252: Living with T1D for Over 65 Years: A Personal Story – Jeanine Crouse

Imagine having type 1 diabetes, taking insulin and not being able to monitor your blood glucose levels at home until that technology was developed and made available to you forty years after your diagnosis.

Today’s episode is a candid conversation with my best friend’s mom, Jeanine, about living with type 1 diabetes for over 65 years. She’s seen a lot of changes in diabetes treatment and management during that time – but says that she never felt like she couldn’t do something because she had diabetes.

This interview was recorded almost exactly six years ago. It has not been released until now.

Jeanine recently celebrated her 80th birthday and is doing very well. She adjusted to a new closed loop monitor and pump last year and still enjoys a variety of activities at her senior center – swimming, pickleball, bocce ball, biking, walking, cards and book club.

Tune into this episode to learn about Jeanine’s story including:

·       diagnosis at 13 years old

·       how the diagnosis impacted her family

·       learning to take different types of insulin

·       playing basketball in high school

·       new language guidance from ADCES

·       hypoglycemia symptoms, treatment, unawareness

·       blood glucose monitoring, CGM

·       pump therapy

·       diet therapy – exchanges, carb counting, reading food labels, sugar free foods

·       how being a home economist taught her skills that helped her manage diabetes

·       swimming and other exercise

·       prenatal care, pregnancy and delivery

·       having a positive attitude and outlook

·       Joslin Medal and research study

·       Peanut M-n-Ms and sweet corn

Full shownotes, transcript and resources at: https://soundbitesrd.com/252