D-Blog Week: Diabetes Thankfulness

Diabetes Blog Week 2014 is coming to an end and I can't help but feel like it's gone super fast.  They say that happens when you're having fun!  With my University exams starting next week, I thought the past few days would have been pretty stressful as I attempt to learn and memorise an entire semester's worth of content.  However, thanks to the DOC, my week has been anything but.  To summarise why the past 7 days have been so special for me, here are some of favourite things from this D-Blog Week:

• I have smiled, giggled and even had a lump in my throat trying to swallow my own tears, as I've read posts from all of the wonderful bloggers who have taken part this year.  The best part is that I haven't even read them all yet and I've got even more to look forward to!

• Every participant in D-Blog Week reads the same prompt daily, yet each person's post is completely different!  D-Blog Week highlights our similarities and differences - this diversity, for me, makes the DOC an exciting and beautiful thing to be a part of.

• I know I talk about this a lot, but I love how D-Blog Week allows me to be creative.  The themes for each post encourage me to think and write about aspects of my diabetes I may not normally give much thought to, or inspire me to do it in a completely different way.

• This year, Friday's 'Diabetes Life Hacks' prompt was so helpful for me.  Other blogger's hints and tips about the things that make their lives with diabetes easier, reinforced to me how some little things can make such a huge difference!  There were definitely a few 'I wish I'd known about that years ago!' moments, but I know now thanks to you guys :)

• Karen Graffeo.  Not only has she brought Diabetes Blog Week to the Diabetes Online Community for 5 years and writes posts that are a treat to read, but she also reads other's posts, comments on them and gives so much encouragement to so many people.  Thank you for bringing us together!

• Finally, it means so much to me how, every year, D-Blog Week gives me the boost I need to pay more attention to my diabetes.  Sometimes we all need to turn the page and start afresh.  Diabetes Blog Week, for me, is like putting new batteries into my life with type 1, and pressing the 'reset' button.  Well, you know you're ready for a new start when you clear out all of the used, bloody test strips from your kit-bag...

(Is it bad that I think this is actually quite good going?! Haha)

I hope there will be plenty of annual D-Blog Weeks to come, as they make me thankful.  Thankful for the internet, thankful for my health, thankful for my life and, would you believe it, thankful for my diabetes.  Without it, I might not know some of the wonderful people in my life who I have met through the DOC.  It's amazing how something negative can bring about so much positivity, and I have you magical people to thank for that!