I use both! I wear a Dexcom CGM and an Omnipod pump. I am able to wear both while I am playing.

Try to give your insulin 10-15 minutes to kick in before eating. In my opinion, this is the best way to control your blood sugar. I’ve noticed that it takes some time for my insulin to start working, and if I eat right away after giving insulin, my blood sugar tends to spike up pretty quickly.

The hardest part is having an extra hurdle to juggle compared to everyone else playing in the game. Instead of focusing solely on the game, a lot of my focus before playing is on making sure my blood sugar is in the right spot.

I try to eat 3-4 hours before intense exercise. I’ve noticed that eating right before is really tough because you will have a lot of insulin in your system, and your blood sugar will likely drop if you’re working out hard. So, if you can try to eat your big meal 3-4 hours before, that may help you have the best result.

The biggest thing I want you to take away from my story is that you should not let diabetes hold you back from anything. Keeping a positive outlook can definitely be a challenge – I won’t ever say that I didn’t and don’t still have moments of difficulty but the more positively you approach your diabetes, the more in control you’ll be, and you’ll have better outcomes in achieving the goals you set for yourself. There are so many incredible T1ds doing amazing things out there, and so will you.

Try to find the ideal blood sugar for you that you want to start your exercise with. For me, it is around 140-150. I’ve noticed that even though I’m running around in a game, my blood sugar will often be high after the game. Playing in a game will cause a release of adrenaline and that will lead to you having a high blood sugar. So, it is important, even during a game, to have insulin in your system. I put my pump in “activity” mode, and this aims to keep my blood sugar at 150.

Yes absolutely. This Is normal. But, be proud of yourself for dealing with this disease. With everything else going on in your life, you have to deal with this 24/7 on top of it all. That takes a lot of strength and courage! Try not to get down, even when things are tough. I always say that we were given diabetes because we are strong enough to handle it. Be proud of yourself every day and always count the blessings that you have.

You should never feel ashamed of your diabetes. It is part of who you are. I have grown to love talking about living with diabetes. It is a great feeling to be able to connect with other people who share the same struggles and to possibly help them, and you can’t do that if you’re ashamed or hide that big part of you. I am very open about living with this disease and you should be too.

Get into a routine. Try to find a set meal that you eat before intense exercise. For me, this took a lot of trial and error, but what I have found has been really useful. Again, I try to stay away from high sugary foods because they make your blood sugar so unpredictable. Before a game, I have pasta, chicken and vegetables. Having carbs mixed with protein and veggies keeps my blood sugar from going on a roller coaster. Eating the same food at the same time before games allows me to know how my body is hopefully going to react, and how much insulin is going to be in my system going into games.

Find a snack that your body reacts to well when you have a low blood sugar and need to bring your sugar up. For me, that is fruit snacks. I’ve been using them for years and they have really worked well for me. If I need some quick sugar before a game or practice, those are my go-to snacks!