For Anyone Who’s Been Through It

Congrats @lauren_cox15!

I’ve been through it.

That’s how I’d describe myself, more than anything, both as a player and as a person: As someone who has fought real battles in their life.

As someone who’s faced off against adversity, and not just survived — but thrived.

I know that this next step in my journey, playing professional basketball in the WNBA, will be a demanding one. I know that it’s going to be like nothing I’ve ever experienced before — a brand new challenge at the highest level. But while the challenge itself will be a new one for me, the concept of overcoming challenges won’t.

Because like I said: I’ve been through it. When I was seven years old, I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. I was too young at the time to fully understand the gravity of my condition, but what I understood right away was the grind that comes with treating it. It’s the grind of knowing that every day, throughout the day, whether I feel up to it or not — my diabetes is a part of me.

Wake up. Test your blood sugar before breakfast. Take a shot for what you ate for breakfast. Test again two hours later. Test again before lunch. Take a shot for what you ate for lunch. Test again two hours later. Test again before dinner. Take a shot for what you ate for dinner. Test again two hours later. And that’s just the minimum. Any symptoms — that’s another test. If I test low, that means I have to get some sugar. Test high, that means another shot. And then repeat everything all over again the next day.

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