I just have a random question: I’m coming up on my one year diaversary (March 2nd!) and was just wondering if anyone does anything fun or special to “celebrate” or something haha. Totally random, late night thoughts (really I’m trying to avoid homework lol), but I’m curious if people actually do certain things and if so, what?
I don’t understand why people give so much attention to when they were diagnosed. Reminds me of adults getting excited about their birthday. It’s just another day
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Hi @pipero31 Piper, welcome to TypeOneNation. I was diagnosed a long time ago so when late summer rolls around I may take a moment to think about where I am, where I thought I would be by now and maybe toast the folks that were responsible for making the first purified insulin for injection. I think last year I thought about not more than 2 generations before me, T1D meant you were going to die, for sure. Yes I know it’s not fun or cool, it’s just what I do. Hope you are getting all the support you need. Forgive us if some seem old and cranky!
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Hi Piper @pipero31, I never really thought much about celebrating diabetes, although we always partied at that time of year - actually partied for three days. My diagnosis anniversary coincides with my birthday, our daughter’s birthday and our country’s birthday. Always fireworks on the anniversary of my official date for onset of diabetes. It is also the date of my retirement from full-time work of more than 50 years.
Yes, during the three day celebration, I eat everything, including pie or cake.
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Hi Piper @pipero31! I was diagnosed at age 7, and when I was younger, my family and I always had a little “celebration” where I got to pick a fun place to go (the zoo, bowling alley, etc) as a way of acknowledging the strength it takes to get through another year and all the work that the whole family puts into managing a diagnosis like this one. As I’ve gotten older our celebrations have diminished slightly–but for those first few years, it really helped me to have a day to remember how lucky I was to have a family that helped me with my condition, and yeah, to remember the strength it takes for us PWD to do what we do every day. I still always take a moment at dinner the night of my diaversary to thank my family for all they’ve done, and to remind myself that I’m doing a good job taking care of myself. There are plenty on this website who may disagree, but for me, it really helps keep me from getting too burnt out or upset about T1D. So if you want to celebrate with a special treat or something like that, go for it!! And congrats on one year!
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When I was diagnosed in 1973 at age 7, I had never heard of diaversaries. I didn’t start hearing about it until that last 10 or so years. I don’t celebrate it, or do anything special for it. I keep track of it, just so each year when I am partaking in the Tour de Cure fundraising bike ride, I can put how many years I have been diabetic. But, if celebrating it makes you feel good, do it!
Piper, good way to avoid homework! When I was diagnosed in 1964, life expectancy was 20 years, so, yes, I celebrate each year of life since then. Usually, I do something to mark the date. Most years, I call my Mom and thank her for her help and worry. By all means, do something special for yourself. It’s not just another day.
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Hi. I always take a moment to stop and think on my anniversary, it is now 43 years. My family did not want to “celebrate” when I was a kid because they thought it would be to celebrate a bad thing…so I usually just acknowledged the date on my own. My daughter just had her 17th anniversary…my wife and I make sure to call or text her to tell her how we proud we are of her and to keep up the good work; she seems to very much appreciate the fact that we remember and that we reach out to her.
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Hi Piper, my daughter was diagnosed 10 years ago at age 10. We celebrate her diabirthday every year. To us it started out as a positive thing to celebrate, and I would look back on all I had learned!! She’s now 21 and we still celebrate, we either do something fun, or she will come over for a quiet dinner at home. I personally believe you need to celebrate the little things. It hard to deal with everything on a daily basis, have fun and celebrate that you were able to manage this hard to manage disease another year! Just my opinion. Happy diabirthday by the way. 
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When I was first diagnosed (age 8, 2010) I didn’t really celebrate or do much to acknowledge the date. Now that I’m approaching the 10-year mark (in September) I’ve been considering how to commemorate it too; I think that rather than celebrate your diagnosis, your diaversary is more meant to acknowledge where you are and how far you have come (especially as someone who has experienced burnout a couple times, being “allowed” to celebrate those milestones helps keep me going).
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So I use it as a day to celebrate my disease, I just had my second Diaversary on January 23rd. We usually get like a dessert or something to celebrate still being alive if you know what I mean. Hope that helps!
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Hmmmmmm, just a thought, are we celebrating the fact that we have been honored to live our lives with TypeOneDiabetes?
Do I celebrate? YES!!!
For the first 50 years,I didn’t do anything to mark the day other than to record a high BG seeing that I was eating my birthday cake, but what I’m celebrating is the fact that I have out-lived the doctor’s prognosis saying that I should have been dead 50+ years ago. When I was diagnosed, people who lived with diabetes for 10 years were given a certificate of honor and accomplishment.
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I’m 83 and I just had my 6 month anniversary yesterday. The first thing I did today was to call Tandem and after being on hold for 35 minutes was able to initiate the process of getting a pump, now that I have met the Medicare requirement of testing myself for 6 months. I hope they are more responsive to getting me set up than they were to answering my phone call.
You do realize that Tandem is being inundated with calls from angry patients that want control-iq and are having issues with not receiving emails and download codes that don’t work? You picked the worst time to start a new pump order with them.
well good luck to you Marc. A new sale sometimes gets a little more priority. Remember the squeaky wheel gets the new insulin pump.
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Marc, when I had a problem with tech support at Dexcom, I called my doctor and got the name and number of the local rep. Perhaps you could try that with Tandem if you have problems with their support people. Good luck.
Good luck with everything! And congratulations on hopefully beginning the process! Next week actually I have my first appointment to get a pump too - I’m going with Omnipod!! First they have to fill it with saline and then a week after that is the real deal! It has been quite a process the last few months but I am so excited for this new change… and so excited for you too!
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Yes that’s exactly what I was thinking! All of us diabetics are of like a different breed haha - it takes so much strength, determination, and perseverance to keep going! I haven’t quite experienced any major setbacks yet (I’m sure they’ll come eventually) but it really is amazing how Type 1 matures a person.
Wow. It really is amazing how far medical advances have come! I’m so blessed to live in a time like this, where things are constantly improving and I have the opportunity for devices and resources that make my life with type 1 so much easier. Come the day of my diagnosis, I was thinking I’d probably reflect on how it has impacted my life in many ways, have some special dessert (big bowl of ice cream or something haha!), and maybe/maybe not post something on Instagram as a more public reflection/education for others. I really do think this disease has helped me realize how strong I truly am and how lucky, like you said, we are to be alive!
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Hi Piper. You are adorable. Honestly, I have never before heard of a diaversary. I was diagnosed when I was 5 and am now 42. But you know what I say, celebrate anything you can in life!! Celebrate your health and the day you were born and your friends and you family and dammit, celebrate your diabetes!! It is part of who you are now and you sound pretty awesome. I will be thinking about you on March 2nd and wishing you a happy diaversary!