Beyond Type 1:
Mia's Story
Blood sugar.
When 8-year-old Mia wakes up in the morning, it’s the first thing on her mind. If her levels are low, she’ll start her day with some general math – how many grams of carbs will it take to bring her levels back up?
She’ll then make decisions typical of a girl her age – what dress should she wear that day? How will she style her hair? What will she eat for breakfast?
But before she can eat breakfast comes another equation. How many carbs are in a protein bar and Danimals® yogurt? How much insulin will she need to break down those carbs? On a good day, her sugar will stay in line after her meal. If it spikes, though, she’ll have more decisions and more math.
Mia has Type 1 diabetes.
According to the third grader, diabetes is “when your pancreas decides not to work.”
“If my blood sugar goes too high, then we’d have to give [me] insulin. If it goes too low, then we’d have to give me some sugars or carbs,” Mia said. “Insulin helps the carbs and makes the blood sugar steady, because if you have too much carbs and no insulin then your blood sugar goes wacky.”
It seems like a complicated balancing act, but to Mia it’s simple.
She shares the story of her chronic condition with ease and a nonchalant attitude. From her bright blue eyes to her “Sparkle all day long!” shirt, Mia radiates a youthful energy that fills a room with positivity and profound braveness.
Even though she’s just a “teeny tiny kiddo widdo.”
Only 5% of people with diabetes have Type 1. While both adults and children are diagnosed, it typically appears in adolescence. Treatment can help, but the condition can’t be cured and Mia will be insulin-dependent her entire life.
Team Lead Kristen Schultz said her athletic, salad-loving daughter’s diagnosis in August came as a shock. Mia had just received a perfect bill of health at her yearly physical in June, but when she began visiting the bathroom more frequently and complaining of always being thirsty, her parents decided to bring her back in.
A urine analysis found Mia’s blood sugar level was at 497 – more than four times the normal range.
Kristen immediately took her to a nearby emergency room where she spent three days in the hospital. Tests found Mia had high blood sugar for at least three months prior to her diagnosis.
“This is a chaotic disease,” Kristen said. “Everything feels normal and then it slaps you in the face. Not everyone knows what to look for and we wouldn’t have known if Mia had not been diagnosed.”
Now Kristen wants to raise awareness, especially to other parents, and stress how important it is to have a urine analysis at each well visit.
Early diagnosis could literally save someone’s life.
“Many people don’t realize that Type 1 diabetes is an incurable disease, whereas Type 2 you can go into remission,” Kristen said. “If you’re able to, have your kids or your family checked before it gets to the point where you’re coming in on a stretcher or worse. It’s an easy test and it could save their life.”
As for Mia, she’s not letting her failing pancreas stop her. Her enthusiasm for life is infectious. She “simply” does the math and makes her next decision.
For more information on Type 1 diabetes, testing and resources available visit the American Diabetes Association.