I Did Not Grow Up In A Cave

                 I have a funny pet peeve of sorts. It stems from the constant comments about my diabetes experience. I was diagnosed at 18 months old and up too that point had a very normal childhood. I hear constantly from people how lucky I am to not of know what it was like to eat sugar like a normal child and have what ever I wanted to eat. I have been told it must have been really so much easier because I got it at a younger age.I think it is kind of funny to hear that because I watched my brother and sister have a normal childhood so I kind of know what it is like. I think people believe I lived in a cave and never say my peers experiencing a normal life. I also hear how since I did not have many memories of my early childhood my life as a diabetic must be so much simpler. The funny thing is that I hear this from diabetics as well. I don't believe that my experience was easier and my parents would disagree completely. I know I have been having seizures from lows since I was little thankfully I had larger breaks in time with no seizures. I also had my body developing under higher blood sugars where if you were older at least your body has more time to function normally. I also had numerous trips to emergency room because I was sick or having bad lows. It was not an easier childhood. I missed out on some things other children were able to do. I am tired of hearing how easy I have had it when someone has not walked a mile in my shoes.  I disagree with it being a advantage I think in some ways neither way is easy. I think even with growing up with diabetes it is no easier than If I got it when I was 7 or 5. Yes you may have some experiences that I may have missed out on but I do have an idea what it was like and I did not grow up in a cave. My parents did the best they could to provide me a normal childhood and they did a great job.