Sarah's Ducklings: Waddling For a Cure

12/16/2021

Can you read without singing?

11/13/2021

Day 13: "T1D is no big deal, you just have to take insulin"

Yes, people with T1D have to take insulin. But there's nothing "just" about it.

Unlike almost every other medication in existence, the amount of insulin you need to take changes for EVERY dose.

First, there's a math problem that would cause most students to tell their teacher, "but we'd never use this in REAL LIFE! Why do we need to learn this??" Well, we use it in real life all day every day. I'll be sharing the equation next week for you to see how complex it is.

Then, there are outside factors that the calculation doesn't take into account. Once we have done the math, we have to then factor in more or less insulin for activity, IOB, what kind of food is being eaten, is there still food digesting from the previous meal or snack... and so on.

Finally, we get an insulin amount. And if we did any of that calculating wrong... it could be deadly.

No, the doctor doesn't oversee or adjust our doses. No, there isn't a set amount to take. No, most of us aren't trained in medicine.

But this is what we have to do. Every day.

09/21/2021

I've decided to start a thing. T1D has a LOT of words and phrases that aren't used outside the d-community. I'm going to share some words with their definitions on Tuesdays. There are probably enough to keep this going for a couple of years at least!! 💙

Kicking it off with a basic one: Bolus and Basal

02/20/2021

Sarah was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes eleven years ago today. Below is her post on IG with her thoughts.

08/09/2020

It has been tough listening to people argue that it’s ok because “most of those people who will die have a pre-existing condition anyway” (or something similar). While Type 1 Diabetes definitely does not define Sarah, it is still something she lives with and puts her at a much greater risk of complications for a number of viruses and illnesses. Even with “pre-existing conditions”, she is an amazing person who will be starting high school virtually next week and has been using this time to write a musical (over Zoom) with a friend.

Share a photo of your loved one with T1D (or yourself!) in the comments below!

04/01/2020

On Sunday night, Sarah’s insulin pump malfunctioned. We called Tandem and they said they would overnight a new one. (It’s here and we are programming her settings so she can hook up to it before bed tonight.) In the meantime, she had to switch back to insulin shots and manual dosage calculations. This picture shows the number of shots she needed over the first 24 hours back on shots.

02/20/2020

From Sarah:

Today will be ten years. Ten years of being mature for my age. Ten years of restrictions. Ten years of needles. Ten years of having to work extra hard just to survive. Ten years of proving that my disease does not make me less than. Ten years of sleepless nights because my BG is too low. Ten years of having to listen to jokes about a disease that could easily kill me. Ten years of eatig Zero carbs when other people are eating pizza because my blood sugar is high. Ten years of being able to describe exactly what i was wearing the first day in the hospital. Ten years of type one diabetes. People have told me i'm strong for what i go through. Some have said I'm weak. I was diagnosed when I was four years old. I want more than anything to be able to say "i wish i didnt have type one" and know what that meant. I dont remember not having to count carbs. I dont remember not giving shots. I dont remember when i used to laugh at diabetes jokes. It has been over half of my life since i was diagnosed. This disease has changed me. It made me stronger. And I will die before I let type one slow me down.

02/06/2020

01/04/2020

From Sarah: