Type 1 inspiration: A diabetes diagnosis didn't stop this girl

In years past, the Carharts spent Thanksgiving like most families - laughing, cooking, and saying prayers of gratitude for their good health. This November, however, they had something extra to celebrate.

Not everyone knows that November is Diabetes Awareness Month. At this time last year, 11 year-old Susannah Carhart had no idea that “Diabetes Awareness” would soon become the center of her young life.

At the beginning of 2016, Susannah was a fun-loving, active pre-teen. She divided her time between her studies as an honor student at Daniel Island School and her gymnastics gym. For the first few months of the year, the normally energetic sixth grader noticed she was unusually tired. As the winter wore on, she began to experience near constant thirst and inconveniently frequent trips to the restroom.

“There was a girl in my grade who had Type 1 Diabetes,” said Susannah. “So as I started to ask questions and gather information on my own, her symptoms sounded so familiar.”

Then one day last spring, the precocious girl alerted her mother: “Mom, I’m pretty positive I have diabetes.” Susannah’s mother Krysta, a registered nurse, listened closely as she proceeded to list her symptoms, all of which lined up exactly with those on the American Diabetes Association website (see box).

Krysta was taken aback at her daughter’s self-diagnosis. But she also trusted Susannah’s instincts, did her own research and made an appointment with the family pediatrician right away.

After a few simple blood tests, Susannah’s doctor confirmed her suspicions and immediately sent her to the emergency room. Susannah needed insulin that day. She spent the next two days at MUSC Children’s Hospital receiving additional treatment and learning about her disease and how to manage it.

“As shocking as it was to receive the diagnosis, I was so grateful for the way it happened,” said Krysta. “Many children find out they are diabetic after having a diabetic ketoacidosis episode - which often lands children in the ICU.”

While at MUSC, Susannah met with doctors, dietitians and nurses (several of whom were diabetic themselves) to counsel her family on how best to monitor her blood and live with her diagnosis.

“Type 1 Diabetes is an auto-immune disease,” Susannah explains. “It happens when your immune system attacks your pancreas, which is the organ that regulates your blood sugar.”

According to the American Diabetes Association, Type 1 Diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, and was previously known as juvenile diabetes. Only five percent of people with diabetes have this form of the disease. However, that number is rising.

With Type 1 Diabetes, the body does not produce insulin. It breaks down sugars and starches into a simple sugar called glucose, which it uses for energy. Insulin is a hormone that the body needs to get glucose from the bloodstream into the cells. With the help of insulin therapy and other treatments, children can learn to manage their condition. With constant vigilance, children can live long, healthy lives.

Susannah says she wishes that Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes were classified differently. “They really are two separate, different diseases,” she believes.

Type 2 Diabetes (formerly called adult-onset or non-insulin-dependent diabetes) can develop at any age. Without insulin, cells cannot absorb sugar (glucose), which they need to produce energy. It most commonly becomes apparent during adulthood. But Type 2 Diabetes in children is rising as well, reports the American Diabetes Association.

Once Susannah left the hospital, her concerned mother continued to be her daughter’s advocate, asking questions and tirelessly researching the best options for treatment.

“As an R.N., I knew what questions to ask. But when it’s your own child, the answers are no less scary.”

“I knew the whole process would be painful for Susannah,” Carhart said. “She is a brave girl and has handled all of this with grace.”

The night Susannah received her first insulin shot at home, Krysta said she felt pangs of pain as well. “It was all a bit overwhelming.”

“The next few months changed our lives as we worked together with the medical professionals to keep Susannah’s blood sugar and glucose in check,” Krysta remembered. “It’s not as simple as it sounds, but she chose to accept it as a challenge not a handicap.”

Susannah’s protocol involved a painful process of five to six injections and multiple pin pricks per day. Her mother says she was a responsible patient, monitoring her blood sugar numbers and administering her own shots and finger pokes. Since diabetes has no cure, Susannah’s treatment will forever be a part of the family’s life.

On November 14, World Diabetes Day, Susannah proudly reported that she received a “t:slim insulin pump.” The pump automatically injects her with the insulin she needs every three days, rather than the five to six shots per day she had been receiving.

“The pump is way easier,” Susannah said, exhaling. “My life used to revolve around diabetes, now it’s just a thing. Lately, I’ve been feeling like I’m forgetting something because it’s so much easier.”

Susannah must wear her insulin pump and another glucose sensor at all times. The highs and lows never go away and the needles are her life support.

Even with the pump, her mother explained, Susannah still has to calculate the carbohydrates in everything she eats, estimate the insulin she will need, account for the protein she’s taking in, then set her insulin pump accordingly.

“This will remain something that requires Susannah’s diligence 24/7,” Krysta shared.

She says her family is ever grateful for the gift of insulin, but is still holding out hope for more - namely, a cure.

Until that day, Susannah is determined to live a normal life: competing in gymnastics, attending church, surfing, swimming and just goofing around with friends. She loves taking photos and caring for dogs. She plans to become a marine life photographer one day.

The middle schooler has made it her mission to speak openly about diabetes in order to help educate the community and raise awareness for other families.

Her hope is that one day insulin pumps will be a thing of the past - for herself and for every child.

Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes
(Information provided by the American Diabetes Association)

• Frequent urination
• Feeling very thirsty
• Feeling very hungry - even though you are eating
• Extreme fatigue
• Blurry vision
• Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal
• Weight loss - even though you are eating more

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