My name is Hira Khan, and I have been living with type 1 diabetes for 18 years. As a psychologist, I strive to be a strong and valuable member of the diabetes community, promoting emotional well-being and helping others to live happy and healthy lives. I want to share my experiences and the lessons I’ve learned along the way, demonstrating that life can still be sweet and fulfilling, even in the face of diabetes.
Chapter 1: Unexpected Turns
Life doesn’t always follow our plans, and I learned this firsthand when I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. The news brought forth feelings of disappointment, fear, and anxiety, making me believe that my aspirations in education and career were no longer attainable. However, during that challenging time, my father became my unwavering support. He took care of my insulin, and medical tests, and provided emotional strength, hoping I would follow in his footsteps as a doctor.
Chapter 2: Coping with Loss
Just as I began navigating my life with diabetes, tragedy struck. My father passed away suddenly, leaving my family and me devastated. This loss plunged me into severe mental stress, compounded by the fact that nobody in my family was aware of my diabetes. My mother’s insulin became my lifeline, but with a sick mother and younger siblings to care for, I faced an immense responsibility alone.
Chapter 3: Lessons from a father
Amidst my struggles, I once asked my father how I could live a life with diabetes? With love and wisdom, he reassured me that “time would be my teacher”. He explained that time teaches us through hardships, and it is our responsibility to find ease within them. These words became my guiding light.
Chapter 4: Endurance and Survival
From the age of 19, I learned to endure the hardships that life threw at me. Regardless of days or nights, rain or sunshine, my focus was solely on the survival of my family. However, I also recognized the importance of my own survival and emotional well-being, which depended on managing my insulin and self care.
Chapter 5: Hidden Struggles
Organizations I approached for work often rejected me, citing concerns about my ability to work with diabetes. Some suggested that I should stay home, believing that people with diabetes should not be seen in public. Despite facing bullying and stigma, I persevered. I cried, but I showed up for interviews the next day. I felt compelled to hide my condition from the world, and so I lived a vigilant and secretive life, concealing the countless challenges I faced managing my diabetes.
Chapter 6: Breaking the Silence
Living in secrecy left me feeling detached from my true self. In 2018, I joined the WhatsApp group “Meethi Zindagi” in search of support and understanding. However, my fear and silence prevented me from fully engaging in conversations and events. The trauma of rejection, stigma, bullying, and discrimination silenced me, making it difficult to share my diabetes journey.
Chapter 7: Embracing Diabetes
My journey as a psychologist allowed me to embrace my condition and address the associated trauma. Alongside, I found solace in Allah’s guidance, filling the gaps within me. Reflecting on my past, tears of joy and overwhelming emotions overcame me. I realized that my difficult journey had become easier, and the destination was reached with surprising ease.
Chapter 8: The Sweetness of Life
Today, I am grateful to Allah for granting me an understanding of diabetes and the strength to overcome its challenges. Diabetes has taught me emotional stability and resilience in the face of burnout. Rather than viewing it as a burden, I see my diabetes as a source of support and wisdom, allowing me to understand my own journey and extend a helping hand to others.
Chapter 9: Meethi Zindagi
My passion to work for the diabetes community grew by leaps and bounds. Meethi Zindagi is the platform that provided me a safe haven to meet peers and learn from them, share my feelings, emotions, and eventually become a diabetes advocate. I am in love with the community and passionate to advocate and spread awareness in public so that no one can struggle like me and lose precious years of life in darkness.
Chapter 10: Spreading Sweetness
After embracing my own journey with diabetes, I realized the importance of spreading awareness and support to others. As a psychologist, I dedicated myself to helping individuals in the diabetes community live a happy and healthy life. Through my work, I aim to break down the stigma and barriers associated with diabetes, advocating for acceptance, and understanding. I want to empower individuals to embrace their condition and find sweetness in their lives, just as I have.
Epilogue:
As I reflect on my life’s journey, I am filled with gratitude for the lessons I’ve learned and the strength I’ve gained from living with diabetes. It has taught me resilience, compassion, and the importance of emotional well-being. I am no longer defined by my condition, but rather, I embrace it as an integral part of my identity. Life may have taken unexpected turns, but I have found sweetness amidst the challenges. I am committed to supporting and uplifting others in the diabetes community, spreading the message that life can indeed be sweet with diabetes.
mMy autobiography is a testament to the fact that life can still be sweet and fulfilling, even with diabetes. By accepting, understanding, and embracing my condition, I have found resilience, strength, and the ability to lead a happy and healthy life. My experiences have shaped me into an advocate for emotional well-being within the diabetes community, spreading the message that well-being and support matters.
