I’ve been asked a lot lately: So, what is Type 1 Diabetes?

The Physical Answer

I could give the scientific explanation. You know that one—Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune condition in which the pancreas no longer produces insulin. Managing it means calculating the right amount of insulin based on carbohydrate intake at every meal.

But this answer barely scratches the surface. It tells the other person nothing about what it feels like to live with T1D—and what makes it so challenging.

The Emotional Answer

The real answer is in the tears, the anxiety, the grit, the constant calculations, and the cognitive load that never lets up. I’ve been trying to speak to this one instead, because I feel it gives people a better understanding of me, my challenges, and why I’ve been pouring my time into Sage Diabetes.

I share that I think T1D is one of the top five most demanding chronic illnesses in terms of self-management. Many conditions—hypothyroidism, even cancer—are treated with set medication doses prescribed by a doctor. But with T1D, there is no fixed dose.

We are our own nurses, making dosing decisions at least 5-15 times a day.

The Complexity of Insulin

Insulin isn’t just a medication—it’s a hormone that interacts with every other hormone in our body. How much we need changes constantly, depending on:
✔ Stress levels
✔ Exercise
✔ Time of day
✔ Time of the month

What worked yesterday might not work today.

Healthcare professionals give us equations and ratios, but life isn’t a formula—it’s a dance. Managing T1D is an art form, and must be danced with, moment to moment, ever-changing and always in flux…

The Weight of Insulin Decisions

💉 On top of that, I say bluntly, that insulin is potentially lethal. That fact is not lost on us. The fear of a big error in those calculations weighs on our minds daily, but especially in the first few years.

A friend once told me that T1Ds make over 180 more decisions per day than the average person.

That’s a lot of brain power.

The Daily Experience of T1D is:

• Walking a tightrope between two extremes.
• Staving off the sense of failure.
• Doing a complex math equation just to eat a meal.
• Decision fatigue.
• Burnout.

And once I’ve explained this to someone, they’re often shocked—even anxious—to realize what T1D truly requires.

But I walk away knowing I’ve shared the truth of my experience despite the discomfort. And people? They’re usually grateful for the honesty, especially when they expected small talk at a potluck. 😉

Pressure Creates Diamonds 💎

Diamonds are formed through pressure, and so are all of us fierce, tender Type 1s.

The constant pressure of T1D forces us to recalibrate, but it also offers us an opportunity to:
✔ Reconnect with our bodies in a world obsessed with data and numbers.
✔ Examine our cultural obsession with perfectionism.
✔ Redefine success and failure—moving from judgment to curiosity.
✔ Reimagine self-care—what actually supports us vs. what we think “should” work.
✔ Strengthen our nervous systems—so we feel resilient more often than we feel caught off guard.

These are the conversations I want to have—together.

Join the T1D Self-Care Collective 💙

That’s why I created the T1D Self-Care Collective—a space where we can unpack these questions, support each other, and build a new kind of resilience beyond blood sugar.

💡 Interested? If this resonates with you, I’d love to have you join.

🔹 Click here to learn more.
🔹 Drop a comment below with ‘I’m Curious’ and I’ll share more details!

Let’s talk about T1D beyond the numbers—because we deserve more than survival.