Captain’s Log
Welcome aboard the Captain’s Log! This is where I chart the messy, meaningful path of managing diabetes, healing old wounds, and figuring out who I am along the way. Some posts will make you laugh, some might hit deep—and all of it is honest. Whether you’re on a similar journey or just curious, I’m glad you’re here.
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Diabetes and Addiction: Diet Soda Addiction
This is my first Sunday in a long time where the only things two drink in my room are water and milk.And for the first time in about four years, I’ve gone a whole week without drinking a Diet Pepsi. That might sound weak to some—like why couldn’t I do this sooner?But honestly, I’m only…
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Life With Diabetes: Diabetes Diagnosis
I was seven years old, and the day before I got sick was amazing. The kind of day that sits in your memory like a glowing snapshot, with loud engines, sticky air, family all around, and not a clue that life was about to change. We had gone to a drag race, and I remember…
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Diabetes and Addiction: When Coping Becomes Survival
Type 1 diabetes didn’t just change how I ate. It changed how I cope. This is the first post in a new weekly series where I document my battle with addiction and healing as a Type 1 diabetic. Every Sunday, I’ll share the ups and downs of quitting the things I used to rely on;…
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Life with Diabetes: Before My Diagnosis
I haven’t told you who I am yet. Not really.I’ve told you what’s been on my mind, and I’ve got some tips coming, but who am I? Well, I’m Christain Martell. Yes, that’s spelled right. I always say my name like the end of the word “Captain,” and that’s exactly how it sounds. But growing…
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The Curious Case of My Shifting Basal
It’s May in Arizona, technically spring, but this week? We’re in full monsoon vacation mode. Chilly winds, steady rain, and a temperature drop into the 50s. The desert looks confused… and so am I (but not for the usual reasons). Every time it gets cold like this, something familiar usually follows: I have to adjust…
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I Was Coping, Not Living
A rough week. A rough month. Honestly, a rough life lately. Will it change? I think it will. But first, let me tell you where I’ve been. A couple weeks ago, I almost lost a finger. A month ago, I was spiraling about my future. A couple months before that, I lost friends. I’m not…
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Life With Diabetes: The Story Behind the Series
Why? This series is for others to see how quickly life can change for a diabetic — and how it affects you even on the good days. I promised to paint a picture of diabetes, so here it is: this is my life with diabetes. I hope the people reading find grace, answers, and understanding.…
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CGM Lessons: Finding Balance in the Chaos
A CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor) is an amazing invention — truly a game-changer for diabetics. It lets us see what we were missing when we only checked our blood sugar with a meter. Though all those finger pricks and scars aren’t for nothing — (keep your meter!) — there’s something surprising I’ve learned from using…
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Winter Greetings From South Africa
Editor’s Note from Christian Martell (Pancreas On Vacation)I am incredibly honoured to introduce our very first guest writer: Joanne Joan Henning, also known as Lady Wolf Rose. She’s not only a brilliant artist and fellow Type One Diabetic — she’s also my partner. Her story is powerful, poetic, and raw, and it moved me deeply.This…
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The Sweetest Connection: Why Diabetics Loving Diabetics Might Just Be the Ultimate Power Couple Move
I was in the middle of my vacation, texting a diabetic who I’ve completely fallen for—not just because we both stab ourselves daily and drink water like it’s holy—but because of our mental similarities and shared struggles in this wild T1D life. She lives across the world, in the opposite time zone, but somehow her…