Everyone remembers me as the confident girl who threw ten house parties back to back. I drove to milwaukee on friday nights- to convince a college student to buy me vodka. That was my life. After parties I felt pins stabbing my stomach. All my energy drained, like water dripping out of a gutter. I took fifteen minute cat naps after breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I knew it wasn't a hangover because I felt the same way during the week when I wasn't drinking. I kept my pain a secret from my party people, I didn't want to lose my friends...

After two months of stabbing pain and sleepless nights I wanted to see a doctor. I went- waited...waited…and waited for my results. That morning I was diagnosed with diabetes. I thought to myself S***, I made myself sick. The doctor told me: “In order for you to feel well you need to cut ALL the sugar and carbs out of your life. You need to work out. You need a diet plan. Your drinking needs to end.” Mom and Dad didn't even pretend to care.

I was angry. I still kept my secret from my friends and I would only drink ¼ a bottle not half. But I kept feeling those pins stabbing me... I had to stop. I couldn't keep up with the girl the partiers thought I was. One by one the friends dwindled down, the party invites went from five a weekend to none. I was alone, angry, confused…

Then I met Mitchell. He is the most interesting person I have ever encountered. When I’m around him, it makes me feel as though every day was sunshine and never raining. He was the first person who didn't care that I didn't party or when the next one was. He liked the confident, funny, crazy girl on the inside too. He bought me a blood sugar tester,it's pink. He even offered to draw the test blood for me for the first time.

If Mitch hadn't stepped into my life, I would have lapsed back into drinking. Someone would have had to peel me off a baking sheet with a spatula. My parents continued to buy Cheezits, soda, and bread knowing I couldn't eat it. Mitch kept up on my diet, if I wanted ice cream he gave me carrots. If I wanted to lay on a sofa, we went boating. If I wanted to go to a party, he took me on dinner dates. When the people who I thought were my friends would say a mean things about me, “I can't believe we ever talked to her.” He would say ten good things. "Have I ever told you I love you?”

There's a lot that I cant change in my life. But I can try my best to make small improvements. I struggle with the urge to drink every day. It would be easier to take that shot and feel the warmth trickle down my throat then it would be to spend a friday night alone. Before I indulge myself to the idea of a drink I take a moment and think, my life is more important.