6 Pregame Teen Athlete Secrets Living with Type One Diabetes

A1C 10/8/2018

30 minutes has passed. My mind has been racing to find the perfect title to kick-off my daughters type one diabetes blog. It was supposed to be her blog, where she shared her story. But with school and soccer and managing her blood glucose time always slips away, so instead I'm going to take a stab at sharing OUR story.

When your child has type one diabetes it doesn't just affect them. It affects everyone who touches her life (parents, siblings, neighbors, friends, teammates and the coach). This invisible disease (that just plain SUCKS) truly is a rollercoaster ride. One that never seems to end.

This past weekend we headed to Georgia to play two National League Piedmont Conference soccer games. Madison and I spent almost 5 hours on the drive down coming up with the perfect game plan for managing her blood glucose on and off the field (and including some type one diabetes stress tips).

It was invincible! Nothing could throw our game plan off! Yea... right... like every type one moment, not one thing went as planned.  (Saturday's game plan below)

• Eat healthy carbs 3.5 hours before game.
• No insulin on board prior to warm-ups. Madison's blood glucose consistently crashes if she has more than 1.5 units of insulin on board before a soccer game.
• Reduce basal 85% for one hour 30 minutes before warm-ups.  
• Check blood glucose 15 minutes before game (finger prick). 
• Wear Dexcom G6 receiver in a fanny-like pack to check blood glucose on field. 
• Put Glucose Gel in socks if low happens on field.
• Check blood glucose at half-time (finger prick) for 2nd half of soccer game plan.

Everything was on track two hours before the game! (below is the text she and I shared)

Our reality at the field was different... It was hot (which we knew, but didn't realize the true heat index). Stupid weather never works in our favor. Then she was hungry. Mom guilt kicked in so we snuck in a few peanut butter crackers before she headed out for warm-ups. She now had insulin on board (my stress thermometer just bubbled, but her belly felt better).

Things stayed inconsistent from there. The coach didn't work them as hard during pregame work-out because it was so stinking hot. I knew her blood glucose was going up. I was so stressed and I'm sure she was too. Our game plan changed. As soon as she had a chance, she changed her basal settings so she'd start getting more insulin and she also gave herself a bolus of insulin. Clock kept ticking, but her blood glucose wasn't going down. Insulin never works fast enough when you need it too.

National League Piedmont Conference Soccer Game Georgia

When she finally stepped onto the soccer field to play, the adrenaline effect kicked in. I was ready to throw in the towel. Her blood glucose went over 300 creeping up to 400. I don't know how in the world she played, but she did. I could see the heat, the stress, the pressure and the adrenaline all affecting her. Her face showed the struggle of trying to beat the heat and the high blood glucose. Such determination. Tears filled my eyes (and they still do). She never gave up. Somehow she pushed through it.

After the game, she came up to me with an ear to ear smile, face beaming and said, "We won!"  Then her face cringed as she said, "I didn't feel too well out there, did I play okay?" I said, "You played amazing in this heat and kept up with both teams."

Not once did she mention that she wanted to give up playing. Her type one diabetes wasn't going to get the best of her. And I'm trying sooooo hard not to let it get the best of me.

Here are our 6 Pregame Secrets for a Teen Type One Diabetic Athlete:

• No matter what pregame type one diabetes high and low prevention plan you create, be ready for lots of variables to change
• Be there for your child as a supporter and realize that their performance on the field sometimes will be out of their control and let that be okay
• Keep in touch through cell phone if your type one athlete needs to bounce ideas off of you or just needs an emoji smile / hug
• Always plan for weather changes
• Remember lots of teen type one athletes experience the adrenaline effect during and after game
• Stash some fast-acting sugar in their socks for those unexpected lows on the field