MelissaBL's Page

Hello, friends. I would like to tell you a little about myself and how I found my way here. I am newly married to a wonderful man named Kevin. We live together in a suburb of Dallas, Texas with our two dogs and two cats. We're in an apartment, but we're saving for a house. Both contractors in our respective fields of work, insurance is a hot-button item for us.

For a living, I teach private voice lessons. I don't know if you've ever met a private music teacher, but we are an interesting breed. I teach singing fundamentals, but I am also an entertainer, counselor, personal trainer, and friend to my teenage clients. Somehow I end up at all their birthday parties and they ended up in my wedding. I live for it.

I am in the personal struggle of pre-conception - trying to get my A1C down below that magic 6.0 marker so that I can participate in the baby race. My friends are all pregnant or have kids already and I am dealing with resentment and depression about it and trying not to be pissy.

I've always been very private as a diabetic. Everyone knows that I have it - friends, colleagues, students - but no one actually knows how I feel about it, which is why I've joined here and begun a blog. I'm inspired by the people here who put their experiences out there so people like me finally understand we're not alone. I feel embarrassed over all the things I've handled poorly trying to do it all on my own, but I am born again here and want to be a better ambassador for the condition - which I rarely call a disease.

I don't care that much about a cure. Even as a kid, I accepted that diabetes was not a new condition and that it was infinitely complex. But nevertheless, I grow excited about technological advancements that might help people with diabetes live longer and better lives. If there ever is a cure, I will be overjoyed, but I grow weary of talking about it like it's just around the corner.

I am liberal, creative, curious, and overtly maternal. I love to cook. I hate doing laundry. I nag. I am obsessively organized...most of the time. I am a secular humanist, a comedian, a singer, writer, and performer. I love Coach bags. I love my Tivo, my iPhone, and my Roomba. I test my blood sugar 10 times a day. I am verbose to a fault. I am opinionated. I am quick to apologize. I was an English major and a Music major. I am still proud of the fact that I graduated in the top 1% of my class. That doesn't mean I don't say or do stupid things...like leave my insulin in Germany and get on a train for the Czech Republic. I am bossy, but kind. I love people, especially all kinds. :) And I like color (in case you couldn't tell).