{Interview} Andrea Deck, Founder of She's Diabetic
Hello everyone!
In these rather surreal and tricky times, continuing with normality as best we can is the way to go. This is what I’m focusing on right now. I’m proud to be building up my little community of people with type 1 diabetes and people who care about their nutrition. I’m continuing to create content, blog posts and articles that will resonate and offer insights into the ups and downs [PUN KLAXON] of what life is really like with this chronic condition.
We need community more than ever right now and I’ve got just the person you need to have in your T1D circle - Andrea, type 1 diabetic + founder of the She’s Diabetic YouTube channel. If you haven’t watched any of her videos yet, I implore you to do so. Andrea’s wit, charm and honesty is a balm for the soul on any day, but is particularly welcome right now.
We discuss her T1D journey, the omnipresence of the condition, how she connects to others with T1D and why she decided to launch the She’s Diabetic channel.
As ever, we end with a quick-fire round, my favourite.
If you want to follow Andrea online [you definitely should] you can check out here Instagram here and her YouTube channel here.
Onto the interview!
Hey Andrea, great to have you on here. Please tell us your T1D journey! What age were you when you were diagnosed / what symptoms did you have?
I was diagnosed at 15. It was a crazy time! I was in my freshman year of high school, and just getting to grips with the entire “new school” transition (in the US you physically switch buildings for high school and thus it can be a whole new way of life to get used to). I was very involved in Show Choir (which involved a lot of dance and, of course, singing) which meant I was EXTREMELY active. My symptoms were weight loss, excessive urination, thirst and fatigue. All of those in hindsight scream diabetes, however, because I was a growing teen, involved in a huge amount of physical activity and going through puberty, they didn’t flag immediately.
It was on a road trip with my family where we finally clocked that something was wrong because I had a difficult time making it from rest stop to rest stop to go to the bathroom. Because my Dad (and brother) are both type 1s, my Dad simply put a new lancet into his machine and tested my blood sugar himself. It was a Sunday afternoon, and the reading ended up being around 400 [22.2mmols]. We called the paediatric endocrinologist who had initially worked with my brother when he was diagnosed and got booked into the hospital for a week stay where I learned what it was like to have type 1 diabetes and how to manage the disease.
What do you wish you'd known when you were newly diagnosed?
I wish I had known that the swing from being uncontrolled to controlled would involve a lot of emotional and physical manpower on my behalf. Everyone constantly told me “oh, you’ll just feel so much better once you’re on insulin!”, and indeed I did, but I also felt a flood of hormonal shifts, weight gain, and difficulty with hunger cues, just to name a few. No one really explained to me that this feeling of getting into control would be a growth process, and one that ultimately did feel heaps better, but was just that: a process. It wasn’t like a switch; one day you feel bad, the next you’re golden. I think that’s the concept that’s perpetuated and it’s not 100% accurate [at least it wasn’t for me].
What is the worst thing about T1D?
Being forced into behaviour that I don’t like/desire. Like when I have a high blood sugar, all I want to do is basically take a nap - but that’s not realistic or possible all the time. Or when I have a low blood sugar right after a meal and the last thing I want to do is eat, but I have to eat because, you know, gotta save my life!
(Curveball) What is the best thing about T1D?
T1D has given me way more positives than negatives. Firstly, I know more about myself, and am far more attuned with my body, health and fitness as a result of living with T1D, than I would ever have been without the disease. T1D has given me a keen sense of respect for what the human body can do, and a continuous healthy and gentle reminder of the fact that life is fragile and to be respected, because our bodies are so so incredible and intricate. And also, the community. Through Instagram and YouTube I have had the absolute pleasure of getting in touch with some of the most wonderful people, who just happen to live with T1D. The immediate bond that gives us, to know what the other deals with, is just extraordinary. T1D has given me what feels like a free pass into one of the most elite groups of people with some of the most wicked sense of humour and resilience.
What are the main challenges of living with T1D?
I think the main challenge is just the omnipresence of it all. It’s a 24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days a year commitment. Even if you ignore it, it’s there [even more so], there’s never ever any escaping it, and there’s no vacation or time off for good behaviour.
How do you deal with these challenges?
Because it’s always there, the only thing (I’ve found) effective at dealing with its omnipresence is how I personally relate to it. So for me a lot of mindfulness towards and within the disease helps a lot. It helps to separate myself from the numbers, and remind myself that I am doing the best I can (when I actually am) and to be realistic with myself when I’m not doing the best I can and to try my best to alter that behaviour and address why that might be the case. I try to practice as much kindness with myself as possible.
Oh, and on a practical note: to also have low blood sugar treatments with me and around me wherever I go. Preparedness, and being organised helps me deal better with the chaos of the condition and frees my mind up for other things, like, you know, the rest of my life!
Where do you find support/how do you access support?
I’m very, very “lucky” to have been raised in a family of three T1Ds (my Dad, Brother and me) so I feel like I’ve always had a wealth of support built right within the walls of my family home, and for that I’m extremely grateful. But when I moved out of the house, and especially overseas to London [I’m American] I found that support distinctly lacking, so I took to the inter webs! Instagram and YouTube have seriously been so life changing for me. Because T1D is relatively rare it’s unusual to meet another T1D by chance, but [on Instagram especially] you can meet a whole tribe of them within a couple of clicks! Just seeing what others post and how others interact with the disease is so inspiring to me and makes me feel less alone.
Also, when I’ve had emotional wobbles with the disease [feelings of burnout and overwhelm] I’ve not been shy at all to speak to my GP and reach out for support in the professional sense. I had 8 wonderful sessions with a counsellor within the NHS that was specifically trained to deal with the overwhelm associated with T1D, which was facilitated by my GP and diabetic nurse. My ability to honestly reach out and say when I’m struggling has been the biggest gift of support I can give myself.
Can you recommend any great podcasts or blogs?
Michelle Lord [YouTube]
Lauren Bongiorno [Instagram, Diabetes Health Coach]
Chris Bright [Instagram, The Diabetes Football Community]
Jillian Rippolone aka T1dchick [Instagram, hugely inspiring T1D advocate in the US]
Jen Grieves [Instagram and YouTube]
Just to name a few...!
Have you ever 'hidden' your T1D?
Oh yes, I certainly have! Actually when I first started dating my now boyfriend I was intensely private about my T1D and found it very difficult to share it with him. This behaviour caught me by surprise within myself because I was running my YouTube channel and everything by that time!! I even took a pump holiday when we first started dating so I didn’t have anything physical on my body that marked me as a T1D! But over time, that got exhausting and he was clearly very open and interested and made me feel safe to share that side of my life with him, and those walls came tumbling down.
Honestly though, that hiding behaviour was much more prevalent in my younger teenage years. Now, I feel like it’s empowering to talk about, and honestly an interesting fact about myself that I’m rather proud of. I also like to remember that in order to keep myself safe, those around me need to be informed about my condition. And furthermore, I’ve found that 100% of the time people are lovely, and WANT to help, WANT to support you in whatever way necessary. I truly believe humans want to help other humans and therefore that makes me feel more confident about being out and about with my T1D.
How do you think T1D has affected your relationship with your body?
Honest answer: massively. In both good and bad ways. I think I’m way more connected to my body as a result of my T1D, which is fantastic, but I also get frustrated with my body too. Like when my numbers aren’t doing what I think they should be doing or my body feels tired and bloated as a result of a high or low that I feel like I did everything in my power to avoid.
Because T1D is a constant balance that is very rarely balanced, I feel my body is in a steady state of flux, and that can be really frustrating. But at the same time, I often look at T1D as a bit of a game, where the more I put in the more positives I get out, and because I can generally rely on that formula, I feel more in control, connected and empowered by my own relationship with my body and the positive impact that is within my power to implement.
Honestly it’s a constant balance for me in terms of loving my body and appreciating it for what it is, and has done for me, and then on the flip side sometimes feeling betrayed by it and frustrated and needing to pull myself out of that place.
How do you think T1D has changed your approach to life and living?
It’s given me, from a very young age, an appreciation for life and both the fragility of life, but also the robustness of it too. Because this organ in my body doesn’t function properly and I have to do the job of that manually, I feel like I have a bigger and more total appreciation for what it means to be alive and how hard our bodies work for us, despite the crap we often throw at them!
I also feel like T1D has helped me find balance in my life, by way of the disease. I’d say I’m a pretty impatient person on the whole and impatience + diabetes = disaster. Rage bolusing, low BG binges; they’re all things I’m guilty of now and again because I have that impatient streak, but diabetes doesn’t reward that streak in the slightest. So it’s taught me on the whole to be far more patient, and to let go of my perfectionist tendencies too.
T1D is classified as a physical condition, but we all know there is an emotional burden too. Could you describe your experiences?
OMG YES! I would argue that T1D is equal parts physically and emotionally demanding. I’ve had intense periods of burnout where I just felt like I had nothing left to give. But because there’s no vacation from this disease I’ve just had to sit within the intense unrest and ride though it. Not nice.
Also, as mentioned above, when I was going though a particularly rough time I actually reached out to my diabetic nurse and sought out counselling for my particular struggles. But the thing is, with all of these experiences they’ve been transient, and I’ve been able to move though them and grow as a result. And I know they will return from time to time, and I’ll just continue to try my best and remember this is natural and normal and I am not alone.
When did you start your YouTube channel She's Diabetic and what was the reason behind that?
I started my YouTube channel back in June 2018. It was something that I had wanted to do for ages (I’m talking years!), but honestly I just never plucked up the courage or motivation to do it. Then one day, I just thought, I should do this, one step at a time, and see what happens.
The response has been so overwhelmingly positive and supportive it’s honestly still astounding to me. The kindness I’ve felt from people across the globe and from all different walks of life is just everything to me. I truly think the channel gives me more than the people get out of it. Every interaction is so, so valuable to me, and gives me so much strength and inspiration to carry on and keep doing it. It’s something that I so value and cherish and am so proud of.
What is your favourite video on the She's Diabetic channel?
Okay - I’m gonna cheat here - I have two videos, since they’re kind of part of a series. Firstly, is a video entitled “Type 1 Diabetic for over 60 Years”, in which I interview my Dad and chronicle what it’s been like for him to live with T1D for, you got it, over 60 years! Next is the “Parenting a Type 1 Diabetic (Discussion)” video, in which I interview both my parents about what it’s like to parent a T1D child. My parents have taught me so much and are such a source of inspiration for me and I love that they were generous enough to sit down with me and share their perspectives.
I always want to make sure I’m creating unique and genuine content, where I feel I’m being truly vulnerable and raw with the community and for me, these two videos couldn’t be more personal or meaningful and I’m really proud of them [as an aside, these are two of my favourite She’s Diabetic vids too!!]
BONUS quick-fire round:
Pump or pens?
Pump
Finger pricks or CGM?
CGM
Juice box or jelly babies?
Juice Box
Balmy summer nights or crisp wintry mornings?
Oh! Those Summmmmer Nightttttsssss!! (Sung a la Grease)
Yoga or running?
Yoga
Meditation or yoga?
Meditation
Porridge or pancakes?
Porridge (but oh, SO hard to bolus for!!)
Diet Coke or Kombucha?
Kombucha
Novorapid or Fiasp?
Novorapid
Morning bird or night owl?
Morning Bird
Intermittent fasting: yes or no?
Yes, but not all the time.