Navigating life as a super mom and wife in an all-Type 1 Diabetes household? Christine Stewart does that each day with grace and sheer determination. Join us as we walk a mile in Christine's shoes and discuss the challenges and triumphs she experiences while managing the health of her twin boys and husband, all living with Type 1 Diabetes.
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Navigating life as a super mom and wife in an all-Type 1 Diabetes household? Christine Stewart does that each day with grace and sheer determination. Join us as we walk a mile in Christine's shoes and discuss the challenges and triumphs she experiences while managing the health of her twin boys and husband, all living with Type 1 Diabetes.
Follow Christine on TikTok
Join our Facebook Community
Follow me on TikTok
Follow me on Instagram
Welcome to the Type 1 Unscripted Podcast. My name is Sean and we are pulling back the curtain on the true experiences of life with Type 1 Diabetes. Together, we will explore the highs and lows of living with Type 1, sharing stories of inspiration and triumph, educating and learning and, most importantly, fostering our amazing Type 1 community. As a reminder, anything you hear on the Type 1 Unscripted Podcast, or any episode, should not be taken as medical advice. So before making any changes to your diet, insulin or health care plan, please consult with your physician or medical professional. Welcome to another episode of Type 1 Unscripted, and today we have Christine Stewart with us. Christine, welcome, how are things going with you?
Speaker 2:I'm good. How are you?
Speaker 1:Fine, great Christine. She's no guest, or I should say she's no stranger to the podcast or to anything like that. She hasn't been on the show before, but we have been on a couple of TikTok lives together and boy does she have a story. Christine is surrounded in a house full of Type 1 Diabetes. I said just a second ago, before we hit record, that she has the super cape on and she is a super mom and super wife and I can't wait to dive in because I think she's got a lot of great things to bring to the table for all the caregivers out there, but also for, maybe, for just a spouse of a Type 1 Diabetic or a Type 1 parent such as a mom or dad. So before we get into all the nitty gritty, christine, let's learn a little bit about you. So I know that you work in elementary school and I think you said you're a reading specialist, so kind of guide me through what. That is what you do. What does your career look like?
Speaker 2:So I'm a reading specialist. I work with kids from kindergarten all the way to fifth grade and basically I work with struggling readers, so students who are a couple grade levels below where they're supposed to be. So I try and catch them up and get them reading and get them caught up.
Speaker 1:And so how long have you been doing that?
Speaker 2:So this is my 13th year teaching 13 years in school.
Speaker 1:Now do you ever? I've heard? Well, I've heard that teachers sometimes they just they'll get so many years and they're like why on earth did I choose this profession? You still love it.
Speaker 2:Listen after. Covid, it got a little hairy.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:But we're slowly getting back into, you know, regularness, I should say. But yeah, that COVID, those COVID years. It was a little hairy there for a second.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think everybody would agree COVID, covid not to dwell on COVID too much, but COVID like changed the game and the dynamic for literally, I think, every career Like I can't tell you how many teachers can't, unfortunately, do this. I guess they could if they really wanted to make it possible. But you know, like most, a lot of people don't even go to an office anymore, like they they, they stop their leases and set up home, set up shop at home and and that's their and that's their life.
Speaker 1:Now, that's the way it is for me. I don't work in an office anymore myself. I'm completely remote with my job. We have an office. We go in every once in a while when we need to, but other than that, it's remote and that's nice. So let's let's get into the fun stuff while while we're here, and that is to talk about type one diabetes.
Speaker 1:Now, this episode's not going to be on a specific topic per se. I guess we could call the topic caregiving for type one, which is, to me, just as important as dealing with type one. I said last week in an episode that you know type one diabetics. They might get frustrated from time to time because I think they feel that the caregivers whether it's a parent or a spouse or or a sibling or or grandparent, whatever it may be that they don't really know what they're going through. I think they try, but they will never know what it's like to walk in that person's shoes.
Speaker 1:Now, with that being said, I think that the caregiver can say the same thing about the person who is a diabetic. You know, they have their own version of burnout from time to time, and you know they, you know the. The diabetic themselves will never know what they're going through having to care for someone with type one diabetes, because that alone comes with its own version of stress and anxiety, and I think it's really important to break that down, and you have now. We haven't said this yet, so let's talk about a little bit about Christine and what your household looks like. So you have how many kids with type one diabetes?
Speaker 2:So I have three total children, but I have twin boys, who are four, and both of them are type one diabetic. Identical twin boys.
Speaker 1:Identical twin boys, eli and Cooper. I know just the other night when we were on the video call, that you know I can't tell them apart, but I'm sure, obviously, your parents as you can. So you get two twin boys who have type one and your husband has type one, correct?
Speaker 2:It's a family affair here A family, yeah a family affair.
Speaker 1:You're surrounded by type one diabetes, which is, you know if, if anybody's listening to this podcast right now, they already know that, they already know that that type one is or they're learning that type one is a very stressful disease, brings a lot of stress and anxiety for anybody that's involved in the situation, and you are surrounded on all fronts. On top of having, on top of having, okay, let's just say, not just three kids, but you have two boys who are twins the same age. So those eight, that age of life that they're going through with its terrible twos and the threes and now the fours. You got a double dose of that, okay. So that's, that's one thing. Let's just say that's that's, you know, level B. Three kids is level A, having twins is level B. And now we throw on, you know, the third layer of the cake, and that is those two twin boys have type one diabetes. And then you got your husband, chris, who is a type one diabetic. Now you told me that he was diagnosed. At what age.
Speaker 2:Four.
Speaker 1:Four years old, so how long have you all been married?
Speaker 2:So we are going on our 10th year being married 10, 10 years of marriage.
Speaker 1:Now, how long were you together before?
Speaker 2:12. 12.
Speaker 1:12 years total no.
Speaker 2:Well, no, 12 years total, 10 years married Okay.
Speaker 1:I was like that's a long time we're setting some new records. Yeah, so yeah, no kidding, right, burnout. Well, what do they call it? Pregnancy brain Is there? Is there a such thing as caregiver brain, mama brain? So you've been together for 12 years and since he's had diabetes his whole life, or most of his whole life, you've been involved in the diabetic realm for 12 years All right.
Speaker 1:So let's talk about that. Let's talk about I want to start at the very beginning your relationship with Chris. You start dating. He tells you, oh, by the way, I have type one diabetes. What's your reaction? Like, let's go back in time. What's your reaction?
Speaker 2:I had no idea. I thought it was because he didn't eat well, like you know the whole. What's the word I'm looking for? Stereotype of diabetes. So I had no idea what type one was until he was able to explain it to me.
Speaker 1:So that's a testament to which the reason why we do what we do is obviously lack of awareness and education. It's not your fault, it's not my fault, it's just the way it is and it doesn't exist. So he explains it to you. He explains what type one diabetes is. Was there any point? Now, if he's listening, we won't say this very quietly is there any point where you're like I'm going to make a run for it?
Speaker 2:Maybe not for the diabetes itself.
Speaker 1:No, okay, we're digging up some dirt now.
Speaker 2:No, no, no.
Speaker 1:So I mean, but it's kind of overwhelming, right Like you, obviously, if you're in love with a guy and there is marriage, and you get married and all that stuff. Like, did you realize that at the time that caregiving for someone with type one diabetes just one person at this point would be so demanding?
Speaker 2:I had no idea, no idea what I was getting myself into.
Speaker 1:So time goes on, and then you have kids. You know you got twin boys, and did you know that there was an increased risks of them having type one, especially since the between the two of you, the male is the one that has type one diabetes?
Speaker 2:We really didn't. I remember when I got pregnant with my daughter, that was one of the first questions that I asked. When I saw my OB, I said, hey, like my husband, he has type one diabetes. Like is this going to be a risk factor for, you know, my children? And they said no, they said it's, you know, like could skip a generation, Like it really wasn't anything to worry about. So, like we, we weren't expecting it. I mean Aubrey, we went through eight years, nothing wrong with her, but then the boys came along and here we are. But no, doctors seem to be concerned whenever we brought it to their attention.
Speaker 1:Which is interesting. Now, my, my kids pediatrician. When I had the conversation a few weeks ago they didn't seem crazy concerned either, but he did tell me though. He said. He said it's not impossible. He said in fact, when, when a cup between the couple, if the male or the father is the one who has type one, and that their risk does go up for the kids.
Speaker 2:And that's what Endo told us when Eli first got diagnosed.
Speaker 1:Interesting.
Speaker 2:And he told us how the genetics works with the male, increasing the odds for other male children to get it. Thank you, but it's more male to male have greater chance.
Speaker 1:Okay, now, before Eli and Cooper were diagnosed, were you Watching it, or did your? Or was your guard let down because they told you, hey, you don't have to worry about it?
Speaker 2:I think I always was kind. It was always in the back of my head like I knew I knew the symptoms because of Dating Chris like he would. He would tell me like things like to look out for and like what the symptoms were. And as I started to like See symptoms and Eli, like I started just putting like the pieces together.
Speaker 2:I was. It was always in the back of my head, which is why we were so like lucky to catch both boys as early as we did, but yeah so they get diagnosed the from the moment?
Speaker 1:was it one at a time or?
Speaker 2:Eli was diagnosed first. He was diagnosed at age two and Almost a year later to the date there's only two days separating it. Wow was died.
Speaker 1:So you're a part. So two and three ish right. When you receive the diagnosis of them, starting with just the first one, what's going through your head? You have a husband who's type one. Now you have one of your kids who's type one. What's, what are the thoughts going through your head?
Speaker 2:So I remember that day like I like it was yesterday. So I remember getting couple calls from daycare that week saying that Eli had, you know, urinated through all of his clothing.
Speaker 2:And that wasn't like. I mean he was a toddler, he'd have accidents, but it wasn't like him to Saturate his clothing also like a couple of days. I picked him up. He was extremely thirsty, like screaming for water. I remember the day that we found out. I picked him up from daycare he was screaming for water. I didn't have any Extra water so I remember speeding home because he I have never heard him scream like this. I was speeding home ended up getting pulled over by a cop for speeding.
Speaker 2:Oh, wow cop, yep, cop did not let me go, even though, like he could hear Eli screaming in the background. It was complete chaos. So I had a way to get the ticket. I got home, chris was already home from work and I said get your meter out, we're testing him. I remember Chris looked at me. He's like no, I think he's okay. I said, nope, test his finger right now. He tested it. The sugar was 547 and we both dropped to the floor.
Speaker 1:Now, after that was Eli right that was Eli that was Eli, and so Now we got him a diagnosis and we're just gonna I'm kind of breaking down this just step by step here. Eli's been diagnosed. Now we know that he's an identical twin of Cooper. Now, at this point, what did the doctor say? What were the chances of Cooper having type 1 diabetes?
Speaker 2:They were very upfront with us. They said it is a very strong possibility that Cooper will get it as well. Yeah so we even the hospital from Eli's diagnosis that you know, the odds were against us with Cooper.
Speaker 1:Now. Your daughter, though, does not have diabetes. She's eight years old. Are y'all still watching out for her now?
Speaker 2:We do. We test her randomly once a month and so far knock on wood everything's great there. But anytime you know like she pees more often than she usually does, or like she's extra thirsty, I'm like, yeah, like I go into defense mode and automatically check her finger.
Speaker 1:but yeah, no, I, at this current point in time as we're recording this episode, I can totally relate. We've had some off recording conversations but you know, and I've posted a video or two on tiktok, but my, my oldest son's been been sick and he had the flu and We've I've noticed there was just after a week, I think it was eight days. He just nothing was getting better and Even with his immune deficiencies that he already has, nothing has ever bogged him down like this. And I was just like man, something's not right, we're missing something. I Goed test his blood sugar. It's not off the wall, high, but higher than it should have been, for, you know, not eating. And then he had ketones as well, which all can be caused by the sickness, 100%.
Speaker 1:But again, just like Chris, you know I'm their dad and I'm just thinking like what are the chances like, what are the? You know, let's just you know. And so we get him to the doctor's office and we're still, as of right now, we're still awaiting test results, which is driving me bonkers. But the fact that I'm seeing him doing a little bit better today Gives me a little bit more hope. He's not in DKA or anything like that, but that doesn't mean he could still be, you know, starting to make that turn, I guess. So we're doing the same thing. Right, keep been a very close I I'm sticking him very often, getting some, some readings. Not much has changed on that front, but I'm keeping a super, super close eye on it, so I understand the scare there.
Speaker 1:Now let's talk about E line Cooper for a second, because I do know that a lot of people that are listening to this podcast and in our Facebook community and all that stuff, we have a lot of mothers and I see a lot of moms on tick tock who Just in last week I think, I've met probably four or five who they're, you know, a child or a toddler just got diagnosed. So let's talk about what life is like in that, in that world. What would you say that your biggest challenges are? And Managing type 1 diabetes in toddlers.
Speaker 1:So Now, or first diagnosed, let's just say currently, like this, current point in time, what would you say? The challenge?
Speaker 2:So one of the biggest challenges is still their Lack of Unawareness. Like they're it, like we tell them that they have diabetes. We try to explain to them, like when they're low, when they're high, but they don't quite understand. Like they don't grasp the big picture. So I think that's really hard, because you know if they want to eat and they're not at a point where we can give them like an extra snack. Do you know what I?
Speaker 2:mean Like that stuff is really hard, yeah. Or like one goes low and they need to have a pick me up and the other one's not at a place where they can have a like the same pick me up and then they get mad or whatever. Twin jealousy like that's really hard. Also, just keeping track of two blood sugars during the day Like that's insanely hard. Both of their bodies react very different to insulin, so just trying to figure out how Cooper is going to react to this meal versus Eli and all that stuff.
Speaker 1:Now what would you say? Because I think you started throwing some stuff out there talking about like management. So, like you know, when it comes to toddlers, you have to have routines, right, you have to have a good family routine. It's important. How has type one affected your family routine since the diagnosis? How has that affected it from before and to now?
Speaker 2:It's affected it greatly. I mean like things that people don't necessarily think about, that we have to think about every day, like when if, like, for instance, cooper's sensor was going to expire at school, like we've got to change it either the night before or the morning of before he goes to sleep, things like that we have to take into account, like when we're going to feed them dinner, so that we're making sure they're going to bed with no insulin on board, because they are still so young, they have a lot of night so we kind of have to plan like having dinner at this time every single night.
Speaker 2:We also have to make sure that we're bringing whatever we need everywhere we go low snacks, glucagon, extra syringes in case the pod fails, all these things that you know you have to do every single day to just make sure the day runs smoothly.
Speaker 1:In addition to just, you know, waking up and being a mom and then waking up and being a kid, like it's totally different. Now, with that being said, are there any tools or any forms of technology or resources that you have found to help to keep up with this new lifestyle or family routine?
Speaker 2:I mean, the DEXCOM was huge for us.
Speaker 1:I mean before.
Speaker 2:Cooper's always had one, but Eli, there was a month that we had to go with no DEXCOM, where we were just checking his finger every hour and a half. So having that and being able to track their blood sugars, that's a big help. But I mean, as a teacher, I like to think I'm a pretty organized person. I pay personality, so I feel like I run a tight ship around here. You have to, though.
Speaker 1:You have to.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Like you've got to be, like you have to be on top of it, because the moment you let your guard down in one area you know just just last week. Now this is not dealing with toddlers, but this is just a personal thing that happened to me. Now I'm on a new pump. I switched from the Omnipod to the tandem T-Slim and I'm a wedding DJ and I was doing a wedding. It was an hour and a half away from home. It wasn't crazy far, but so I took, I just put on an infusion set like the first one I put on from my pump trainer and I thought I'll take a backup just in case. But this thing's brand new, I'll be fine, and even if something happens, I've got to spare.
Speaker 1:Well, you know, user error and dummy me. Like it came out, it got snagged and came off. Long story short, and I went to go put my spare on and I forgot to take off like the adhesive patch on the back, and so whenever I went to go pop it in, it came out but it didn't stick and at that point you can't redo it, it's done. So you know, like me now, like from now on, I will always carry two to three of those things in my back like just they're not that big, they don't take up a lot of room. But, like you know, it's just the moment you think, oh, this will be fine, that's when something, that's when something happens.
Speaker 2:Right, it's kind of like that at work, like their teacher does a really good job monitoring their blood sugar. She has their DEXCOM app up on her phone and she's had them now for two years, so she's learned a lot about studying the graphs and like what their body does and stuff and you know, she's made it so that Chris and I are able to still do our jobs without like checking like all the time, but like there are times I notice where I'm like really into a lesson and stuff and I haven't checked.
Speaker 2:You know, eli and Cooper in a bit and I'll look and oh my god, they're 84 straight down, do you? Know what I mean and I'm like I feel guilty because I feel like I let my guard down and I wasn't watching them. You know like I usually do. Now, does it provide you?
Speaker 1:comfort that you work at the same school right now that they're at. Just in case, I asked that question because there was a video, so just for that, we'll get this information a little bit later. As far as, like, how to find you on TikTok, but Christine is a content creator as well on TikTok. That's how we met, but she posted a video. You posted a video. Ah well, we can have her. Two weeks ago, it took you from 3,000 followers to like 12,000 followers over night yeah, overnight. I saw it. It was insane, but the video was scary to watch, though my question was going to be like what's the scariest low? That one seemed pretty intense, so walk us through what happened there.
Speaker 2:So after lunch, all of a sudden, for some reason, the lunch dose that we always give Eli, all of a sudden he just started to plummet and I was like what is he doing? Like you know, he's never done plummeted like this before. Like is he being like extra active? So I remember, looking at my watch I saw he was 141 double arrows and these were some big drops. I immediately called down. I said, miss Bokehr, like give him an applesauce now. So like I tried to treat it at that 141. And then I gave it a little bit and he was still just like bam, bam, bam. I remember I took off, I ran to his room, opened the door. He's playing like nothing's wrong.
Speaker 2:I feel like like nothing's wrong and I'm like okay, like maybe it's a sensor, like issue. So I took him to the nurse, I had her check his finger and lo and behold, he's 41. 41.
Speaker 1:Okay, so he is really low, yeah. So what's his idea?
Speaker 2:No idea. I mean, he was playing, he was running around. When I went to his room and I was like, oh my gosh, like I, like Chris, would be on the floor sweating, baking. Like what is going on? Like this, that scares me as a mom. Like what's going to be there too low? Do you know what I mean?
Speaker 1:Like and the scary part is it's going to change, like the. From my understanding and I've heard this a lot from people who have has had diabetes for years is that you know, 60 may make you feel symptomatic this week but in three weeks you might feel symptomatic. You might not feel symptomatic until you're like 45. Like it can change. And it's crazy to think the difference between that two between them as toddlers, and like Chris and myself I'm the same at 40. I mean, I was at 35 when I passed out about two months ago and had a seizure and landed in the hospital. That's only five off from from 40 or six off from 41. So you know, like it's just insane to think about the difference like that. And that kind of leads me to the next question I wanted to talk about is do they have different sensitivity levels or their needs fairly the same Because they are identical twins, which is makes you wonder.
Speaker 2:They're very different, very different. Cooper still honeymooning a lot still kind of new into his diagnosis. But yeah, they react very different.
Speaker 1:What is their awareness of? It? Is there? Do they compare to each other at that age, or are they really aware of what's going on?
Speaker 2:And so we're just starting to kind of see like their understanding. So the other night was the first night that Cooper actually told Chris and I like I'm low, I need to eat something. And we checked his, his DEXCOM and it said 83.
Speaker 1:So we kind of looked at each other.
Speaker 2:Oh, like is he starting to understand? Because right now they're not really like telling us that they feel low or they feel weird, but something that I noticed that they're starting to do, and they're doing this at school and they actually did it at soccer on Wednesday when they do start to drop, they learn that that noise means that they're going low and they'll stop what they're doing and they'll tell the person that they're beeping and that need to stop and like they're going to go low. So, like I think they're, they're slowly starting to like it's starting to make sense.
Speaker 2:It's yeah.
Speaker 1:It's being said, because I believe between teaching them to understand what's happening to them, what's happening to the bodies, how to recognize things such as being low, that's really important as far as, like, education and we have to educate, you know, ourselves and our kids just as much as we have to educate people who are not diabetic, which I would like to put that more of an awareness type of situation. But as far as education goes, how do you work with the school system and the teachers to ensure that they're properly cared for? This is a really big question because I think this is probably a big fear in a lot of parents' minds. Now you have one advantage you work at the school, but how can a parent it might be a better way to ask this question how can a parent properly work with the school system and the teachers to ensure that their child is properly cared for as a type one diabetic?
Speaker 2:Definitely first thing needs to be a 504 needs to be put in place from, you know, initial diagnosis of all the care steps and things that you need to make sure that their child is getting the proper care. So you've got to make sure that anything you want for your child is in that 504, because I've heard some horror stories of parents that if it's not in the 504, the school will not address it.
Speaker 2:So like making sure anything that you need you advocate for and make sure that it's in that 504 plan. Also, making sure that all the staff is trained in diabetes. I know at our school I'm not sure how it is elsewhere but staff, all staff gets like a initial diabetes training online.
Speaker 1:It's a quick course.
Speaker 2:Really not much hands on stuff to it, just a couple of videos. We answer some questions. That's about it. Any staff, though, that directly works with a student with type one diabetes has to do a day course. So more hands on Like. Does that make sense? So like, if you have a student with diabetes in your class, then that teacher would need to do the longer course, the more hands on course.
Speaker 1:And I can already tell you that your school is different than our schools here. My wife is a seventh grade math teacher and to my understanding, to my knowledge, they have zero training with people with diabetes, because me becoming a diabetic as an adult was all new to her. That was like her training was through me. As long as we've been married, I don't think she's ever had a student who is a type one diabetic, but I can tell you that, based off everything that we've gone through in the last two years, that she's had zero training on type one diabetes and diabetics.
Speaker 2:There are six in my school alone. We have the most in my elementary school, six type one diabetic.
Speaker 1:That's pretty rare though, isn't it? It's pretty uncommon it is?
Speaker 2:I mean, it's crazy.
Speaker 1:So what else? Well, before I actually move on the 504 plan I know I vaguely understand this because I don't have a child that requires it, but that basically sets up the student or the child for success in the school system, allowing them to make sure they're properly cared for, whether it's through test taking as they're older or getting the breaks that they need. Can you elaborate on the 504 a little bit?
Speaker 2:Yeah, like you said, test taking also absenteeism, so a lot of the times students with diabetes will have to miss more school than a friend and so making sure that there's something in their 504 that says like all absences should be excused if it's health related. So that doesn't count against them. Because I know in the education system now, absenteeism is one of the biggest problems nationwide and they're really cracking down on it. But obviously making sure that that's in the 504, that your child won't be penalized for missing school because of their chronic illness.
Speaker 1:So, obviously in school, well, obviously, with a type one diabetic, food in our relationship to food is extremely, extremely important. So what about like snacks and breakfast and lunch in the school? Do you well for one, do you pack their lunches or do they eat at the school? Or, you know, is it safe for kids to eat school lunches with diabetes, or should parents probably just get used to packing lunches so they can be controlled a little bit more? Like, but how does that work?
Speaker 2:So I packed the boys lunch again. They're taught like well, they're not toddlers anymore, but they're picky.
Speaker 1:So I mean like I don't think they're going to eat a school lunch.
Speaker 2:I don't know if you've seen a school lunch lately but it's been years, it's been a long time. I mean they're not the most advertising thing, but I packed their lunch. Girls do offer breakfast and that kind of stuff. I feed them breakfast before we leave, just because I want to make sure that I know the carbs. I'm not exactly sure how carbs are counted per se, like for our school lunches. I know that there is a nutritional like value for each meal that they're supposed to have but to say accurate, like the carbs are that they're counting for?
Speaker 2:I'm a little hesitant to, I guess, have my kids eat school lunch.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:But I mean, I guess if they get older and they really want to venture out and try the school lunch, I mean I'll let them with that obstacle when it comes. But I mean I packed them snack their own little snacks like throughout the day that they can have. They can have low boxes in each of their classes that they go to in case they were to need like a low snack.
Speaker 1:Now speaking of lows and corrections. Obviously, if they're having a low in the classroom, they can pull out a snack and eat it. But how does this work with correcting with insulin? Like let's pretend for a second you didn't work at the school? Put this to a perspective for a parent who is not at the school with her kids. If they were high and they needed a correction of insulin, how does that work? Is the teacher responsible at that point, at that age?
Speaker 2:I'm going to say no. So to me me personally it's always been Chris and I's call. So if my boys needed a correction I would let the nurse know. The nurse would go either down to the boys classroom and give them a correction or go to the nurse to give the correction. I feel like I've talked to other type one moms and they do the same thing. They're in very close contact with the nurse and like if that, if they needed that correction they let the nurse know. But then we also have some students in our school whose parents aren't so involved, that have type one diabetes and they follow the three hour rule.
Speaker 2:The nurse follows that rule, where she'll check after lunch and if they're this then she corrects, but if they're this, then she leaves them alone.
Speaker 1:And having a school with six type one diabetics a bunch of your nurse there stays fairly busy just making the rounds.
Speaker 2:Is amazing. Shout out to her.
Speaker 1:So with in terms of education we're talking about education and educating the teachers and educating your kids. Have you found any form of supportive community or outlets or anything local or online that has helped in prepping or educating and learning about all of this?
Speaker 2:So I guess the first support group I joined was the juice box support group on Facebook. And that helped me out a lot. I learned a lot from that. I mean, I'm in a unique situation because I have a type one spouse. So yeah he's my big support system, like he's my go to Like if I have questions. But I mean like being able to ask other type one moms, like especially with younger kids, like what they've done in certain situations. Like that's been helpful. Your Facebook page has been helpful.
Speaker 1:So so you mentioned Chris. Let's, let's, let's, let's take a little turn here for a second. So we talked about the twins for a while. Let's talk about Chris. How was that? How has that affected your relationship? I mean, it can only bring you. I'm sure there's times where you feel like you're so stressed and may cause fights I don't know, but there's gotta be times where it brings you closer together too. So how is that affected? There's a laugh. How has that affected your relationship as a whole? Like, let's, let's break that down a little bit um, so it's definitely.
Speaker 2:I feel like it's brought our relationship closer, for sure, but it's also put a definite strain on our relationship at times, and I say strain because it's hard. I guess, if you have two parents that don't have type 1 diabetes, I feel like it would be a different type of stress and strain on the relationship versus what Chris and I go through, because he's dealing with the same disease that the boys are dealing with.
Speaker 2:So, like the things that I'm taking to heart, or like I can't let go, or the things that are driving me crazy, it's driving him crazy that they're driving me crazy, because he's like you cannot control this disease Every single day, every minute, every hour of the day. So I think that's where our fights mostly came from was Me just needing to, kind of, you know, take a step back and let go a little bit. Not so much like the stress of, let's say, the managing of the diabetes. It's just like Me needing to feel like I needed to be in control Of the diet at all times, if that makes sense.
Speaker 1:It does, and it's okay to say that things are not perfect and there are fights, because If if there weren't that, I would say something's wrong. Like you know, I'm saying like none of us are perfect. And again, managing type 1 diabetes or helping manage type 1 diabetes for one person is hard enough. You've got three people in your household under your roof Uh, three out of five who have type 1, and so I can't even imagine. So what does the support look like between the two of you? How does he support you as a caregiver? Um, I'm assuming part of that is because he does understand With the kids, because he's he's living through himself. But, um, do you think he understands what you go through with being surrounded by a house full of type 1s?
Speaker 2:I think he tries, but, like you said earlier, I don't think he'll ever understand, because he'll never be in that situation. Um, I think what he does a really good job of is giving me a lot of Grace. I guess I make a lot of the decisions during the school day. His Position at the school is a little bit more demanding than mine. Mine's a little bit more flexible, like he actually has a class all day long, so he's not able to make some of those decisions, like as quickly as I am.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Sometimes like I'll make a decision and I'm like that was wrong. Like he's, he never blames me. He never says why did you do? You know, why did you do that?
Speaker 1:Or why did?
Speaker 2:you Give him that amount or he never does that. He says, hey, we tried this today, we'll do this tomorrow. Um, something else he does he gives me my sleep. So he's a very good job Of staying up till about midnight 12, 30 every night so I can get A good four or five hours of sleep and then I take that midnight to five shift until I get up for work, or I'm kind of I'm sleeping but I still get up, you know, and check myself.
Speaker 1:Now, as far as, like managing the kids, sugar levels and stuff, that's a really good way. That's a really good way to do it. Um, it's a it's a really good way to do it. I'm glad you'll come up with a system like that.
Speaker 1:Um, sleep is super important because, uh, that's something that me and my wife are are figuring out. Uh, my job in the mornings is to because she gets up early. You know how this goes. You're, you're working schools she gets up really early, gets out the door. She, at this point, she's responsible for driving both of the kids to the school, because their elementary school is literally right next door to where she teaches. Um, with walking distance. And so I get up in the mornings and help get the kids are ready, get them their breakfast, get them their, uh, their waters, pack their bags and, you know, make sure all the papers are signed and their book bags and all the stuff. Um, that way she does, she can focus on getting herself ready and then and then getting out the door.
Speaker 1:But there are nights when I did get, uh, when I didn't get any sleep and because of either the loads or the highs, um, and sometimes I will wake up and be like can you please, can you just do this, can you just handle it? Um, and you know, sometimes if she overslept or something like that's not possible. But there are times where she has done it like I was, like I just can't, I just need like. Or I woke up Like with an insanely high blood sugar in my head's, pounding I just I can't see straight, and in those moments you know she has been very uh helpful and and and took the reins and and stepped in um. But that kind of points back to the whole thing we talked about earlier on in this.
Speaker 1:In this uh recording, uh is caregiver burnout, because that stuff adds up over time like, just, you know, constantly being on the go and aware and responsible, um, has there ever been any moment when you had to go, find a quiet place in your house and just have time to yourself, be like oh, my gosh, if I hear one more blood sugar alarm go off, I am going to scream Yep oh plenty.
Speaker 2:Usually, all you know my time is to go to the grocery store or go out to, like you know, some type of Shop, and I walk down every aisle and that's my time, because I'm a good, good group of girlfriends and I mean like they're always there for me. They don't quite understand what I go through, but they've been there for me, you know, ever since Eli's diagnosis.
Speaker 1:So I will point out that you mentioned that, that there is another. There's another person in particular. Her name is Shannon. Uh, y'all happen to uh live in the same town. You have kids that go to the same school. She also has a type one diabetic.
Speaker 1:We've all three have connected, or I'm connected with you two, because y'all have known each other, um, and we've done some tiktok lives together and we all each different family Is a different point in their life, like they're a different walk with when it comes to diabetes, which, you know, points out the fact that nobody's the same, no diabetics the same, everything's different. Um, so having that around you is fantastic. I mean you two, both families, you and her have been Super helpful to me, even though I don't have kids with with type one, but like it's just Someone that you can talk to that just understands type one diabetes, like that's. If anything else, that's all we can ask for sometimes. Just you understand what it means when I say I over corrected Hello, or I rage a bolus, or I had pizza tonight, and which I literally did have pizza tonight. I'm looking at my uh, I'm constantly checking my cgm.
Speaker 1:Uh, just to see, I did an extended bolus and I think it's working out pretty well, um, uh, but anyways, um, it's, it's a lot, it's a lot to take in and having someone who just understands and knows to talk to. Uh, and in your situation, being super mom and super wife, I can, I can't, I still can't even imagine like, um, I mean, we mean my wife when our oldest kid he does have his own versions of disabilities, for sure, um, but being someone who lives with, who has type one, uh, I don't think I can imagine both of my kids having it like it's just, you know, it seems impossible to think about, but it's not because it's literally happening, happening in your life. Um, what does that look like? As far as like just a day every day?
Speaker 1:Like, let's say, you're together as a family and you decide to go out the dinner one night, like, what does that look like? I mean, how do you prepare? Because most families would grab their I mean most, most families would grab their car keys, load up the van, load up the truck, the car, whatever it may be, and drive down the road to, you know, a restaurant and eat and do their thing and come back home that that can't happen with you. So what does that look like?
Speaker 2:So I mean we always have to Look at where their blood sugar is before we go. We got to make sure the bags are packed. We always kind of figure out like, okay, where are we gonna eat? I always look at the menu beforehand so I can see, okay, like what are they gonna want to eat? Can I look up the carbs beforehand and get an?
Speaker 2:idea of be like working with and stuff like that and Like just so many things. Like should I pre-bowl this? But then if I pre-bowl this, what if they don't eat at the restaurant? Because they're just so like excited to be at a restaurant? Like there's so many things that go through my head. We don't go out the restaurant as much because, like it's a whole time trying to take all into a restaurant and then sit there and be polite. But I mean, it's a yeah, it's a, it's, it's a process Anytime we want to go out somewhere.
Speaker 1:So again, having two four year old twins with type one diabetes and having a husband with type one your whole household, I imagine that it's near impossible to be spontaneous Um, something that most people you know say goodbye to when they get married and have kids, but even more so now it's that. Does that frustrate you at all, that you can't just live on the edge a little bit, or uh?
Speaker 2:it's definitely affected. Chris and I's like relationship that part I mean we used to be able to go out on dates without, you know, worrying, and we like we don't have many people here that I can just leave the kids with my parents are an hour and a half away.
Speaker 2:Um, they come. They come up when they can and are able to watch them. But, like you know, chris and I haven't been on vacation just the two of us since our honeymoon. So I mean, and I don't, it's hard for me to think about when that day will actually come again, because I'm just so scared to to leave them Like I think that I could, I can do it. It's, it's hard enough for me to leave them alone for two hours to go to Bible school. So I mean, I know I'll get there, but you know it's it's tough.
Speaker 1:So what about vacation? What does vacation look like with having three diabetics in your family?
Speaker 2:Chaotic. I buy the whole grocery store. I bring the whole store with me.
Speaker 1:You probably have to have like a whole suitcase dedicated to snacks and supplies alone.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Like between three people.
Speaker 2:Vacations. Um, again, it's their, their COVID babies. So I mean, like there were a good year and a half two years where we couldn't actually even go anywhere because of COVID. So you know, we've taken them a few places and stuff, but like we haven't really been on a true vacation with them. Um, I think we're ready now that we've got two years under our belts with them Getting the itch. We're actually going to be going up to see Chris's family for Thanksgiving in Pennsylvania. That'll be the furthest we've taken them, so we'll see.
Speaker 1:Now let's talk real quick. Let's talk. We haven't answered this question yet. What is everybody on as far as pump supplies? Is everybody on the same pump? Is anybody on shots? I think both of your boys are on the Omnipod.
Speaker 2:Omnipod five, and Chris is on the Omnipod Omnipod five too. He was on the Medtronic, but once the boys Omnipod, five Omnipod he switched to, kind of help them to show them like dad has it too. So he's on that now, but I think he's itching to get on that T-Slam. Yeah, he likes, likes the tubing he does, he likes the other mode.
Speaker 1:He enjoys the two. Yeah Well, the tubing takes getting used to. I was about to ask how the Omnipod is working for everybody, because I was on the Omnipod when I first started and now I'm not going to diss the Omnipod because I still like it. I think it's a great pump. I love the fact that it's tubeless and you can put it you know anywhere, like on your arms and you have to mend in your legs and all that stuff. But for me specifically, it just wasn't working for me in my body, which is fine, because not every pump is for every person.
Speaker 2:I mean he? He says it's not aggressive enough for him. He said he had better control with his Medtronic. He likes the auto mode feature better on his Medtronic, but he definitely wants to go to the T-Slam. Now for the boys. The Omnipod works great. Yeah, I mean it goes in very well Again, I like that it has no tubing. They're very active. I couldn't imagine them like being hooked up with tubing. They'll go and get snagged.
Speaker 1:Yeah, again, working as a wedding DJ, I thought the same thing, and I was. I was scared to make the switch, but, like Chris, I needed something a little bit more aggressive. My carb ratio is one to six and I often need, you know, a good bit of insulin as well. And the Omnipod, for me, when I was trying to dose that much, was just leaking a lot and thus creating spikes and high sugars, and it was just like that brought on stress and anxiety. None of it was a good combination.
Speaker 1:Today is day seven on the T-Slam for me and I can tell you I love it. My lines have been nice and straight. The auto bowl is feature fantastic. Like yesterday, I didn't bowl as for a little snack. I snuck some food, didn't bowl as for it, and of course, I started to go up and it caught. It gave me about three units, brought me back down. I didn't have to do a thing. Now, you shouldn't do that. You shouldn't rely on it to do that. You shouldn't rely on it to do that. But it's very helpful though, in those moments for sure. Well, as we kind of wrap everything up, kind of pull it together.
Speaker 1:We've talked about a lot. We talked about the boys in school and just being the mom of of two twins with diabetes and having a husband with diabetes For any, this is a two part question. First, let's address the other mothers out there, or fathers either. Or what advice would you give to them when it comes to managing toddlers with type 1 diabetes that can help alleviate the stress and anxiety? I know it's hard to question the answer because you still feel all that. I mean, I'm not saying that you don't, I'm not saying that you don't, but is there anything you can say? You know because you got two years under your belt, right? So is there anything you can say to them who? Maybe they just found out the diagnosis last week, or, you know, just a couple of days ago? Whatever it may be that you know what it's going to be OK.
Speaker 2:I think my biggest thing and it might sound, you know, a little bit cliche, but one day at a time. Yeah, I always at first diagnosis I wanted to do everything right off the bat and do everything perfectly. And it was just driving me nuts and like when I sat there and said, ok, I'm going to take today and I'm going to tackle today, and whatever today throws at me I'll handle. Tomorrow is a new day and we'll then. We'll tackle what happens tomorrow, because every day with diabetes is different. There is no day that is the same. So understand that now, what your kids blood sugars were yesterday with the same meals, are not going to be the same tomorrow. So just to take each day one day at a time, give yourself grace, be patient. It's not a sprint, it's a jog, and just yeah.
Speaker 2:Best you can.
Speaker 1:Well said and even if it is cliche, there's so much truth to that. I like to say that you know what? If you fail today, we try again tomorrow. You know like. You know, like to myself, I have to tell myself that you know what? I did not have control over my sugars today. I didn't. I didn't count carbs right, I didn't bolus right. I overcorrected. I rage bolus, whatever it may be. You know what? It's OK, I'm going to get some sleep and tomorrow is a whole new day. And the good thing about that is is there's so much truth to that because you know, you might have the roller coaster graph today, and tomorrow you have a nice, beautiful flat line and that's just, that's our life. That's, that's the way it is with with type one.
Speaker 2:And I think for like when I when I started to think about how I think I was taking it so personally on me because I mean, I'm their pancreas right now, I'm making their and so I'm taking it to heart, like I'm doing the harm to them, like if I'm not in control of them, but I told myself I can't make it about me. I've got to be a good model for them and say, ok, like it might not have been a good day, but we're going to have a better day tomorrow, so that when they get older and they start to learn how to manage it themselves, they're not as hard on themselves. Do that? Does that make sense? Like I don't want that. Yeah that's.
Speaker 1:You know it's funny, it's scary to think about it. I didn't think about it like that because for someone to work as their own pancreas as an adult, right, we take on that responsibility and we tell ourselves, well, it's on me If I mess up, it's on me and it's my body. But you're working as a pancreas for two of your kids and I mean I can't even imagine the stress or the responsibility that you must feel. I mean, obviously, as a parent, we're going to do everything that we can, to the best that we can, but you know, when you have those bad days, I could definitely see how you might beat yourself up over it, and that's that's. I mean, it's got to be tough.
Speaker 1:Answer me this, christine how about a spouse as a spouse? What can you say to the other husbands or wives out there who is assisting care for their spouse who has type 1 diabetes? You have a little bit more experience in this realm. You've been doing this for 12 years now. Is there any kind of advice you can say to them? Maybe it's about how to keep the relationship strong or how to be stronger together and work together as a team? Any advice there at all?
Speaker 2:I get like like me talking to other spouses of T-1Ds.
Speaker 1:Correct, correct.
Speaker 2:I think, just like taking like interest in their disease, I feel like, like at the beginning I didn't take that much interest in these because Chris like had a handle on it. I didn't ask like a lot of questions because he, he did everything and I wish I had, like I wish I would have taken more Of initiative trying to learn it back then, because I mean, like it is something that you're going to battle together. There's been plenty of times I've had to wake.
Speaker 2:Chris up in the middle of the night with his low alarm. So it's definitely going to be something that you're going to go through together. Yeah, so just like you know interest in it, learning about it, and, you know, giving your partner grace when he does have those bad days, or they or she has those bad days, wow.
Speaker 1:That's really well said. Like, grace is a hard thing to grasp alone and I think when you put yourself in this situation, that's the really only answer is to somewhere dig deep and find that grace. But I like what you said about finding interest in the disease that's. I can't even tell you how powerful that is, like if you're anybody that's listening to this and you have a loved one, a spouse or whatever. And, yeah, dig a little deep, dig deeper, ask questions, be willing to go to a support group for yourself as a caregiver or further your education about type one. I think that's really important and really really powerful. Well, christine, thank you so much for doing this.
Speaker 1:This won't be the only time that you get to hear Christine on the show you mentioned. Well, you heard me mention Shannon a few minutes ago. We're going to be planning a group podcast between the three of us. I have two planned between the three of us. They may not know this yet and I think they know one of them. I want to do one where we just get to talk about our different lives and just get to have a little fun diabetic chat. I want to do one where we get to.
Speaker 1:We're going to try this and do a live podcast recording. So we'll stream it to like YouTube or something and record it as we do it and then answer questions on the spot, and I think that'd be really fun Just kind of open it up to the community. I've been wanting to do this for a while. I think this is the perfect way to do it. I'm really excited about that. So before we go, though, I want to shed some light on your content creation. So how can people find you in the social media world? What is your account about? What do you do on there? What type of stuff do you make? All the fun stuff?
Speaker 2:So I'm on TikTok. You can find me at twice as sweet T1D twins. I'm slowly getting my Instagram together, but for now TikTok is the place I just kind of document our lives. I do some morning vlogs. Site changes, just everyday life in our crazy household is what you'll find there. So come give me a follow.
Speaker 1:Which is so fun because you get to kind of join in the journey, because it's not again, this is not something you see every day. There are a few accounts out there. That's all I can count Just the other day. It's a group of sisters and brothers. There's like six in one house. Well, there are some of them are off of college now, but it's insane and it's a fun journey to watch and witness.
Speaker 1:Yeah, definitely go follow her. I want to put all of that information that she just mentioned in the show notes so you can easily find it and click on it and it will take you straight to her page. Give her a follow and join in the fun. Also, make sure to sign up for notifications for her lives as well, because she does go live from time to time. I go live from time to time. Shannon goes live. If you're notified with one of us, when any one of us goes live together, you will get notified. So make sure to do that as well.
Speaker 1:And last but not least, I think I mentioned this on just about every episode just because we talked about support groups for a minute, I love to remind everybody how powerful support groups are the community that we're trying to build on our Facebook page and our listen. Our Facebook group is not the end, all be all. I'm a member of like 10, I feel like there are some really big ones out there, like juice box and some other ones, and they're really, really fantastic. I ask questions on juice box all the time. I asked like three questions there this week, but sometimes the bigger groups can get a little bit overwhelming and it's nice to have a little bit of a smaller group. Or we have like around 250-ish people, I think, in ours right now.
Speaker 1:But we've got people in there who specialize in programs and stuff for kids, like type one together. Raquel is in there. We've got people like Christine and Shannon who are parents of kids anywhere from toddler age to eight years old, I believe, with type one diabetes. We've got people who are grandparents. We got people who are husbands and spouses and people who are diabetics themselves. So there's something for everybody there. There's no bad question you can ask. So if you're not part of a support group, please join one, or at least consider joining ours. It's in the show notes as well, but it's also called type one, unscripted on Facebook and you can find it there. Well, christine, thank you so much. I'm looking forward to the next show that you get to be with us on, and I'm looking forward to more TikTok lives with you, and I'm really excited to continue to watch your journey unfold. Thank you so much for being here with us.
Speaker 2:Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1:Before we end this episode, I just have to pause and give this huge, massive shout out to all of the caregivers out there. Whether you're a spouse, a parent, a grandparent or all of the above, you are the unsung heroes to all of us in our diabetic journey. And, yes, you help count the carbs and you help with the late night checks, but let me tell you, it's your boundless love, your unspoken sacrifices, and even that quiet strength that you bring to the table every single day, that makes it all come together. We couldn't do it without you. So hats off to you and thank you. Stay inspired everybody. I love you guys and I will see you on the next episode.