The Cost of My Life
“Burden”.
If you spend any time exploring posts or talking to people who live with T1D, I can bet that you have read/heard someone refer to themselves as a burden. I’ve felt this way about myself many times since my diagnosis. I’ve had multiple conversations with my grandmother about instances where she truly felt like her T1D was burdening the lives of those around her. I recognize that many of the times that we are feeling this way, we are overthinking things...but we aren’t always.
In fact, despite knowing that we are only burdening others around us occasionally, the financial burden of living with T1D is constant and can create a very harsh reality for many families.
I have been fortunate enough to live a privileged life when it comes to my healthcare. In fact, until recently I was really blind to the crisis that is the cost to maintain life for a person with Type One Diabetes. I always knew that my medication was expensive. I can remember being at the beach with my family and realizing I didn’t have any insulin with me. I had already filled my prescriptions for the month so my dad had to pay out of pocket....roughly $600. If he had opted to not pay this, I would have likely been hospitalized within 24 hours.
On Wednesday, I watched Season 2, Episode 2 of The Resident. In this episode, a young girl is caught stealing insulin from the hospital that the show is based in. When the NP finds her, she is unconscious and in DKA. She is then put on a ventilator and fighting for her life...
...all because she was uninsured and her mother could not afford her daughter’s life saving medication.
Now, I realize that this is a fictional TV show. However, there is so much truth and accuracy to this episode.
I ended it in tears.
Below is the cost of my life if I were to pay out of pocket...
1 year supply of Dexcom G6 sensors: $4,188
1 year supply of Dexcom G6 transmitters: $1,040
1 year supply of BD needles: $1,212
1 year supply of Short-Acting Insulin (Fiasp) $6,720
1 year supply of Long-Acting Insulin (Lantus): $10,296
Rough Estimate Yearly Total: $23,456
Y’all….this is JUST the cost to support me medically. This is without rent, utilities, food, etc. This is how much it costs to merely keep me alive out of pocket. For some people, the price is worse. My dad requires more insulin than I do considering he is a grown man and I am a petite female.
His cost is even higher.
This rough estimate yearly total is ignoring the cost of pre-cautionary care and any of the complications that can/do also come along with T1D (infections, hospital visits, endocrinology check ups, etc.).
How truly sad, inhumane, and DISGUSTING that this is the brutal reality that SOOOO many people face.
I urge you to pray for the people making decisions about the cost of our lives.
I urge you to pray for change and fight for it.
All My Love,
Teg