The 12th Day of Diabadass: Meet Libby
Because Libby Russell is one of the greatest creatives we know, we thought we'd hand the mic (or, in this case, keyboard) over to her! Here's the ultimate how-to-be-a-diabadass, according to Libby.
My name is Libby, I’m 30 years old, and I live in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, with my fiancé, Sean, and our cat, Hendricks. We’ve been here for almost 4 years and love it with our whole hearts! I grew up in Maine with a slightly younger brother; our parents are superstars, who provided nothing but the best childhood imaginable. A lot of playing outside, dogs, cleats and shinguard-filled mudrooms, and all-around fun. My brother was born with a major heart problem that required immediate surgery, so my parents are professionals at incredibly shocking health scare news about their kids. They don’t panic, and that’s the most important thing I’ve learned from them. Their approach has always been, “Is it livable? Yep. Alright, then let’s go out there and live!” It’s a refreshingly optimistic way to go about things, and it makes it hard to wallow around feeling sorry for myself.
It's All Rainbows & Unicorns 🌈💯
Managing my diabetes has been a slowly evolving process. Because I was diagnosed during a time when a lot of life was happening, it admittedly took me a few years to come to terms with everything. When I graduated college, I had a big conversation with myself. I was frustrated that I couldn’t find a single peer to bond with over this disease because marketing and doctors had led me to believe there were only elderly people and young kids living with diabetes, and I was frustrated that everything about diabetes was archaic.
Nothing was aesthetically pleasing to have hanging around in my purse, and I wasn’t exactly proud to pull out a test kit that looked like something I conjured up from 1972. I realized that part of why I was still so private about my diabetes, was because there was nothing about it that made me feel proud or empowered. It just made me feel embarrassed and like a liability to myself and others.
I've Got The Shugs
So, I started blogging. I went to the Internet to talk about how antiquated the entire world of diabetes was, and that the providers and items that were supposed to help us were so out of date that as a young woman trying to find her way in the world, it was all really holding me back. There was no community, no solidarity, no sense of humor, nothing. I called the blog “I Have The Sugars” after an SNL bit by Kristen Wiig that made me pee my pants laughing. From that moment onward, everything changed. It's my greatest accomplishment. I feel like I have provided a platform for young women (and men!) where they feel safe, heard, empowered and comfortable with their diabetes, and I would have done anything to have that as a teenager!
But Wait, There's More!
After I started The Sugars, I noticed a few other brands pop up that had the exact same thought that I did, “Diabetes stuff is really boring and ugly, let’s fix it!” Myabetic being one of the first ones I remember. Then, when One Drop came around, I was ecstatic. I used to decorate my test kit pouches with nail polish and ribbon to make them less ugly, and now...I have nothing to hide with One Drop.
Lessons Learned
Diabetes has taught me how to love and honor myself. In high school and college, I was cruel to myself. Said horrible things, hated my body, complained about my appearances and my abilities. Now, I truly love how strong and resilient I am. I think I’m beautiful and tough. I don’t look at diabetes as a part of my body having “failed” me, I try to look at it as, “You’re playing a man down, you need to step up the hustle and protect yourself with everything you’ve got.”