For the first two weeks of Diabetes Awareness Month, I’m responding to prompts provided by Beyond Type 1 on Twitter (and I’ll post a couple longer responses here). Today’s prompt encourages us to give a shout out to a healthcare provider who has made a difference in our lives. I’m not disclosing the name of my endo for privacy purposes, but that doesn’t diminish the amount of gratitude I have for her.

Dear Endocrinologist,

Thank you.

Thank you for always listening to me during our appointments.

Thank you for making me feel heard and never laughing at the problems I brought up that I thought were stupid or embarrassing.

Thank you for never making me feel bad about my A1c.

Thank you for reminding me that my A1c is just a number, and I’m worth more than what that value represents.

Thank you for motivating me to take better care of myself after every appointment I have with you.

Thank you for being patient with me.

Thank you for inspiring me to try new technology, and not judging me when I used to express my fears about abandoning the known for the unknown.

Thank you for asking me questions, in an effort to make sure you fully understood my thoughts and feelings about my health.

Thank you for being you.

Sincerely,

Molly