Navigating Type 1 Diabetes, Grief, and Exams: A Mother's Story from Bermuda

Max's Type 1 Diabetes Diagnosis

• 🩺 Max was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 15, shortly after returning from a school band trip where he consumed a diet of pizza and soda.
• 🏥 His symptoms, including frequent bathroom trips, were initially overlooked until a hospital visit revealed a blood sugar of 679 and an A1C of 10.3.
• 💡 Despite being a nurse, Catherine experienced guilt but realized the signs could be attributed to other factors, a common challenge in diagnosing diabetes.

Navigating Grief and Family Loss

• 💔 Catherine's husband, who was Bermudian, passed away from an aggressive and rare form of neuroendocrine colon cancer just 99 days prior to this recording.
• ✈️ The family spent the summer in Boston for his treatment, with the children frequently traveling between Bermuda and Boston to maintain some semblance of normalcy.
• 🎗️ Both of Catherine's children are navigating their grief with the support of therapists and their extended family, taking different emotional paths.

Challenges of Diabetes Management Abroad

• 🍽️ Managing Max's diabetes in the US was difficult due to the prevalence of unhealthy food options and lack of readily available carb information for items like cannolis.
• 🍟 Bermuda's food environment, with limited US fast food chains like KFC and a general anti-franchise law, offers a different dynamic compared to the US.
• ⚙️ Device accessibility in Bermuda differs from the US, with specific CGMs like Dexcom G6 being more stable than G7, which requires phone setup in the US.

GCSE Exams and Diabetes Management

• 📚 GCSE exams, crucial for future education, pose a significant stress for students with Type 1 diabetes due to the impact of blood sugar fluctuations on cognitive function.
• 📝 Catherine had to obtain doctor's notes for leniency on exam days when Max experienced high blood sugar or equipment failure, such as an Omnipod breaking during a test.
• 🧠 Max describes the high blood sugar 'fog' as feeling like swimming underwater, making focus and comprehension difficult.

Adapting to New Diabetes Management Strategies

• 📈 Following his father's passing and the summer's stress, Max's blood sugar control worsened, requiring significant adjustments to his Omnipod 5 pump settings, including a lowered goal rate and changed insulin ratios.
• 🧑‍⚕️ Max has taken a more active role in his diabetes management, with Catherine now largely ignoring alerts unless they are critically low (in the 40s or below).
• 🛵 He navigates driving a 50cc gear bike with a clutch on the island, requiring careful attention to blood sugar levels, especially before riding.

Preparing for Adventure and Travel

• 🏕️ Max is preparing for a challenging Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award adventurous journey, including a five-day hike in the Appalachian Mountains.
• 🧊 Managing insulin cold during hot weather travel is a priority, with various cooling devices being tested.
• 🎒 Max travels with an extensive supply of diabetes management tools, carrying enough for 30 days for a 10-day trip, due to limited access to supplies off-island.
• ✈️ He carries backup injectable insulin and necessary documentation for international travel, ensuring he can manage his diabetes even without his pump.