celebrate. Got my ears pierced the first year (doctors had always discouraged that) but soon ran out of safer acts of rebellion and now I just try to do something fun and maybe different. It’s 60 years on July 19, I’ll have to come up with something special.
I’m not even sure of the month it happened, let alone the date. It was on a Friday evening in late southern hemisphere autumn, that I know, but more precisely I don’t believe I could figure out (and any records were long ago lost). St Joseph’s Hospital, Roma, Lesotho, in 1975.
No, I spend too much time dealing with my 56 years of T1D, so the anniversary is a non-event.