T1DJ July Featured Spotlight
 

Diana Wyenn

Diana shares her journey of being a type 1 diabetic. Diana was 20 years old when she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, now 37.   
 
Date diagnosed w/Type 1 Diabetes.
March 23, 2004

What happened (signs/symptoms) when diagnosed?
 
I was diagnosed by a doctor at an urgent care who said “Breathe on me,” and I obliged. So sweet smelling breath was one of the overwhelming signs that I had Type 1 diabetes. However, I had been oblivious to the symptoms of diabetes and spent the four months leading up to my diagnosis drinking gallons of water each day, going to the bathroom multiple times an hour, losing 20 pounds while gorging myself with food, and feeling like I had been hit by a semi truck every morning. I finally went to that urgent care after two months of severe leg cramps prevented me from going on relevé during dance class. Looking back, this was ridiculous and dangerous, but I recognize in hindsight that I was scared something was terribly wrong with me; and rather than get answers and help, I pushed through.
 
How well is your diabetes managed?
 
It is pretty well-managed. While I think there is always room for improvement, I am feeling more and more confident about how I manage my diabetes and take a much more proactive role in my health care.
 
Share best practices and helpful tips if any to help other T1Ds
 
Be in community // I was diagnosed in 2004 and did not meet another T1D until 2017. I was alone in dealing with my diabetes and I know it stunted my healing significantly. When I first started meeting and speaking with other T1Ds, I realized that I was not alone in my feelings, frustrations, and experiences. I learned that things my doctors scolded me about were not the “end of the world,” and my fellow T1Ds often had great advice for how to handle them.
 
Identify your team // Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to live and thrive with T1D. A few years ago, I consciously identified my team and found that my health and mental well-being greatly improved. And because my endocrinologist has barely 15 minutes, 3 times a year for me, my partner, sister, acupuncturist, nutritionist, pharmacist, and general care practitioner are as core to my team as my endocrinologist.
 
Discover what works for you // Seven years ago, my diabetes care was okay, but I felt like it could be better. So, I deviated from the standard American diet and went vegan. I had read that diabetes can potentially shorten your life span and going vegan or plant-based can extend it, so I figured it was worth experimenting and my lab results reflect that it is paying off.
 
Have you ever been in DKA? If explain what happened?
 
Luckily, I have not experienced DKA, though there have been times when I came close to heading to an ER.
 
Do you feel a lack of education in the community?
 
Tremendously so. Being diagnosed at 20, before social media was conceived, I found myself incredibly isolated, but my doctors did not have the time to answer all of my questions, so I stopped asking and did a lot of my own research, and still do. Just recently, I learned that saturated fat is a major cause of insulin resistance in everyone. Being vegan, I had a leg up, given that meat and dairy from animals contain lots of saturated fat. However, my partner and I made a power move and stopped using any oil when we cook, and it resulted in delicious meals and my being more insulin-sensitive and requiring less insulin.
 
Access to this information—so we as individuals have the opportunity to assess what best supports our bodies—is a game changer. It’s why I created a play called Blood/Sugar. Being a professional theater director, I decided to pour my 17 years of lived experience and research into a raucous theatrical roller coaster that also incorporates the fascinating science and history of the disease—which dates back to 1152 B.C.! 
 
Please provide additional information that you would like to share such as your fight for insulin, any news articles, links, etc.
 
First off, I want to share the link for T1International, a global type 1 diabetes charity advocating for sustainable access to supplies, care, and #insulin4all. I was recently introduced to founder Elizabeth Pfeister, and she and her team are doing phenomenal work that benefits our entire T1D community. Their website and Instagram feed have important stats and stories from around the globe, illuminating for me that in many countries diabetes remains a death sentence. Be on the lookout, and amplify if you are able, their “100 Years: From Gift to Greed” Instagram advocacy campaign. They are on the front lines in the fight for access to insulin.
 
https://www.t1international.com 
 
And second, I want to share with you the on-demand stream of Blood/Sugar. When the pandemic hit, I adapted my award-winning, autobiographical stage production into a multi-camera, multimedia-enhanced film/theater hybrid set in my own home. You can watch any time from any internet-enabled device. And if you have people in your life who don’t really understand your T1D and you don’t want to go through the emotional labor of explaining it to them, send them this link and I’ll take care of it. You might get questions afterward, but they’ll be coming from a much more informed (and entertained) place.
 
https://www.dianawyenn.com/blood-sugar
 
Do you need assistance with paying for your diabetes supplies and insulin?
 
Thankfully, I do not. I pay $35 for one vial of insulin each month and another $600 in insurance—thanks to the Affordable Care Act—and diabetes-related supplies. I’m fortunate. I’ve been able to afford the approximately $8,000 a year in medical expenses. It shouldn’t be this way. I strongly believe health care is a human right, and hope that we all receive universal health care in the not-so-distant future. I will rest easier knowing everyone in our community has access to the care they need.

Diana Wyenn
Los Angeles, CA