As some of you know from previous writings, I have Type 1 (Juvenile) diabetes. It requires multiple daily injections of different types of insulin, and can never be cured or managed by oral medication, diet, or exercise. It is a disease that can neither be caused nor prevented in any way. I pay around $12,000 per year, out of pocket, in order to stay alive. (No private insurance company will insure a Type 1 Diabetic, of course, so I'm stuck with Michigan's Blue Cross Blue Shield, which covers such a small percentage of my diabetic care, it's practically worthless.) And, even with modern advances and treatments, and assuming I never make an injection error that leads to my immediate death, I will surely live a good decade or so less than I would have without the disease.
But this is not a health care diary, as some of you may be assuming (though as you can imagine, I'm a strong public option supporter!) And no, it's not a Sotomayor diary, for those of you who know she's also a Type 1 Diabetic. :) It's actually just a few thoughts on how becoming diabetic made me understand gay rights, and how becoming a father (and a YouTube ad) made me understand marriage equality.
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