We have an interesting Type 1 Diabetes Journey. Most diabetics, we’re aware, can say the same thing. Before diabetes, as a family, we have always been advocates of empowerment. We are passionate about people living their best and most powerful lives. Finding the tools to equip us for that and to offer them to others is what we’re all about.
When Type 1 Diabetes entered our world that didn’t change. Defying the odds that are handed to us is our heartbeat. It’s common for us to go against the grain, not follow the crowd, and find ways to make the best out of most situations, even if it’s different or less accepted. We do our research and encourage others to do the same.
Early on in our journey, we were fortunate enough to find the The Juicebox Podcast. This educated us on an entirely different level as to how to create optimal results in the sometimes quite cruel reality of Type 1 Diabetes. We learned to be bold with insulin and how to maintain a pretty tight blood sugar range. This has given us A1Cs in the 5s for years now, with 85% time in range.
As most of you know, achieving those numbers takes a lot of work and we have several non-negotiables that we attribute our success to. I’ll share the non-negotiables here in this blog, and future blogs, however I’ve already shared one: The Juicebox Podcast – Bold with Insulin. If you haven’t checked it out, run, don’t walk and start listening.
The second non-negotiable tool in our toolbelt is the Tandem T-Slim X2 insulin pump. It’s the insulin pump of choice for our sons. Everyone is different. We appreciate that there are many options out there for different people and their preferences when it comes to an insulin pump. But for us, hands down, we are Tandem people, specifically Tandim T-Slim X2.
The Tandem T-Slim X2 offers us control IQ, which communicates with our sons’ Dexcom. The controls are on the actual pump which my sons prefer. They value being able to quickly make adjustments to their bolus and basal with the touch screen, and they value being able to take it off at certain moments of their lives. Being able to bump and nudge with microdosing is a key to tight management for them.
What are your Type 1 Diabetes non-negotiables? Do you have any? I know there are some of us searching for answers and some of us really feel like we are in a groove that is the best possible trajectory with what we’ve been given. Wherever you’re at, we all have something to offer one another.
More Type 1 Diabetes non-negotiables from us to come…