Patient Success Stories
The T1D community is full of brilliant, resourceful, and thoughtful individuals. Here at the U-M Pediatric Diabetes Clinic, we would like to share stories and tips from our patient partners and families who have successfully managed a tricky aspect of T1D in order to help their peers! Be sure to check out our Helpful Hacks page for these tips and tricks, and stay tuned for future stories!
Red Bull Ibiza Royale
By Abby Byers
My name is Abby Byers. I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when I was 11 years old. At the time, it felt like my life as I knew it was over. I thought I would never be as athletic as I was, and I feared I’d never feel “normal”. But I was very wrong. Yes, my life changed after being diagnosed with Type 1, but not for the worse. Having diabetes has taught me valuable lessons about responsibility and responding to mental challenges. I struggled with anxiety and depression after my diagnosis, but I came out of that period a stronger and better person.
I firmly believe that no matter what challenges you face, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. I didn’t use Type 1 as an excuse, instead I let it shape me into a stronger person. I am now 18 years old and just finished my second semester at Purdue University. I work at a summer camp for kids with T1D (Camp Midicha), where I was once a camper myself. Being in such a supportive environment helped me grow and realize that nothing can stop me.
Recently, my teammate and I were selected from over 43,000 applicants across 50 countries to compete in the Red Bull Ibiza Royale. This was a coed obstacle course race up the castle of Ibiza. My boyfriend and teammate, Sam Watterson, and I traveled to Los Angeles for three days of Red Bull boot camp, which included fun activities, workouts, a Clippers game, city exploration, and some amazing food. After that, we flew to Ibiza, Spain, where we stayed for four days. Even with two extra travel days due to a canceled flight, there wasn't a single moment I wasn't smiling.
I never imagined doing something like this when I was 11 years old. Traveling without my family was scary, but I knew that with preparation, I could handle it. Staying on top of diabetes is not easy, but it becomes more manageable when you plan ahead and stay prepared. I was able to run this race by making sure my pump site and Dexcom were working properly and carrying sugar gel packets with me during the race.
We ended up placing 27th out of 190 teams, with no obstacle penalties. It was the coolest trip ever, packed with unforgettable experiences like cliff jumping, mini obstacles, social events, swimming, and exploring the town. With my fanny pack full of diabetes supplies, I felt unstoppable. My boyfriend supported me throughout the trip by checking my blood sugar through Dexcom connect on his phone. The rest of Team USA was also aware of my condition and always more than willing to help if I needed it.
There have been times in my life when I felt like a burden because of my Type 1 Diabetes and was scared to ask for help. But the reality is, T1D is something you can’t control having and you are never a burden! It’s so important to lean on the people who are there to support you. My care team at the University of Michigan has done an amazing job helping me navigate life with T1D, and I can’t imagine what I would do without them.
I’m so grateful for the people closest to me, especially my dad, who also has Type 1 Diabetes. They have taught me to stand up for myself and to educate others about T1D. I wear my bright pink pump proudly and usually have a cute sticker on my Dexcom. No one is perfect with their diabetes management. There were moments during the trip when I had to sit out because I was low, but I didn’t let it get me down. I’ve come to view diabetes as a part of me, not something that holds me back. I thought back to how I felt when I was 11 years old and imagined how proud that younger version of me would be.
Official Race Information
https://www.redbull.com/int-en/events/red-bull-ibiza-royale-global/
Team Black and Gold (Team 87)
Sam Watterson and Abby Byers
Purdue University
Placed 27th out of 190
Time: 10:29
Controlling Blood Sugar While Exercising with Diet
By Annabella Pasque
As part of the HealthDesignBy.Us MAKE:Research program, Annie was asked to design a research study related to her T1D. She was inspired by one of the articles she read in the class, which suggested that eating foods in a certain order could improve blood sugar outcomes. Annie decided to try this experiment for herself to see if her blood sugars would improve.
What made you decide to try this experiment? (What problem were you trying to solve?)
I’ve always had trouble keeping my blood glucose levels in range during soccer. Before this experiment, I would need to get my BG really high, near 300, before practice or games to prevent it from going too low while playing.
At the beginning of the MAKE:Research program, we had to read medical research articles. I read an article about a study that inspired me. The article was explaining a study trying to see if a diabetic’s blood glucose (BG) levels could be stabilized by a certain diet. Specifically, the hypothesis was that "postprandial (after a meal) glucose levels would be lower when fat and protein are consumed prior to carbohydrates, compared to a meal where all macronutrients (carbs & protein) are combined.”
What excited you about this article? Did you think it would work for you?
I liked this article because I thought the idea they came up with to prevent highs after meals was neat. I was hoping that if I tried eating protein before carbs it would help stabilize my sugar levels and prevent the need to create highs, which I knew weren’t good for me.
The strategy they used was eating protein before carbs during meals. I liked that idea and wanted to try my own version of this experiment with snacks before soccer practice and games.
What steps did you take to conduct the research? What were your variables and how long did you try the new routine?
The steps I took to conduct the research were to use the same diet plan before each time I played soccer. I kept track of what I ate and tracked my BG levels during and after playing.
When I had a snack before soccer, I first ate protein 15 minutes before eating carbs. I did all of this prior to exercise. For protein, I usually ate meat or cheese. For carbs, I ate fruit or a granola bar. I used this diet for a total of 9 days, and tracked my BG levels starting 1 hour before exercising, while exercising, and for 1 hour after exercising. I downloaded the data from my continuous glucose monitor (CGM) to my computer.
Next, I took the data from the days when I was on the new diet and put it into a spreadsheet. I also collected old data from my CGM, from before I started the diet, and put that into the spreadsheet too. I averaged my data from both routines. I used the average BG data to tell if my experiment worked or not, and it did!
The MAKE: Research program taught me how to code an LED ring to represent my data in an interesting way. I used LED rings to show my averaged BGs from the experiment. I coded the LEDs to show different colors. The colors represented my BG’s ranges. Red for low, green for in range, and yellow for high. Looking at the LED colors, it was easy to see that eating protein before carbs helped keep my BG stable.
Do you think your experiment worked? Will you keep up with the new routine?
I think my experiment worked! For me, it kept my BG stable and in range throughout soccer. My BG barely moved. My blood sugar stays very close to wherever is when I start, it hardly moves after using this diet. Even when I want to it’s hard to move my BG up or down after eating protein before carbs. It sort of locks my BG where it is when I start eating. I am still using this routine and it has continued to work. I will keep eating protein before carbs prior to exercise and I think that it will lower my A1C over time and keep me healthier.