Our First Diaversary, and Why We Celebrate

We made it. We have survived our first year with diabetes.  

To some, celebrating a diaversary (the anniversary of the day of diagnosis) may seem odd. I understand why some don’t, but for myself, I can’t imagine not. While the diagnosis itself is not something to be celebrated, we absolutely believe in celebrating the great strides we have made on the journey ever since that first step.

We celebrate as a family, because the whole family has adapted and grown alongside Ada.

Cora and Miles dutifully wait for Ada’s insulin to start working before they eat as well. Cora has danced or done silly antics to distract Ada when she is having a hard time with a shot or pod change. Miles will tell Ada “good job” or “you’re brave” after a shot. Aaron and I have learned so much about carb counts, the glycemic index of various foods, and how Ada in particular reacts to meals, exercise, emotions, illness, school, adrenaline, and stress. We have taken meticulous notes, fought for proper care at school, spent our free time educating ourselves on diabetes care, and have daily gained confidence in our ability to care for our oldest.

We celebrate Ada because she has conquered so much over the past year.

She has dealt with countless finger sticks, hundreds of shots, and dozens of Dexcom and omnipod changes. She has often dealt with stomach aches and headaches from high blood sugars. She has fought fatigue, and gone to school when she wasn’t feeling well or when she was tired from constant disruptions at night.

Despite all the hardship, Ada has matured and flourished right before our eyes. She has transitioned from a kid that wanted to hide her devices and hated to answer questions to one that is eager to educate others and is incredibly independent with her care for her age. She doesn’t cry for long stretches like she used to with pump and Dexcom changes; she even presses the button herself, knowing the action will inflict pain. She has actually been a less anxious kid since her diagnosis even though she has more to be anxious about. She has discovered her strength, her resilience, and her optimism, attributes she already possessed, but diabetes has necessitated and highlighted. She is absolutely amazing, and I am so proud to be her mother.

We celebrate because every day is worth celebrating.

A year ago, we saw our daughter the sickest she has ever been and hopefully ever will be. A year ago today, I feared for her life. We celebrate today that Ada is healthier than this time last year; we celebrate because as life-changing as the treatment has been, it has been life-giving as well. We celebrate because we recognize that this is a little girl we could have lost, but by the grace of God, we did not, and that is worth celebrating every day.

We are not celebrating Ada’s diaversary the way we had planned. I spent months planning a trip to Disneyland and Universal Studios, the latter specifically planned for my Harry-Potter-loving girl. But Covid-19 has necessitated cancelling those plans and taking a much more conservative approach to the day… brownies, ice cream, perhaps a shortened school day. That’s okay though. After a year like we have had, I’d like to think that we have gained some perspective and are less likely to sweat the small things. Besides, there will be ample time later for big celebrations and family vacations. In the end, it is the blessing of time that we are celebrating most.