header-btn

Spotlight Story Program: Rachel Mayo’s Story

Meet Rachel Mayo

As a university freshman, Rachel was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, and it changed her way of way. But Rachel decided to take her new diagnosis and not just better her life, but motivate others with T1D to do the same. And she’s been doing that across the United States ever since. Plus…we’re thrilled Rachel will keep working with InvisiYouth as 2018 continues.

I grew up full of energy, always going from one thing to the next, without a need to hit the “slow down” button.

As a freshman in college, when it started to require more and more energy to do basic things, like walk to class, sit through class, even, I began to worry a little. Why did I need a three-hour nap after my 50-minute English class, when just months before, I was fine getting only 50 minutes of sleep every night?

“Worried” probably isn’t even the right word. I just noticed the difference. Since my mom worked for a general physician, I decided to get a general check-up. I figured my hormones were just out of whack, and as soon as I was relieved of the stress of my semester and moved back home for the summer, I would return to normal.

It’s no surprise that was not the cure for whatever was wrong with me. (That would make for an awfully boring story, don’t you think?) The day after my last final of my freshman year, I went to the doctor, and was told that if what they suspected was right, that there was no cure for whatever was wrong with me.

The next day, at 7:15 am, I went to see an endocrinologist, they drew blood, and after several anxiety-filled minutes of waiting, It was confirmed. I had Type 1 Diabetes (T1D).

There is no cure.

I would have to take insulin for the rest of my life.

I was mostly shocked.

Not necessarily angry, but I was sad. Confused. Full of questions. But for the most part, I was okay.

Three days later, I was at the mall with my mom and sister, and we had put our shopping on hold to refuel. (Eat lunch.)

At the food court, over my chicken sandwich and the Diet Coke I was still trying to learn to love, I broke down. I’m talking crocodile tears pouring down my face. I had every emotion running through my veins at that moment and I felt completely out of control.

That’s when I decided that the best way for me to deal with this disease would be to help other people deal with this disease. I had no idea what that looked like at the time, as I still had no idea how to handle my diagnosis. But I knew I could tackle it, and I knew I wanted to use it to help others.

Fast forward and I know what that looks like now. I have spent the last year traveling and speaking to different groups with T1D around the world, helping them to navigate this disease with a positive spirit.

I use social media to share pictures and videos of my life with T1D. I share my victories, my frustrations, and try my hardest to let others with T1D know they are not alone in what they go through.

I also love to educate those without T1D about the difficulties of living with this disease. Since T1D is an invisible illness, it is easy for others to overlook the constant inner battle we fight every day.

While this disease does not define me, it is a very big part of me, and has helped shape me into the person I am today. And if I may be so frank, I really like the person I am today. The person I am today is brave, even when it’s frightening, is adventurous, even when it takes work, and is gracious, even with herself.

But it took work to get there. What has helped me the most is using my story to help others. It is so therapeutic to lay down all of my battle scars for others to see and realize that they have friends who are in the trenches with them.

The community of people I have surrounded myself with has been crucial. I love getting on twitter and conversing with my #DOC (Diabetes Online Community) friends.

It’s like walking into my own special little T1D world where everyone is willing to give you advice when you need it, or just let you vent when you don’t. It’s not weird when I say “my blood sugar got so low my tongue went numb” or “I got a unicorn today!”

My T1D community has truly been life changing for me.

I don’t want it to sound like I have it all figured out and I am completely okay. I’m not. I get burned out. I get angry. I cry so hard I start to hyperventilate.

But that is okay. I have permission to do that, and once I figured that out, it got easier for me to get through those times. It’s okay to feel those things! But it’s not a healthy spot to set up camp.

What I want, more than anything, is for people with chronic illnesses, to understand that they can do anything. Absolutely anything. And YES it might be difficult, but it is so very worth it.

This past year alone I went skydiving, ran a half-marathon, visited 24 states, and five countries including UAE, Mexico, and three countries in Africa.

“I could never do that,” is what I heard from many of my T1D friends after every new adventure. It breaks my heart every time I hear that.

YES YOU CAN! There’s a strategy for everything, and there is nothing this disease can prevent you from doing.

Find a community that lifts you up. Get rid of the negative people, words, and elements in your life. Take baby steps. Look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself how brave you are. Tell yourself you can do anything. And if you still doubt yourself, find me, and I will tell you.

You can do anything. I believe in you.