Feature Friday with Maya!
Today I wanted to introduce you to Maya! She has been my friend here on IG, since the beginning. Maya has a passion for health and fitness and lives in beautiful Sacramento, California. Her IG is full of insightful information and she always learning and sharing her knowledge in different health topics. In her spare time, she enjoys staying active outside or in the gym, and spending time with her family and friends. I hope you enjoy learning about Type 3C Diabetes today!
Nesidioblastosis
Nesidioblastosis is a rare condition, that generally is seen in infants, and it causes the Pancreas to overproduce insulin. The overproduction causes a person to have severe hypoglycemia. I had various different treatments as a baby, but nothing was working. I had to end up having my entire Pancreas removed (it took 2 surgeries to complete) .It has affected me, because there is still lot of unknown with this condition. Many of my doctors have never met someone who was born with Nesidioblastosis.
I am a Type 3C Diabetic (also known as a pancreatogenic diabetic) which means my Pancreas was removed. Removing my Pancreas was the final solution to treating my Nesidioblastosis (the over production of insulin) .Since the Pancreas does more than one function, I now have to take insulin & Creon (which is a digestive enzyme). This procedure was all done by the age of 8 months old.
All I’ve ever known is life is Diabetes. My earliest memories of life , were learning how to test my blood sugar, & how to inject myself. I knew how to test my blood sugar &inject myself by age 4. My parents tried their best to teach me independence at an early age & how to advocate for my needs.
Staying Positive with Diabetes
The way I stay positive is by reflecting on how much I’ve been able to overcome. I have learned so much about myself & learning when to ask for help . Meeting other Diabetics has helped me out tremendously. I started attending Diabetes camp at the age of 10 & that was life changing. It gave me more confidence to embrace my gadgets, make new friends who could relate to my health needs, and learning how to manage my diabetes.
Thriving as a Diabetic
Thriving to me means, being able to grow and flourish even in hard times. There’s been so many times where things have gotten so hard in life & managing my Diabetes. I always try to find the good, even when things seem so negative.
The way I thrive with my Diabetes is by always taking everything as a learning lesson. Some days you’ll have amazing blood sugars and other days won’t go as planned. I take a look at everything going on during that day , to figure out why things went the way the did. I have learned there is so many things that can affect my blood sugars.
Diabetic Tip for Working Out!
My workout advice would be to try different activities out. I have learned what works best for my body and blood sugars. I now have a better understanding of what exercises will make me go low or high. Also, I always make sure to test before and after exercise. Carrying snacks & hypo treats is something I do as well. I never workout without having something nearby me. Talking to your provider helps as well with figuring out potential insulin adjustments for exercise.
My favorite exercise activities include : hiking, cycling, weightlifting, & paddle boarding.
Advice for New Diabetics
My biggest advice to newly diagnosed Diabetics would be to not be so hard on yourself. I feel like everyday is different. I’m still learning how to manage because as I get older my needs will change. What worked for me at age 10, doesn’t necessarily work me at age 27. Learning how to work with Diabetes & not against it has helped me out tremendously. Connecting with others in the Diabetes community helps a lot too. It feels good to talk to others who can relate to our everyday diabetes activities.
Thank you for letting me share my story and a bit about my journey. If anyone has any more questions about growing up with Diabetes or Type 3C, please feel free to send me a message. I love meeting and connecting with fellow diabuddies!
Maya
