Parenting with Type 1 Diabetes: A T1D Dad’s Rollercoaster Day

This week on We Are T1D, Mike takes the reins for a heartfelt solo episode, diving deep into the challenges and triumphs of being a parent with Type 1 diabetes. With no Jack to bounce off, Mike opens up about the emotional rollercoaster he experienced during his son Riley's 13th birthday celebration at Thorpe Park.

As he recounts the day filled with rides, laughter, and the sweltering heat, Mike shares the struggles of managing his diabetes amidst the excitement. From battling hypos to feeling the weight of parental guilt, he candidly discusses what it means to juggle the demands of fatherhood with the unpredictability of T1D.

Join Mike as he reflects on:

• 🎢 The highs and lows of a thrilling birthday at Thorpe Park
• 💔 The guilt and pressure of being a dad while managing diabetes
• 🩸 The importance of ride access passes for those with medical conditions
• 🤝 The understanding and support from his son that made it all worthwhile
• 💪 The resilience of T1D parents and the everyday battles they face

This episode is a poignant reminder that while diabetes can complicate life, the love and memories created with our kids far outweigh the challenges. Mike’s story resonates with anyone navigating the complexities of parenting while living with T1D.

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🌍 Website: www.wearet1d.com
📸 Instagram: @t1d_mike & @t1d_jack

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Welcome back to the We Are T1D podcast, the Realist Type 1
Diabetes podcast online. And guys, this is officially the
first ever non waffle episode ofthe podcast.
I think unfortunately, there'll be no Jack, there'll be no
chaos. It would just be me.

(00:22):
And yeah, I miss him too, even if he does talk like he's just
woken up mid sentence. But this one's a bit different.
Is coming straight from the heart.
Straight from my heart. Because there's a moment as a
dad with type 1 diabetes where you realize you're not in
charge. Not really.
You want to be. You try to be.

(00:42):
But sometimes your body just says, not today, mate.
So let me get into this. Last week was my son's 13th
birthday. Big day Thorpe Park, riots,
laughs, memories and the weather, a scorching 33°, proper
heat wave and me, well, I was battling hypos, migraines and

(01:06):
the kind of guilt only a diabetic parent really
understands, all while pretending I wasn't about to
fall apart after every ride. And you know what?
I still went on every ride with my son.
Twice. Because broken pancreas or not,
I'm still his dad and I'm not missing the moments the matter.

(01:26):
The moments that make memories. So this one's personal.
Let's talk about being a parent with Type 1 and what it really
looks like behind the smiles. Sorry if that scared you, but
before I dive into what happenedat 4 Park, let me back up for a
second. Because this isn't about one

(01:48):
day. This is about something I know a
lot of T1D parents feel but don't always say out loud.
Being a dad is tough. Being a dad with type one,
that's a different level. You've got your kids wanting
your time and attention, and meanwhile your blood sugars are
doing backflips. One minute you're fine, the next
you're either snapping because you're high or going all foggy

(02:10):
because you're low. And the worst part?
You know you're being off, but you can't always control it.
The guilt that comes after, Yeah, that hits you hard.
But anyways, Fast forward to Riley's birthday, His 13th big
day out plan to Thorpe Park. He was buzzing and so was I.
To be fair. The whole family came, Amber, my

(02:31):
wife Jamie and Ashley, and of course the birthday boy himself,
Riley. Everything started spot on.
Sugars were decent in the morning, Riley opened his
presence. We hit the road, bit of traffic
on the way, but Oh well, that's bound to happen.
The plan for when we arrived wasto go on as many rides as
possible, make the most of that ride access pass, which by the

(02:54):
way, only covers four people at a time.
So one of us always ended up being Bagmoner, usually Amber or
Ashley because we're because they got a bit scared when the
rides were a bit big. Actually quick one because I
know some of you listening probably thinking, wait, how did
you get that ride access pass? So here's the deal.

(03:16):
Merlin Attractions, which includes Fort Park, Autumn
Towers, Chesterton, Legoland, Windsor and loads more, offer a
ride access pass for people withdisabilities or medical
conditions that make queuing difficult or unsafe.
And yeah, type 1 diabetes can qualify, especially if you
experience hypo unawareness, unpredictable crashes or you use

(03:38):
medical devices that need regular monitoring.
You can imply online through theMerlin ride access hub.
You need to submit a bit of support and evidence.
For me it was my diabetes letter, proof of insulin
dependence and details of how itaffects me day-to-day.
Once approved it lasts for a year and makes a massive

(03:59):
difference. Not going to lie, The thing is
amazing I didn't have to queue. Yes, there's no shame in using
it. It's one of the small perks you
get as a type 1 diabetic so might as well apply and see if
you qualify. Anyway back to the rides.
First one of the day swarm straight on, no queue and I was

(04:20):
buzzing and I didn't even use the right access pass.
It is literally because we was first in rides.
Don't really faze me but I decided to vlog the day on my
insta stories. So if any of you have seen that
you know what happened. But if you haven't seen it, it's
also in my highlights, which youcan see T1D under score Mike.
So where it's basically we just done like ride reviews from the

(04:43):
family. And that's like, Riley, how was
it? Jamie, what did you think of
that one? Amber, how was it like get
feedback from each ride? But yeah, we're on top form.
But while everyone else was riding the adrenaline high, I
was feeling something else. I came off that first ride and
thought, hang on, I don't feel right.
Not scared, not queasy, just off, dizzy, slow.

(05:06):
That weird dopey feeling you only get when your sugars are in
freefall. Treated it with a couple of
lifts, come back into range, butthe patterns started every
single ride. Another crash, swarm, stealth,
hyperia, treat, drop, repeat. And still I kept going because
it was Riley's birthday and I wasn't letting diabetes take the

(05:28):
day away from him. But here's where the other type
of pressure kicks in. The guilt.
Amber turned to me at one point and said he could just queue
normally, you know? And she was right.
But I had this ride access pass,this gift from diabetes.
Weirdly, that meant we could cutthe queues down to 5 minutes.
Less weight in, more ride in, more memories, and plus an hour

(05:50):
queue. Really.
So I looked at Riley and said Sonic, come on, let's just use
the ride access. By mid afternoon though, I was
done in, head pounding. Brain fried turns out repeatedly
chucking yourself on roller coasters while your blood
glucose plays the floor is not ideal, but still, we made it on

(06:12):
loads. Swarm twice, Hyperia twice,
Stealth twice, Rumba Rapids, Tidal Wave Saw Oh, which by the
way, was my favorite. I love the sawride.
It's so good. It's so good.
But through it all, Riley never complained once.
Now here's the bit I want to be honest about, the part that

(06:33):
hurts a bit to say. The hardest thing about being a
dad with type 1 is those momentswhere you feel like you're not
fully you, where diabetes takes the will.
You're high and snappy or low and spaced out, and you feel
like your kids are getting a version of you that you don't
want to give them. And yes, sometimes I wonder if
they think I'm using diabetes asan excuse, but I'm not.

(06:57):
I just want them to know I'm trying, always trying to be a
good dad, to be a present dad and to be the best diabetic I
can because I want to be here for the long haul.
So I look after them and my health.
Anyway, later in that day I turned to Riley and said mate, I
can't do it anymore. My head smashed and what did he

(07:18):
say? He just goes, no worries dad, no
moaning, no guilt trip, just pure understanding that moment
that meant everything to me. And then when the day was done,
exhausted, sweaty, hypo smashed,he thanked me and Amber for
everything. He just thanked us.
That hit me right in the chest. The gratitude of your child will

(07:40):
always hit you as a parent. But looking back on that day
now, with hindsight and to be fair, a bit of sugar coursing
through my veins, it taught me alot.
First off, how much I push myself even when I probably
shouldn't. Being a parent means you never
really get to switch off, right?You want your kids to remember
the fun, the laughter, the good times, not the fact that you

(08:03):
were juggling glucose tablets between brides and sweating in
the 33° heat like a sauna. By the way, we did stand under
the splash stone near tidal waveand just get totally drenched.
That was fun. And secondly, how normal days
like that really are for people like us.

(08:23):
We do stuff every day with bloodsugars that would have most
people crawling under the duvet.But we fight for it because we
don't want diabetes to win. Not on birthdays, not on
holidays, not ever. I hope if you're listening and
you're living that life, you remember you are not alone.
You are doing more than enough. So yeah, if you're a type 1

(08:44):
diabetic parent, listen to this.I just want to say you're doing
enough. Even when you feel like you're
failing, even when you're running on empty, even when your
sugars are wrecking your page, patience or your plans, you're
showing up. You're fighting, and your kids
will remember that more than anything.
Our pancreas might be faulty or dead, but our hearts?

(09:06):
Nah, they're fully beaten. They are there anyways.
Thanks for listening. Go give your kids a hug or at
least let them pick the next ride or the next take away.
I'll catch you next week, hopefully with Jack and
hopefully with blood sugars thatbehave.
I really hope you enjoyed this short episode and also leave

(09:26):
feedback if you'd like to hear more like this.
Thank you guys.