Category: Living

What Went Wrong (and Right) with Diabetes on Vacation

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Ahh, vacation…what’s that, again?

After the insanity of the entire month of August (I’ve had LOTS going on professionally and personal), I can’t believe that I actually escape for a full week earlier in the month. But I did, and I’m so very thankful that I had the opportunity to soak up some sun with my boyfriend and dog at the vacation spot I’ve visited annually most of my life.

Of course, they weren’t my only travel companions – my diabetes tagged along too, just as it always does (oh, if only I could do something about that). And my diabetes proved to me, once again, that it dislikes disruptions to my daily routine.

Me with one of my travel companions after a beachside stroll…peep the Dexcom!

In fact, that dislike manifested itself into several things that just straight-up went wrong with my diabetes on vacation:

  • Rollercoaster blood sugars: My blood sugar crashed 3x on the morning of our road trip to our vacation destination – THREE TIMES before we even got there! It got me worried that consistent lows would be a theme throughout the week, but naturally, it was actually highs that turned out to be more of a problem. My diet and exercise routine were wayyy out of whack from my norm, and I had trouble getting accurate carb counts for some of my meals (particularly dinners that we ate out at restaurants). I did my best to combat highs by walking EVERYWHERE – thank goodness that was an option for our plans most days – but I was still frustrated that I wasn’t experiencing as many flat lines as I would’ve liked on my CGM graph.
  • A pod failure: Our first full beach day was marred by a pod that failed, seemingly the instant that I dipped my toes into the Atlantic ocean. The roar of the waves almost drowned out the shrill beep emitting from my pod, but once I was back ashore there was no mistaking that something (a bent cannula? The freezing cold water? Some other mysterious variable?) had triggered the pod to fail. And as my luck would have it, I didn’t bring a new pod or insulin to the beach with me, so I decided to wait until we walked back to our house to actually do something about it. Under normal circumstances, I’d never delay replacing my pod, but since I knew we’d be walking back home soon I figured it’d be okay to wait.
  • A sensor failure: Our second and sadly last full beach day couldn’t be enjoyed without another diabetes disruption – this time, it was my sensor that failed, and only after we’d been on the beach for about an hour! While this matter wasn’t as urgent, it was still annoying, because I didn’t have my meter with me (ugh, I know, I sound like a total diabetes rookie here). I chose not to worry about it and make the most of our beach day, and rely on my body’s signals to let me know if I was going low.

Sounds like I had my fair share of diabetes drama on vacation, right? I can’t deny that these instances were varying degrees of frustrating, but also, I’d be remiss if I didn’t also consider all the things that went right while we were away:

  • I didn’t forget to pack any of my diabetes supplies for the trip! While I may not have had certain things (see reference to meter, pod, and insulin above) on me at all times, I did always have back-ups at the house, and remembered to carry low snacks with me no matter what.
  • Despite delaying a pod replacement for my failed pod, my blood sugar was totally fine! I didn’t spike from that whatsoever.
  • Even though I didn’t have a working CGM for 4-5 hours on my last beach day, I wound up having a stellar blood sugar when I checked it with my meter once I was at the house. I was 81! I attribute that to staying hydrated and getting exercise on the beach, as my boyfriend and I had played volleyball with a couple of other beachgoers for a solid 45 minutes.
  • I was able to walk just about everywhere, which was a massive help to both my mindset and my blood sugars. Turns out, walking approximately 50 miles total over the course of one week is a really good thing for a person with diabetes on vacation.
  • My travel partner was incredibly mindful and considerate of my diabetes needs over vacation. Whether that meant walking with me at 10 P.M. at night to fight a stubborn high, or splitting a super carb-y meal at a restaurant so it would be easier for me to bolus, he made the entire trip so much better by being a thought partner with me when it came to taking the best possible care of my diabetes.
  • Also, not especially diabetes-related, but a personal milestone unlocked: I didn’t get sunburnt at all from this trip. Dare I say that I’m actually TAN now?! (And by tan, I just mean that my pale skin is speckled with a few more freckles now, given me the illusion of being tan. I’ll take it.)

So yeah, I could choose to dwell on the things that went wrong with diabetes while I was away…but then when I think about what went right and take a look at that list above, they absolutely outweigh the snafus. Diabetes tested me over the course of this trip, but it certainly didn’t ruin it, and I’m still very much so looking forward to the next time I can get away for another week.

A Serendipitous T1D Encounter

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Sometimes, when you’re in the most random of places, surrounded by a couple of people you know but mostly strangers, but the vibe is juuuuuust right and you feel perfectly at home?

That kinda describes how I felt at…an arcade bar, of all places, on a Saturday night outing earlier this month.

I was at the local arcade bar with my boyfriend and a bunch of our friends. I always have a blast when we go there, and this particular evening was no exception. But what made it extra special was what happened when I was playing pinball.

I don’t have a picture from this particular evening, and YES I know that Galaga isn’t pinball…but it IS my favorite arcade game, and this picture also features a sunburn around an old Dexcom site…so it works well enough for this post.

I was using arguably the best pinball machine on the property (the Lord of the Rings themed one), and my favorite band from my teenage years (okay, and admittedly probably my favorite band of all time…My Chemical Romance) was blaring on the speakers. I was on cloud 9 from that alone, but then this happened: The person playing Pirates of the Caribbean pinball next to me (another excellent choice), nonchalantly said to me, “I miss my Omnipod…my insurance won’t cover it for me anymore.”

I glanced sideways at him, not wanting to lose track of my silver pinball but also wanting to show my interest in the conversation. I nodded empathetically, and said something about how insurance matters can make things so difficult. He agreed, before quickly showing me his “ancient Medtronic pump”, deftly maneuvering it from his pocket so the tubing wouldn’t get tangled around anything. I smiled and we both returned our attention back to our respective games, which we went on to play in a companionable silence.

It was totally random, not at all expected, but a sweet and subtle reminder that I’m not alone, even in places where it seems like diabetes is the last thing on anyone’s mind except mine. I hope this guy felt the same way…a little positive reassurance that we’re all in this together and doing a really great job of living well with diabetes.

People with Diabetes Are Good at Minimizing

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A version of this blog post was originally published on Hugging the Cactus a couple of years ago. I’ve updated it and am sharing it again today because it still rings true – I’m good at minimizing my diabetes. Multiple aspects of it, in fact. Read on for more…

I was just sitting here, minding my own business when I got to thinking about how good people with diabetes tend to be at minimizing.

I speak for myself, and some other people with diabetes I know, when I say that we’re really good at making it seem like it’s not a big deal. We manage a 24/7, 365 chronic condition like it’s not the full-time job that it is. I have family and friends who occasionally pick up on this and marvel at my ability to be present in a myriad of social situations while discreetly watching my blood sugar levels or calculating insulin dosages. I rarely act like diabetes is as serious as it is and that’s because I’ve become an expert at making it seem like small potatoes in my life. And I’m not just good at minimizing my diabetes – I’m also highly proficient in minimizing the fact that it has forced me to make difficult decisions in my life, particularly when it comes to financial choices.

Over the years, I’ve become excellent at downplaying the impact of diabetes on many aspects of my life.

I’ve conversed with plenty of other people with diabetes about whether or not we, as individuals, have struggled to afford insulin. Most have been pretty lucky and have never really had to resort to making truly difficult choices when it comes to affording insulin or other diabetes supplies.But just because I’m able to afford insulin, that doesn’t mean that I haven’t had to make certain choices that I might not have had to make if I didn’t have diabetes.For example, when it comes to my career, I’d never consider a job that doesn’t offer solid health insurance plans. Even if my strongest desire was to be a freelance writer, I wouldn’t go through with it because I know that it would be challenging to figure out my health insurance. And I know that the minute I run out of FSA dollars each year, I start thinking about setting money aside just to cover the costs of my diabetes supplies…which means that instead of buying some new clothes or planning a weekend getaway, I sometimes have to sacrifice those luxuries in favor of ensuring I have enough money to cover my fixed expenses as well as my diabetes medications.When I think about it, of course I realize that it’s not fair, but haven’t really considered it before because this is just how it is. I’m used to it. And so are many other people. We’re all accustomed to having to make certain choices about our lifestyles or spending habits that minimize the larger issue of insulin affordability. We’re used to it, even accepting of it, but that doesn’t make it right and it certainly underscores the terrifying fact that too many people simply can’t afford insulin and have to make much tougher decisions in order to get it.It’s time to become a little less good about minimizing and better at vocalizing – not just the seriousness of diabetes, but also the dire nature of insulin affordability and access that affects millions around the world.

Swimming Into a Pod Failure

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The latter half of July in New England has been hot, hot, hot this year. It’s almost pleasant compared to last year’s rainy summer months, but let’s emphasize “almost” in that sentiment.

Fortunately, something that makes the heat a bit more bearable is the fact that the condo complex that I live at has a pool! And what’s even better is that it’s pretty easy to find slots of time on the weekends to hang out by it and enjoy it undisturbed by other community members. Case in point? My boyfriend and I found an hour on a scorching Sunday evening to take a dip before grilling some chicken and veggies for dinner.

We had only just entered the pool up to our waists when a familiar screeching sound blared in our ears. Yup…my pod had just failed.

My community pool! Not pictured? My wailing pod!

Rather than get cranky about it, though, I just shrugged and figured it was no big deal, I had to change it in the next few hours, anyways. I was about to rip it off my abdomen when my boyfriend pointed out that the moment I submerged myself more fully in the water, then I wouldn’t hear the screaming pod anymore. Sure enough, he was right – I could only hear the shrill sound when I was underwater, making for an interesting soundtrack whenever I swam under the water’s surface.

We swam and chatted for about an hour before deciding that I probably shouldn’t procrastinate any longer when it came to putting on a new pod. So we dried off and headed inside, and discovered that my blood sugar had lingered in the low 100s the entire time. That was a welcome sight to see – my assumption is that I’d had enough insulin on board from earlier in the day that coupled with the exercise I got from swimming to prevent any sort of blood sugar bump.

So even though I literally swam right into a pod failure, it worked out in a funny way. It’s nice to know that pod failures don’t always have to be a total nuisance.

It’s No Big Deal

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“Does it hurt?”

“Wait, no, I’m not ready!”

“I’m LITERALLY afraid that I’m going to hurt you!!!”

These are all phrases uttered by my dear friend who was ultra-curious about the site change I had to do in the middle of our hangout. She wanted to watch me do it, but I stepped it up a notch by asking her to play a key role in it: I invited her to remove my old pod from my leg.

A routine pod change is no big deal to me.

“Just do it, it’s just like ripping off a band-aid. I can guarantee you won’t hurt me.” I said, in an attempt to reassure her. I also swore I wasn’t lying just to make her feel better, because I’ve rarely ever experienced a pod-rip-off that truly hurt.

“But there’s something in you, right? Like a needle?” Her face creased with worry. I smiled and told her that yes, there was a cannula that was in my skin, but I couldn’t feel it.

“Let me start it for you,” I said, when I realized she still wasn’t quite ready to rip it away. I peeled up an edge of the adhesive and she started squirming.

“You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to -” I said, but just as the words left my mouth, she finally tore off the pod. Much to my chagrin, a drop of blood appeared and she squealed as I began to apologize profusely and explain emphatically that it didn’t hurt, it’s just that sometimes blood will appear and nothing can be done about it.

“I can’t believe you have to do this every 3 days…” she said, her eyes widening in wonder. I told her I’ve done it so many times now – literally just over a thousand, according to my calculations – that it’s no big deal. I’m used to it. It’s just life with diabetes…lots of repetition and more math than I’d like.

I accepted my reality a long time ago, and I’m truly at a place where it’s no big deal.

What I Wish I’d Said to My Dia-Bullies

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Growing up, I had a pretty normal (and lovely) childhood, despite my diabetes. My parents always made me feel supported and equipped with the tools I needed to advocate for myself, even at a young age. They played an instrumental role in educating my relatives, teachers, friends, and friends’ parents as to what my diabetes looked like and the ways it might make me different from the other kids – different, but never excluded from anything because it didn’t necessitate that.

Thanks to my parents’ help and the fact that they fostered self-advocacy skills for me early on, I almost never had a problem with my peers when it came to my diabetes. In fact, I’m lucky that just about all of my friends were very understanding and accommodating of my diabetes, even at young ages. It’s not often that I think about the ones that weren’t, but when I do, I can’t help but label them as my childhood “dia-bullies”.

You might be surprised to learn what I wish I’d said to my dia-bullies.

I dealt with two of those kinds of kids growing up: Once in elementary school, and again in eighth grade. In both scenarios, these dia-bullies were cruel about my condition. They often told me the things that I couldn’t and couldn’t do – whether it be participate in gym class, eat a shared classroom treat for a birthday, or maintain any semblance of a conventionally healthy lifestyle. These comments were infrequent, but when they were vocalized, they hurt…and obviously had quite the impact on me as I remember them all these years later.

Back then, I “dealt” with these comments by not responding to them in any way, shape, or form. I didn’t tell my teachers or my parents what was said and even though I knew how to talk about diabetes by then, I didn’t quite have the voice to stick up for myself and tell these dia-bullies that they were wrong.

But now? I have a voice. A powerful one, at that. So as I reflect on what was said to me when I was younger, I can’t help but wish I’d said this very simple phrase to my dia-bullies:

You’re wrong.

I wish I’d told them that there judgments were not only incorrect, but harmful. I wish I could tell them to just watch as I moved throughout elementary, middle, and high school at the same pace as everyone else, participating in the same sports, extracurriculars, and honors classes, seldom missing out on anything due to diabetes. And I wish I could’ve told them that those words would stick with me for years to come, motivating me to prove to myself and the world that diabetes does not mean living within limits.

Most interestingly of all, a small part of me does wish I could tell them…thanks, I guess, for being an unexpected source of inspiration to conquer my diabetes. Isn’t it funny, the strange places you can get encouragement from?

5 Ways Hot Weather Affects Diabetes

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I’ve posted this on Hugging the Cactus a couple of times now – once in 2018 and again last year. I’m sharing it a third time today because we are in the throes of summertime now that July has arrived, and I needed a little reminder as to why it’s important to take certain precautions when it’s hot outside to take the best possible care of myself and my diabetes…

The summer heat seems to be here to stay in Massachusetts. We’ve experienced several weeks of soupy, high-heat weather that *almost* makes me long for cooler, autumnal days…but not quite, because that just means winter (and snow – blech) is right around the corner.

Truly, I do enjoy the summertime. To me, summer is about trips to the beach, ice cream consumption (and lots of it), barbecues with family and friends, long walks in the neighborhood, and endless outdoor adventures. Aside from all of those lovely things, summer also means that it’s time to be a little more diligent when it comes to my diabetes. That’s because hot weather can play some cruel tricks on a T1D’s body. What do I mean by that? Here’s five ways diabetes can be affected by hot weather.

Another thing to know about hot weather and diabetes? It will most definitely trigger ice cream cravings. Bolus accordingly.
  1. Dehydration can lead to high blood sugar. Everyone knows that it’s important to stay hydrated when it’s hot out, but it might be less common knowledge that dehydration can directly affect blood sugar. There’s a scientific explanation for this: If not properly hydrated, the body sees an increase in blood glucose concentration because blood won’t flow as easily to the kidneys, making it difficult for the kidneys to get rid of excess glucose in urine. The best way to prevent this, naturally, is to drink plenty of water and monitor blood sugars.
  2. Sunburn can drive up blood sugars. I’m very familiar with how a sunburn can result in higher blood sugars; in fact, just last week I was dealing with a particularly gnarly sunburn on my thighs and belly that not only made my numbers higher, but also really hurt. My skin was literally damaged, so the stress from the injury lead to retaliation from my blood sugar. Luckily, it only lasted about 48 hours, but those couple of days were challenging as I dealt with sticky highs that were practically resistant to insulin. And for the record, I DID apply sunscreen – numerous times – when I was at the beach. Next time, I’ll seek shade under the umbrella.
  3. Sweat can make it difficult for devices to stick. I don’t know a single medical device that’s immune to prolonged exposure to moisture/water, but that doesn’t prevent me from spending as much time as I can outdoors/at the beach/by the pool in the summer. Thank goodness for Skin-Tac wipes and medical adhesive tapes that help preserve my precious pods and sensors!“
  4. Insulin can overheat. There’s a reason why insulin vials come packaged in cartons with directions that specify what temperature insulin should stay at in order for it to be safe to use. Insulin can spoil easily when it reaches a certain temperature, so it’s important to store it in a cool place when the weather’s warm. I alternate between a mini portable cooler (that can hold 3 vials of insulin) and a pouch from FRIO – both do an excellent job at keeping my insulin cool.
  5. Low blood sugars can occur more frequently. Summertime is prime time for outdoor activities that result in higher energy expenditure. So it’s no wonder that blood sugar tends to plummet in hot weather. Looking at it on the bright side, it’s an excuse to eat even more ice cream – but it also means that monitoring how I feel and checking blood sugars often is that much more important.

Regardless of the diabetes challenges it may cause, I love summer weather, and I know I’ll miss it the moment the first snowflake falls this year.

Listen to This is Type 1 Podcast, Episode 147!

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Whoa, I feel like so much has happened since I last posted on this blog.

Usually, I plan and write blog posts about a week or two before they’re published here on Hugging the Cactus. But life last month made it pretty damn difficult for me to keep that schedule.

You see, I had covid (as I discussed here). And then…I had rebound covid. I’ll get into the details of what that looked like for me sometime in the near future, but I’m happy to say I’ve fully recovered. And thank goodness I did, because I was due to travel to New Orleans for the 82nd Annual American Diabetes Association’s Scientific Sessions conference at the beginning of June! Luckily, I was feeling better and testing negative just days before the conference, so I was still able to go and I had the most incredible time – more to come on that in another soon-to-be-written blog post.

As I write this particular post, I’m in a post-conference daze, trying to reflect on everything I learned, how it will apply to my job, and also attempting to decompress from 6 days of nonstop action, meetings, conversation, and travel.

But I’d be remiss if I neglected to mention something special I did prior to my conference and covid experiences: I was a guest on the wonderful This is Type 1 Podcast!

From episode 28 to 147, Colleen, Jessie, and I have each experienced so much personal and professional growth that we chat about in the new episode!

I’m honored to say I was hosts Colleen and Jessie’s first repeat guest. I’d recorded with them previously in January 2020, just a few short weeks before the whole world shutdown. They’d kept in touch with me and my activities via social media in the last couple of years and reached out for a follow-up interview because they’d recognized how much my career (and life, really) has changed since the onset of the pandemic.

So I’m pleased to share with my readers here the link to the recording! Please do check it out when you can – Colleen and Jessie are excellent and informed hosts who were genuinely so easy and fun to talk to. I am beyond grateful to them for asking me back on the pod and making a meaningful contribution to our diabetes community with all the information they share there!

You can listen to This is Type 1 on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and generally, any other place you can find and listen to podcasts. Be sure to check out their website and follow them on Instagram @thisistype1pod, too!

What Every Parent of a T1D Child Needs to Know

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This was originally published on Hugging the Cactus on August 28, 2019. I’m sharing it again today because due to various events in my life lately, I have a whole new appreciation for just how challenging it can be to be a parent to someone with diabetes. It’s far from easy and I give all the credit in the world to parents of children with diabetes. But I also think it’s worth reiterating that despite all the (valid) fears and concerns that parents have about their T1D children, it’s also important to have faith in knowing that it will all be okay. Read on for more…

I may not be the parent of a T1D child, but I am the T1D child of my parents. So I have a unique perspective on the concerns and fears that a parent of a T1D child might have.

I also have a little more insight on these concerns and fears through my interactions with many parents of T1D children over the years. These parents had children of all ages: from toddler to teenager. Their children ranged from newly diagnosed with diabetes to multi-year veteran of T1D. Despite these differences in ages and years with diabetes, they’ve all had something major in common: An intense fear over the day when their child would make the transition from living under their roof to living independently, on a college campus or in another living situation.

The bottom line? It will be okay.

The mere thought of their beloved son or daughter going through this was enough to make some of these parents on the verge of tears. It was heartbreaking, but also somewhat confusing to me. I understand the unconditional love that parents have for their children, so naturally, they were terrified at the thought of their children feeling alone as they made the transition to young adulthood, or frightened by the prospect of their children suddenly not wanting to take care of their diabetes anymore. But what I didn’t get was why they automatically assumed the worst.

What if their child thrived in this transition? What if their child found a wonderful group of people, such as the College Diabetes Network, that helped them through this period in life (like I did)? What if their child was ready to manage everything on his or her own? Certainly, it would be a source of pride for a parent to witness his or her child do well and embrace independence.

On the flip side, if a young adult with T1D struggled to make the transition smooth…well, I told many of these parents that it’s okay. Because I struggled. A lot, actually. But I made it through. The longer I spent away from home, the more I realized that it was time for me to hold myself accountable in terms of diabetes management. There was never really any big “aha” moment for me. It was more of a slow-and-steady recognition of the fact that the shitty blood sugars I was constantly dealing with could only be changed by me, and me alone. So I took the steps I needed to; naturally, with the support of my parents.

I guess that’s kind of the two-fold message I’m trying to convey here to worried parents of T1D children: 1) Have faith in your child’s ability to adapt to change, and 2) Never underestimate how your support, in any form, can mean the world to your child. Don’t be afraid to have conversations with him/her so you can get on the same page and understand how you’re both feeling about this new life stage. That way, you can find out exactly what kind of support you can offer to your child that he/she will find most helpful.

The bottom line: Parents with T1D children, it’ll be okay. Just like people with diabetes know they’re not alone in their struggle against it, you should also know that there are many other parents out there who probably feel the same as you.

In that way, we’re never truly alone when dealing with new challenges or changes in our lives. Once that’s realized, it becomes a million times easier to figure out the best way to tackle them with your support system by your side.

29 Feels Just Fine

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Yesterday, I turned 29 years old. True to Hugging the Cactus tradition, I’m using today’s blog post as an opportunity to reflect on how I feel about this next year of my life.

29 feels just fine to me.

I’m feeling…just fine about 29. Before you think I’m just saying that because it rhymes, or because I’m not genuinely happy to be 29 (the rhyming is just a bonus and honestly, I’m happy to be any age because it means I’m living and that’s a wonderful thing), let me jump in and say it feels fine because…it just feels right for me, right here and right now. It’s not “just fine” in a sarcastic or curt way; rather, it’s “just fine” in the sense that it feels good and perfectly acceptable and something that I will embrace.

To tie it all back to diabetes, “good and perfectly acceptable and something that I will embrace” is kind of the attitude that I strive to maintain when it comes to how I feel about my diabetes. Of course, I have my days where everything is far from good, perfectly acceptable, or embrace-worthy. But generally speaking, I’ve worked hard to get to a place where I simply and peacefully coexist with my diabetes. I ride the waves of highs and lows and always find a way or means to overcome the unexpected ripples of randomness that my diabetes drifts my way.

So I’d like to carry that mindset into the last year of my 20s: a mindset in which I take comfort in knowing that I’m capable of riding the waves caused by diabetes, or anything else in my life, really. Arming myself with the knowledge that I grow through what I go through will help me thrive with diabetes and life, and it seems like an excellent nugget of wisdom to bring with me into year 29.