Fifteen Months In: Our Family’s Type 1 Diabetes Journey

In this deeply personal episode, I share what the last 15 months have been like since my youngest was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. From the initial hospitalization to daily life now, this journey has been filled with grief, growth, resilience, and a constant mental load that few people truly understand. I talk openly about: The relentless mental math – carb counting, insulin dosing, and the constant calculations that run in the background of every meal, snack, outing, and school day. The invisible vigilance – checking glucose numbers overnight, sleeping in shifts, responding to alarms, and managing exhaustion while continuing to parent, work, and function. Mood and behavior changes – how high and low blood sugars directly impact emotional regulation, memory, impulse control, and attitude — and why these shifts are biological, not character flaws. The emotional toll on the whole family – from grief and fear to the resilience of siblings and the delicate balance of avoiding parentification. Social challenges – navigating stares, questions, teasing, and the growing self-awareness that comes with being a 9-year-old managing a visible medical condition. Control, guilt, and advocacy – learning to trust others, setting boundaries around her care, and embracing the role of being “that parent” who checks the numbers — unapologetically. Food and balance – avoiding rigid restriction, protecting against disordered eating, and ensuring she still gets to be a kid who enjoys birthday cake and Christmas treats. I also share the gratitude — for supportive teachers, incredible coaches, educated grandparents, helpful technology like Loop, and a sibling who has stepped up in beautiful ways. This episode isn’t about strategies. It’s about reality. It’s about the grief of a lifelong diagnosis, the resilience of a child, and the complicated, exhausting, love-filled work of parenting a child with type 1 diabetes. If you’re parenting a child with T1D, you’re not alone. And if you’re not, I hope this gives you a window into what families are quietly carrying every single day.