I have been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes for one year now. Both of my siblings are also diagnosed – my sister has been diagnosed for four years and my brother for two years. My mom is employed as a diabetes educator at a clinic near home. It may be hard to imagine (for people without diabetes), but diabetes is a normal way of life for my entire family. I am used to being pestered about taking insulin, being woken up in the middle of the night to eat candy, and having my insulin pump scream at me in the middle of a quiet classroom. My sister and I love to compare “Did you dose?” and “High” texts from our mother. My chats with my dad are filled with endless “Treating?” for when I have a low. My classmates are used to the sound of my insulin pump beeping – there are a few times I have been scolded for “my phone making a noise” but my teachers are overly apologetic when they realize that’s not the case. On one occasion, I spent close to two hours in the school office because of a never-ending low glucose. I had a very smooth transition after diagnosis because of my siblings and my mom and I was able to get a sensor and insulin pump within a week. However, I know that this will not always be the case. My family’s health insurance covers the cost of my insulin, my insulin pump, my continuous glucose monitor, or CGM, and most of my other prescriptions and needs. Without insurance, the prices of my medications would send my family into a deep hole of debt. A 30-day supply of insulin, my pumps, and CGMs add up to $1,406.99 a month, not including any other supplies or medications needed, which adds up to almost five thousand dollars a month for three kids. A disease I had no way of preventing could send me into crippling financial stress and debt for the rest of my life.  I have been interested in the medical field, and I currently plan to go into Nursing, with hopes to eventually become a Nurse Anesthetist. I want to be able to use my life and my time in a way that will truly help someone and I think the best way to do this is by keeping as many people as possible in full health and developing close connections with them. My belief in this solidified even more when I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes one year ago. Since then, I have seen more health professionals than I can count and this experience has given me a new appreciation for healthcare workers and nurses specifically.  Seeing the care that nurses put into their work and knowing that I am being cared for completely is an experience that I want the chance to replicate for as many other people as I can. I know that dealing with the major shift of moving to college will be stressful enough without worrying about my disease on top of that. I am also worried about the effects diabetes will have on my career. Nursing is a very involved job, and having low blood sugar could put me off the hospital floor or out of the Operating Room for as long as an hour. Regardless of this, I plan to push forward and do everything I can to live out my dreams – because I’m not going to let my disease stop me from that.