Much has changed since I started this blog on September 11, 2013. My nonfiction grad school cohort can tell you how much I didn’t want to write about diabetes for my MFA thesis – the book that became the start to this blog. And in the six years since I’ve been diagnosed, I am still learning new things about myself with this disease.

I wanted to share those experiences with the world and contribute to a community of Type 1s. And maybe I wanted to prove to myself that I could manage life given this short end of the stick. What I didn’t expect when I started this blog back in 2013 was where it would take me and what kind of content my readers would inspire me to write.

I cannot tell you much I value your readership and support these past two years. You are the reason I keep this blog going. You are the reason I continue to write. And although this blog has kept me writing and contributing to this online community, I must now re-focus my priorities and take what little time I have to write to devote to other publishing opportunities.

So I will be taking a break from this blog. I’m not sure how long the break will be, but I wanted you to know how much I appreciate your readership and how much I value the conversations I’ve had with those of you who have reached out through this blog. Thank you for listening and contributing to my tales.

This blog and its community has now become such an integral part of my life that I can’t imagine giving it up forever, but I recognize that in order to complete other writing projects on my plate, I must use the time I usually reserve for this blog to focus my efforts elsewhere.

Speaking of time, much has also changed since I wrote “Failing DC” almost a month ago. Thank you again to those of you who reached out after I posted this blog. I was surprised that this post did so well in terms of readership – maybe because we are all going through transitions and it’s not always clear what path we should be on.

But I admit since I wrote that post that I am much happier. I now have a community of support and friendship in the DC area and finally feel a sense of belonging at my job and in my personal ventures. I recently got a promotion so all that hard work was not in vain.

Just this past week, I was sitting around a table with fellow Type 1 diabetics and those connected to T1D who had also volunteered to help with JDRF’s DC Hope Gala this November. And I remembered why I do this. It’s not just about educating others about the disease but advocating for a life without it — a world where children do not have to inject themselves with insulin to live.

While giving back, I’ve started dating again. In fact I have already been in communication with a few different guys in the past few weeks, both from the natural and online realm. And unlike my previous experiences with dating here, these men seem decent, responsible, and stable.

I also realize as much as my confidence and stability have improved in the past month, I am also okay exploring different options, both in terms of dating and other commitments. I do not have certain expectations, and I’m trying to do what works best for me and makes me happy.

And I am also aware of my own limitations. In fact this past week, I could feel the anxiety building because I had overcommitted myself, was operating on little sleep, and feeling torn in multiple different directions. But before the anxiety could escalate to a full-on panic attack, I took a step back, told myself to breathe, and thought about five things I currently had going in my life that I valued.

That list didn’t stop at five. I was surprised at how many things I was thankful for or looking forward to. No wonder I had no time to myself. And no wonder each week has been full of new exciting and wonderful endeavors. I finally felt like a strong, social, single 28-year-old woman. And I was happy.

But if I have learned anything in the past year, it’s that life is replete of ups and downs. And sometimes we must endure a lot of downs before we can feel full and stable. Sometimes it just takes time. But after a year and half in this city, I finally feel like I have built a foundation. And I only continue to grow. I am excited for tomorrow. I am excited for Monday. I am excited for next weekend. I am stressed by all that I have put on my plate but also exhilarated.

And yet I still feel like a lone survivor. I still don’t have a lot of close friends in the area. I still don’t have that special someone waiting for me when I get home (unless you count Norm). But I’m no longer bothered by it. I have enough social opportunity to keep me satisfied, and when I look at my life and all that I’ve surpassed, I think I’m doing okay.

This blog has also helped with that. So thank you again for your invaluable readership and support. Be on the lookout for my next book, but in the meantime, I will leave you with Sugarcoated’s 10 most-read blog posts since its inception in 2013. And thank you for reading.

1. ‘Never Have I Ever’ Too: Growing Up Perpetually Single
2. Failing DC
3. Eden: Back to Where I Started
4. Show Me Your Pump
5. All The Pretty Girls
6. The Ones Who Survive
7. Diabulimia: A Personal Struggle With Body Image and Diabetes
8. I Am a Rose of Sharon
9. What I Need to Remember: Love is Real
10. I Swing Alone: A Diabetic’s Confession