Yes, She Can Eat That. 10 Things You Should Know About Living With Type 1 Diabetes.

3

world diabetes day

Just over three years ago I became a pancreas. Yes, you heard me right, a pancreas.

My daughter Emma was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when she was 3 years old. This meant that my husband and I now needed to add being our daughter’s vital organ to our list of ever growing parental roles. In these three short (but honestly it feels like eternity sometimes) years, I have debunked many myths and stereotypes about type 1 diabetes. What I quickly learned is that there are many common misconceptions about people living with this disease. I honestly don’t mind the questions because it gives me a chance to share our story as well as educate those who don’t know much about the disease.

So, in honor of National Diabetes Awareness month, here are 10 things you should know about my daughter and type 1 diabetes.

1. Type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes are not the same thing.
I have to believe that this is probably the most common misunderstanding surrounding diabetes in general. When people think of diabetes they think of type 2 diabetes, which is a preventable disease that can be reversed with lifestyle changes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease where ones own immune system destroys the cells within the pancreas that produce insulin. There is no way of preventing this disease and there is no cure.

2. Nothing we (or my daughter) did caused this disease.
At this time, there is nothing that can be done to prevent type 1 diabetes. We are often asked “did she eat a lot of sugar” or “did she drink a lot of juice”. The answer to both of these questions is no, Emma actually never drank juice until she was diagnosed.

3. Is she overweight?
I get that in most people’s minds diabetes = being overweight because of the the growing type 2 diabetes epidemic, but the opposite is true for most people with type 1 diabetes. My daughter was underweight and not growing; this is typical for people with type 1 diabetes.

4. She needs insulin to survive.
Since Emma’s own body is attacking the cells that create insulin, she needs to receive insulin by other means. Type 1 diabetes is life threatening, insulin is her life support.

These are the supplies we use every day to manage type 1 diabetes!
These are the supplies we use every day to manage type 1 diabetes.

5. Yes, she can eat that.
It is always interesting being at a birthday party and watching Emma chow down on a piece of cake only to be met with eyes of people looking at me like I am crazy for letting her have a sweet! Type 1 diabetes doesn’t mean you have to be on a strict diet regimen like type 2 diabetes. Instead, Emma can eat any type of food she would like, within moderation, just like any other child. We just have and extra step of counting carbohydrates and accommodating by giving insulin for anything she eats.

6. She will outgrow that right?
I wish, but unfortunately no.

For Emma and our family, an insulin pump helps makes type 1 diabetes management a little easier!
For Emma and our family, an insulin pump helps makes type 1 diabetes management a little easier!

7. She wears cool “gadgets” to keep her alive.
It is OK if you ask about Emma’s insulin pump! She has to wear it twenty four hours a day and seven days a week. It is OK if your child is curious and wants to know why we have to pick her fingers 8-10 a day to check her blood glucose. That thing that beeps when we are at the movies, dance class, or at school? It is just her continuous glucose monitor checking her blood glucose to make sure it is staying within a safe range. I thank modern medicine and technology for these devices every day!

8. With diet and exercise it will go away right?
No. Most people with type 1 diabetes are otherwise healthy and active. Exercise is great for controlling high blood glucose but when my daughter has too much activity it can actually cause very dangerous low blood glucose as well. It is a very tricky balance. And, there is no magical pill she can take to control it either.

9. Please don’t call her “diabetic”.
The term seriously irks me for some reason. Diabetes is a PART of who she is but does not DEFINE who she is.

10. She is a normal, happy, healthy, little girl living with type 1 diabetes!
Type 1 diabetes is a lot of work, but with the proper management and medical oversight, Emma (and any other person) living with type 1 diabetes will lead healthy, active, and fulfilling lives!

Emma and her friends at her schools Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Kids Walk.  The school not only raised over $3,000 for type 1 diabetes they also raised awareness!
Emma and her friends at her schools Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Kids Walk. The school not only raised over $3,000 for type 1 diabetes they also raised awareness!
Previous articleFavorite Things Moms’ Night Out {Tickets on Sale Now!}
Next articleWaiting for A Gift of Hope
Jenn Foster
After spending a lot of time and money on an undergrad and masters degree, I realized that the only thing I wanted to be when I grew up was a momma. Three beautiful girls later; Emma (7), Sophie (4), and Madelyn (2), my husband Geoff and I have been married for 13 years and are happy to have planted our family in Fairfax, Vermont. My journey as a mother had been fairly typical until my oldest daughter was diagnosed with type 1 juvenile diabetes in August of 2011 when she was 3 years old. I recently took on a part time position with JDRF, an organization that funds type 1 diabetes research and also provides advocacy. Being a "work from home" mom with three kids under foot is going to be a whole new journey!

3 COMMENTS

  1. Very nice article, I will bookmarked it and come back here again, thank you for sharing 🙂

    Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong disease, but also a manageable disease, For most patients, type 1 diabetes can be successfully controlled by following a proper diet and increasing daily physical activities, The diet should consist mainly of vegetables, fiber rich foods and fruits, Junk food should be strictly avoided, Eat four to six small meals or snacks each day instead of three big meals, and Exercise at least an hour or two a day.

    • I feel like the worst blogger right now! How did I miss your comment as well (this is the second one I noticed I did not reply to)! Thank you for asking though! Emma started to drink a TON, wetting her pants, she was incredibly moody, and wasn’t gaining much weight. All of those combined are what led us to taking her in. Key was the peeing a lot. That is what made me seal the deal on bringing her in. I thought she had a UTI!

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here