On Tuesday (July 1), I flew to Florida to attend MasterLab which was on Wednesday. This day of advocacy by Diabetes Hands Foundation occurred at the Friends for Life convention in Orlando, FL. Let me start by saying that I was beyond excited to be offered a scholarship to attend (see disclaimer below). I would not have been able to attend without it. After the initial excitement, I started the planning stage. I have to admit that I started to freak out a bit. The last time I flew was June 2001. Yes, before 9/11 and all the strict TSA security rules. I started reading up on these rules. The night before I left I dealt with a bad thunderstorm and insomnia. My stomach was a mess that morning.
All went well with my first ever taxi ride and as I went through security. I admit that I closed my eyes and prayed as we took off. Overall the flight wasn’t bad though we had a little turbulence here and there. I started to concentrate on MasterLab and my DOC friends who would be there. We landed in Orlando and I made my way to the shuttle that would take me to the hotel.
As I approached the van, there was someone waving in the window with a big smile. The van door opened, and I heard, “SUE!” How exciting it was to see Kim (the one waving), Rachel, and Kerri. What was even more exciting, more than recognizing them right away, was that they recognized me. ME? Kerri and Kim are big names in the DOC. But me? I almost started crying!
The rest of the evening was spent connecting with online friends as if we were long-time face-to-face friends and getting to know so many other wonderful people. It didn’t matter if we were Type 1, Type 2, or Type 3. We were all friends with a common mission – to advocate and educate until a cure can be found.
(Sue & Kate from The Type 2 Experience at MasterLab)
During MasterLab, I got to meet so many wonderful people. I was excited to have at my table people like Kate, Aliza, and Karen. As I sat next to the wonderful Cherise, I asked if I could get a picture with her. She enthusiastically said yes. Both of us used our phones to get selfies to post online. The picture she posted on Twitter of us included the caption, “from strangers to friends.”
From strangers to friends. I miss you, my friends. Until we meet again…
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Disclaimer: I was offered a scholarship by the Diabetes Hands Foundation as part of my participation in the Diabetes Advocates program to attend the MasterLab. My conference fee, travel, and hotel were covered by the scholarship, but the opinions and ideas I will report on are my own.
