Walking the Freedom Trail at ADA 2015

This was, hands down, the most fun industry-sponsored activity I did in while in Boston for the 75th ADA Scientific Sessions. Thanks, J&J.

We walked on cobblestone streets, passed cannoli bakeries and Italian restaurants wafting garlic butter in the streets. Fresh air, blue skies, the sunshine. They are all rare commodities at conferences. Usually, days are spent in windowless rooms. If you’re lucky you get to spend your evening in a nice restaurant. Rarely do you get an opportunity to see any of the city you’ve traveled too.

The walk was an abbreviated version of The Freedom Trail. We stopped at the Paul Revere House, Old North Church, Old State House, and Faneuil Hall. Each place was striking in its beauty and scale–even when surrounded by skyscrapers.

At each stop, we had a discussion question about life with diabetes. I’m paraphrasing…

  • What can you do to improve your interactions with your doctor? What can the doctor do?
  • How do you handle the challenge of being in a social situation that isn’t necessarily friendly to your dietary needs?
  • Have you ever felt embarrassed, guilty, or maybe even hid your diabetes? How do you get past those emotions?
  • Why does the gap between Type 1 and Type 2 persist? How can we bridge that gap?

The questions sparked some lively conversations. However the paradox did not escape me: even on The Freedom Trail, we can never truly be free from managing diabetes in our lives.