I am vomiting for the eighth time and asking myself, “what is happening to me?” I think, struggling to conjure up a reason why I’ve lost 21 pounds in the past few days. “We are going to the hospital!” my mother finally says as I am no longer able to walk without being supported. I became unconscious during the car ride. “What happened?” I say as I awaken in the hospital bed. I soon find out that I have type 1 diabetes. I ask, “For the rest of my life?” to which I get the answer of yes. At ten years old, this did not mean much to me as I knew close to nothing about what I had been diagnosed with. The only thing I did know was that I needed to deal with this and overcome any difficulties the best I could. After the education process, I knew it was a lot to handle, but I was determined to be diligent about all aspects of keeping my body in order and to not let it impact me. The way I lived changed from that point forward. Soon, I was back at school testing my blood sugar, calculating everything, and giving myself insulin shots. It was a significant change that interfered with my active lifestyle. However, I learned the discipline it takes for no one to notice that I am diabetic and I took it upon myself to not let it show or impair me from living the life I had before. Disadvantages sometimes surface depending on the situation I find myself in. The main hindering factor pertains to keeping my blood sugar on level during school days. When not in its small optimal range I can be impaired. Not being able to concentrate, dizziness, blurred vision, shaking, rapid heart beat, and anxiety when my sugar is outside the zone certainly make any task harder than it should be. To this day my blood sugar is of great importance to me as taking care of it takes care of me and allows me to perform the best I can in school, sports, and all aspects of life. Personal growth has been evident in my life, as I have become aware of the discipline that is required for my current diabetic circumstances. It has taught me how  to care for myself properly in order to accomplish my goals in academics,  sports, and relationships. Emotionally, getting diabetes was a change of perspective. It opened me to understanding that anything can happen to anyone and life's unpredictability can result in challenges, but they serve to shape one’s character and are opportunities for growth and development. For the future, I am determined to have a positive mindset and focus on how diabetes can positively impact me. It has already given me a changed view and understanding of the world.  College will push me to overcome any and all challenges, too, and will also have many benefits. The lessons I have already learned about overcoming unpredictable negative events have taught me that when looking hard enough, there is always something to learn, understand, and grow from. Type 1 Diabetes has provided me with incredible courage, an unstoppable drive to look after myself, a fresh outlook on life, and a very clear sense of future goals. Empathy is a characteristic of mine that I hold deeply as a necessary core value responsible for the greatest understanding and relationships with people. Diabetes has taught me to never judge someone without knowing their true circumstances, as I hope people do the same when encountering me.