I Wish ...

Most of you probably know that my baby girl (who isn't such a little girl anymore, even though I keep telling her to stop growing up. Kids never listen!) has Type 1 Diabetes. Since November is Diabetes Awareness Month, I thought I'd take a moment to tell you what I wish everyone, including many medical professionals, knew about diabetes. Since I'm not comfortable with putting my children's full names on the internet, we shall refer to my daughter as Bean, even though she hates that nickname. :)

I wish everyone knew, and then remembered, the different types of diabetes.

Type 1 is an autoimmune disease. There is nothing that can be done to prevent Type 1, meaning that it WAS NOT caused by poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle. In Type 1, the pancreas no longer produces insulin, therefore a diabetic must always inject insulin, even if they were on a low carb diet. Someone with Type 1 can eat everything that is a part of a normal healthy diet, including fruit and sweets. We don't restrict what Bean eats; we want her to feel like every other child out there. However, certain sugary things like soda pop and candy leave her system before the insulin does, which can lead to low blood sugars, so we do avoid those as much as possible, but so should everyone!

Bean WILL NOT grow out of Type 1. Until there is a cure, Type 1 is with you for LIFE. Type 1 can also develop in adulthood, as my sister-in-law found out this past year. This is called Adult Onsest (technically LADA) and the progression is slower than when Type 1 develops in children, which means patients will not need to inject as much insulin. Some people are calling LADA Type 1.5, and it is often misdiagnosed as Type 2. If the recently-diagnosed adult is within a healthy weight and lives a healthy lifestyle, it is most likely LADA.

While Bean wears an insulin pump so she doesn't have to do several injections per day, she does still have to poke her fingers to check her blood sugar about 8 times per day. The insulin pump has a small cannula that goes under her skin, but not into a vein, and this needs changed every 3 days, which means yet another poke. Poor Bean is a pincushion. (But don't feel sorry for her; she hates being fussed over!)

She wears her insulin pump in a SpiBelt, which works perfectly for us. She puts it around her waist and it stays hidden under her clothes. I'm working with her to feel more comfortable showing her pump, but she's not ready to be as bold as Miss Idaho, who started the social media campaign #showmeyourpump   

Sierra Sanderson bravely wore her pump attached to her bikini bottom during the Miss Idaho swimuit competition, stating that "We all have something that doesn't 'measure up' to the beauty standards set by the media--and that is okay! It does not make you any less beautiful."

Other lucky Type 1ers have Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems (CGM), which gives you a constant reading of your blood sugar, giving you better control of your diabetes. It will warn you of low blood sugars, which can prevent you from passing out, but our insurance says that a CGM is not a medical necessity. Whatevs. The drawback is that it requires another weekly poke, as well as a transmitter that sticks to your skin. It's not a perfect solution, but it's something.

Nick Jonas showing his CGM. Just so you know that he's not posing like this to show off his 6 pack: CGMs and Insulin Pumps are most commonly inserted on the stomach or upper buttocks. Be grateful he put it on his stomach for this photoshoot. Ha.

Next up:

Type 2 is most the most common kind of diabetes, and it is mostly found in adults. Their bodies still produce insulin, but the insulin is no longer effect due to years of overuse (making your body produce ample amounts of insulin to cover the carbs your body is eating, and then not burning off through exercise.) Type 2 CAN be managed through diet and exercise, but if oral medications and a lifestyle change don't work, insulin injections will be needed. Someone with Type 2 will not eat high carb foods, including many fruits. It is because of Type 2 that we have "jokes" like "I just opened a can of diabetes."

People with Type 2 do not need your judgement. They do not need your criticism. They do not need "I told you so." They need compassion. They need understanding.

Don't we all do things that we know aren't good for us? 

You don't know what physical limitations, injuries, mental illness, or other challenges they may have. 

What they need is your support and friendship. Instead of saying, "Oh yeah, you can't eat this" and then eating cheesecake in front of them, you should follow their lead and restrict some of your indulgences too. Start an exercise program with them and help them stick to it. Buy them a dog so they have to take the dog for daily walks. (Maybe ask for permission first.)

It is good to know that, with your help and their motivation, Type 2 doesn't have to mean poor quality of life and severe medical complications. It doesn't have to be an epidemic.

I'm not going to go into Gestational Diabetes since this post is already PLENTY long. But wait! I'm not done! There's more!

I wish you knew what the symptoms of diabetes are so that you can be an advocate for your loved ones when you feel that something isn't right. Medical professionals can miss the signs and not diagnosis it quick enough, as we saw in a tragic case out of Utah this past year. Our doctor, too, did not diagnosis it, and instead thought that Bean had something wrong with her kidneys. I knew he was wrong and went out and bought a meter and checked her blood sugar myself. It's so simple to check blood sugars; why isn't it done more frequently? You should check blood sugar if you/ your loved one has:

•  "Fruity" smelling breath

• Frequent urination

• Unquenchable thirst

• Rapid weight loss

• Fatigue

• Nausea

I personally think every family should have a meter to check blood sugars occasionally. They are cheap (test strips aren't cheap, however, but you don't need many) and it doesn't hurt to know your blood sugar range. (It doesn't hurt figuratively; literally, it does hurt, but just a little.) You should run somewhere between about 70-130, depending on how recently you have eaten.

I wish you knew that people with Type 1 can do anything, accomplish anything, and be anything. Movie stars, ballerinas, skiers, basketball players: you name it! Type 1 is not a death sentence: you can live a normal, long, healthy life!

I wish you knew how lucky we are to have found THE BEST medical support staff that can be found anywhere, even though we live in a small community. Finding medical professionals who specialize in diabetes, not just endocrinology, makes all the difference in the world.

I wish you knew how brave and tough Bean is. She never complains. She never lets it stop her. She never makes a fuss when she's weak and shaky from a low blood sugar. She just quietly eats her snack and then goes back to being an active, healthy kid. She doesn't let her diabetes define her.

I wish you knew what a difference it makes seeing other people courageously live with diabetes. When Bean was diagnosed (just before her 4th birthday), I was not scared and worried because I had seen my sister calmly, successfully, and diligently learn how to care for her son, who was diagnosed with diabetes when he was just 18 months old. A positive attitude makes a huge difference!

I wish you knew that even though I would never wish an illness on anyone, Bean's diabetes gives us time to connect, grow together, and learn compassion for others who struggle with challenges. You can find beauty in every trial if you only look.

I wish you knew that remarkable advances toward The Cure are made every year. We are excited about the future. You can help by donating to the JDRF. Click here to find out more.