My daughter is a recently diagnosed Type 1 diabetic. She is an avid lacrosse player and stays busy with friends and other activities. That being said her friends are very supportive but don’t really understand her daily challenges with T1D management. I am hoping to connect her with another child/tween that shares he same interests to chat with… Thoughts? Suggestions?
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Hi! My name is Emily and although I am 21 years old, I grew up playing soccer and still am very active. I’d love to answer any questions you guys might have!
Thank you Emily.
Tournament season is coming up. She plays lacrosse, so any suggestions on nutrition before/during tournaments would be great
They are long days so making sure she eats right and stays hydrated is a huge unknown right now.
R, Beth (her proud mom)
I don’t know if someone has told you this before, but I used to drink water with a bit of gatorade mixed in it so there is some sugar constantly in the system. Also, a banana or apple before games will reduce the risk of low blood sugar. Lots of protein if possible throughout the day for each meal (everyday I eat two egg whites and 1 whole egg with turkey bacon for breakfast and usually chicken/turkey/roast beef, etc. for lunch/dinner. Hopefully these small tips can help you guys! Good luck to your daughter in the upcoming tournament season!
She has been drinking Propel and Powerade Zero. I didn’t know about adding the small amounts of powder to the water. I will look into that. Thanks for the suggestion.
I will be sure and have some bananas and apples on hand. I have been giving her a Kind bar (17g carbs) before games, but the longer days with multiple games in a single day is a new challenge.
I will be sure and have some protein heavy snacks on hand.
Thanks so much for the information.
Beth
Beth @bkokoruda, I’m not a child your daughter’s age with whom she might connect, but I do have 60+ years living with diabetes and managing very active living. As @emilymelendez suggests, I too recommend that instead of drinking plain water during games and other strenuous activities that you mix in some [hit or miss will help you learn how much] powered “regular” Gatorade.
The Gatorade will help maintain glucose in her system to help fee her muscles and will also slow down dehydration. When bicycling I usually use a three-quarter strength and when walking 3+ miles in warm weather [I live in florida] I use one-half strength. Just use this as a guide. Be aware that dehydration may cause very high BG Levels and it may be difficult to determine whether the sugar or dehydration causes a higher BG. Also when walking or cycling I carry nut & chocolate granola bars - 17 grams carb total with only 7 grams sugar - these bars will give my BGL a nudge up and also extend a sufficiently high BG without giving me a high spike.
Best wishes for her in her games - and a wish for you, caring mom, that you can relax enough to enjoy her excitement.
Dennis,
Thank you so much for the post and suggestions. I will be applying them to her sport regiment.
Thank you, Beth
Hello, Beth! My name is Jerika. I’m also eleven, and just got diagnosed last November. I would really like a pen pal or someone that understands my struggles as a diabetic. I think your daughter and I would be great friends! I also play volleyball, and enjoy exercise. So, I would love to meet your daughter.
Hi, Jerika, and welcome to TypeOneNation! The original post was from 2018, so you may not hear back from Beth. Before we talk about anything else, though, I have to ask about your screen name. It sounds like you’re saying you wish you were dead, and if that’s how you’re feeling, that’s a medical emergency. Wishing we were dead is our brains telling us we need help. Please tell a trusted adult (a parent, grandparent, uncle or aunt, doctor, teacher, coach, anyone who cares about you) if you feel like that, even just sometimes. And write back and let me know who you told and what they said, okay? The posters here are a fantastic resource for talking about living with T1D, but we can’t diagnose or treat each other, and the fact that you chose “Wishing DKA took me” makes me worried you might need that first!
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Hi Jerika. T1D is tough, and at your age there are lots of other factors involved too, but it’s all manageable, and life with it can be navigated. Regan is 14 now. She plays travel lacrosse year round. A positive “can do” outlook helps - there isn’t anything you can’t do. She’s on Instagram. Are you on there too?
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I’m not saying that really, and the adults understand the mental toll it on me. It’s more if I knew what I was going to through I wish my symptoms would just let me be over, but I would never do that now. Please don’t worry about me.
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