COVID-19

Hey y'all!

So.  Things are pretty messed up right now, obviously.  I hope everyone's doing ok, and staying safe and healthy and not dying of sheer boredom (quarantine is HARD, y'all).

The good news first: I'm healthy right now, and so is my family.  I'm so endlessly grateful for that.  I haven't left the house in a week, and it'll probably be a lot longer before I'm able to go anywhere or interact with anyone, and yeah, that sucks a little bit.  But I understand the importance of social distancing.

And here's the thing: If y'all have been following the news at all, you know teenagers generally aren't at a super huge risk of dying from COVID-19.  The media keeps using the same phrase: the only people who should be super concerned are "people who are elderly or immunocompromised".  And for most of y'all, that's a reassuring thought, right?  Like, obviously it's scary if you have an older family member and you're worried about them, but you yourself are safe.

Unless, ya know, you're not.  And for me--for all of the amazing PWD in my life--this is a pretty scary time.  Because technically, we are immunocompromised.  If we get COVID-19, our risk of complications is much higher than it would be for someone without T1D.

Now, why is that the case?  There are two reasons.  The first is that my lovely immune system is constantly busy attacking my pancreas.  It's like... ya know how if you have a cold or some other mild illness, it makes you more susceptible to getting sick with something else, because your immune system can't multitask very well?  Yeah, that's what my body is dealing with all the time.  Yay.  The other reason COVID-19 is dangerous for me is that if I do get sick, my blood sugar skyrockets.  We're talking 300s and 400s for days on end.  And in addition to being dangerous on its own, elevated bg also makes me more susceptible to infections--like pneumonia.

So, basically, if I get COVID-19 I'm automatically high risk.  That's nothing new--I'm used to being labeled "high risk" for pretty much everything.  But when we're talking about a novel coronavirus that no one knows how to prevent, it can feel sorta scary.

Because of that, I get really annoyed at people who aren't taking this situation seriously.  I've seen my friends and peers--people whom I admire and respect--ignoring social distancing warnings or making fun of those of us who are, in their eyes, "overreacting".  And as happy as I am that they're still having fun, I'm angry at their lack of understanding.

I've posted on here before about how T1D, and most chronic conditions like it, are invisible.  An invisible condition presents a unique set of challenges, and at a time like this, it makes things extra difficult.  No one looks at me and sees an immunocompromised person--they see a healthy teenager.

I guess my point is this: Even if you're lucky enough not to be immunocompromised, you are still a risk to the people around you.  You don't know whether the people you come into contact with are immunocompromised, or have a family member who is immunocompromised.  You don't know.  So please, please, stay home.  I know it sucks--trust me, I really do.  But by going out, you're putting people around you at risk.

To my fellow PWDs--hang in there.  Make sure you're stocked up on supplies (I know all the stores are out of alcohol swabs, so use those wisely; I'm rationing mine as strictly as I can).  Keep your head up, stay alert, take all the precautions, but don't let the fear take over.  We're gonna get through this together.  I'm here for anyone who wants to talk!

Stay safe, everyone.  Check in with the people around you.  Love y'all so much!