Meet T1D Momma, Chrystal O.

Growing up I never thought I was going to have children of my own. 

My Endocrinologist would say do not get pregnant at this time. I was diagnosed at age 2 years old and now have been living 33 years with type 1 diabetes. Joining the Type 1 Diabetic Sugar Mommas group has been the perfect support, inspiration, and sense of unity I needed as a woman. I always describe type 1 diabetics as snowflakes, we have a lot in common but each diabetic is unique and no journey is the same. 

I always describe type 1 diabetics as snowflakes, we have a lot in common but each diabetic is unique and no journey is the same. 

Family planning while navigating Celiac and gastroparesis

For the planning stage I was told I might have a difficult time conceiving because I also have Celiac disease and recently diagnosed with gastroparesis.  I married my high-school sweetheart that I have known since I was 11 years old. He works in the medical field which helped him understand me and his willingness to assist in my care. We decided since it might take years to get pregnant to remove my IUD. I wasn't actively trying but I did conceive within 2 months. I was eating a lot of solid foods and didn't experience any digestive issues. Essentially my gastroparesis disappeared.   

Took me some time to figure out I was pregnant because I didn't experience morning sickness. At conception my A1c was 6.3 and I was seen by a perinatologist, a diabetic nurse specialist and a psychologist throughout my pregnancy. I was terrified at my first appointment when they listed off all the possible complications and the strict regimen. The experience was overwhelming and anxiety was running high, however the stories and comforting positive words from the support group made me more confident in what I was capable of accomplishing. 

Bring on the carbs

My pregnancy went better than expected. I attended all the appointments two times a week along with stress tests starting at 29 weeks. I was on a high carb diet all the way to the end of pregnancy and minimum insulin resistance. My baby was measuring small so the doctors encouraged me to eat as many carbs as possible to prevent stillborn. I had a bowl of cereal every night, pancakes, fries, mash potatoes, gluten free pasta, and tacos, one of my favorite foods. During pregnancy I was using the Dexcom G6 with tandem basal IQ system. 

I have been paired with a diabetic alert dog named Leslie for 7 years, a true love of my life. She would constantly alert and she is about 5 minutes faster than my CGM.  I did test my blood sugar about 10 times a day and my husband would test 2 times during the night for me.  My a1c ran between 4.9 and 5.1 my second to last trimester. This journey was a tremendous amount of work, attention to detail, and patience with myself.  

All the intense work, frustrations, arguments at the doctor's office, anxiety, even anger had vanished from me while I was reborn as a glowing happy diabetic mom.

Self-assurance, empowerment, and a healthy baby girl

Being pregnant as a Hispanic woman gave me a new sense of self-assurance and empowerment towards my diabetes. I was induced at 39 weeks, 2 days with only 1/2 pill of misoprostol. I was in full labor within 1 hour after the first dose. I was in labor for only 6 hours before the decision of an emergency C-section due to low heart rate during contractions. I gave birth to a healthy 6 pounds 12 oz baby girl. She had no NICU time. I managed my insulin pump throughout the whole procedure and was 100% in control of my diabetes care. I was only in labor for 8 hours. I was exploding with love holding her in my arms and feeling her warmth. All the intense work, frustrations, arguments at the doctor's office, anxiety, even anger had vanished from me while I was reborn as a glowing happy diabetic mom.

My life forever changed as I transition into a new stage of my diabetes care while caring for a newborn baby girl. Having a strong support system was truly the reason for my success of a healthy pregnancy. My husband was fully involved in my diabetes care along with doctor appointments. Anytime I had a question or concern the support group would immediately provide feedback. I was never alone in my journey. My mental stability overcame my physical disadvantages with type 1 diabetes especially with  typical doctor's textbook statistics. I will continue to be a role model to my daughter to be resilient and fierce in the way I live a healthy beautiful life.