What I Wish I Knew When I Was Diagnosed

By Claire Pozil

When I was first diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, everything changed in an instant. One day, I was thinking about my next soccer game and what snack to bring to school. The next, I was learning how to count carbs, check blood sugar, and give myself insulin. It was overwhelming, confusing, and honestly pretty scary.

If you’re reading this and you or someone you love has just been diagnosed, I want you to know you’re not alone. I remember that feeling of leaving the hospital or doctor’s office with a bag full of supplies and a head full of questions. I wanted someone to tell me it was going to be okay, that I wouldn’t feel lost forever. That’s exactly what I hope this post will be for you.

Looking back now, I wish I had known that you don’t have to be perfect at diabetes. There’s no such thing as a “perfect diabetic.” I thought I had to get every number right, every bolus timed perfectly, every carb counted exactly. But diabetes is full of variables: stress, hormones, sleep, exercise, weather - you name it, it can affect your blood sugar. What matters most is learning and adjusting, not perfection. Some days are just hard, and that’s okay.

In the beginning, I also wish I had given myself more permission to feel everything I was feeling. From sadness and anger to confusion and fear, it’s all valid. Type 1 diabetes is a major life change, and it’s normal to feel overwhelmed. What helped me most was finding support - not just from doctors, but from people who truly understood what living with T1D is like.

I wish I had a resource like the T1D Diagnosis: Made Simple (CLICK HERE) course when I was first diagnosed. It’s an online course created for newly diagnosed children and their support squads like parents, siblings, caregivers, and friends. It breaks down everything from daily routines to emotional support in a way that’s clear, compassionate, and easy to follow. It has already helped so many families feel more confident and less alone, and I truly believe it can make those early weeks and months feel a little less overwhelming.

Over time, I found my rhythm. Things that once felt scary like changing a pump site, correcting a high, or treating a low in the middle of the night became part of my routine. I learned how to advocate for myself at school and how to explain diabetes to friends. My parents grew more confident, too. And eventually, we started to feel like ourselves again - just with some new skills and gear.

If you’re wondering whether diabetes will hold you back, I’m here to tell you it won’t. You can still play sports, travel the world, go to college, and pursue everything you’re passionate about. Sure, it takes planning. You might have to pack extra snacks and troubleshoot tech now and then. But you are still you, and T1D is just one part of your story - not the whole thing.

One of the biggest game-changers for me was realizing I didn’t have to do this alone. Community makes all the difference. That’s why Type One Together exists. And that’s why tools like the T1D Diagnosis: Made Simple course is so valuable: they help you feel prepared, informed, and supported from day one.

So if you’re at the beginning of this journey, I want to say this: it’s okay to take it one step at a time. You don’t have to learn everything today. You are doing better than you think. And there’s a whole community here to walk with you.

You’ve got this. And we’ve got you.