Craig’s Story

One of my favorite books in recent years is called ‘The Obstacle Is The Way’ written by Ryan Holiday. But even before I read that book, I always gravitated towards challenge for some odd reason. Growing up, I rarely took the easy way out. Instead, I believed it was the process of working at something, no matter how difficult it may have seemed on the surface, that energized me.

Looking back, maybe without realizing it, I was preparing for something.

At the age of 27, I experienced a sudden hearing loss, a leak developed behind the retina in my eye, and I lost 30 pounds in thirty days. The end result of that cascade of health issues was a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes and a week in the hospital to get my system in check.

It was in that hospital bed that a switch flipped for me. While I didn’t fully understand the impact this life-altering diagnosis would ultimately have on me, I did believe that if anyone was prepared to make the best of the situation, it was me.

While I would give up the medications and sharp objects my body accepts every day, I do believe that each finger stick and needle jab serves as a small life lesson. Life is filled with opportunities to become stronger, mentally as well as physically. If we adjust our mindset and our perspective, maybe we slowly develop the ability to learn and share our stories to help others in the process.

Craig Kasper