The Diabetes Story of Alexa Wierbicki

Hello! Who are you? And tell us a little bit more about your diabetes.

Hey everyone! My name is Alexa Wierbicki. I’m 22 years old, and currently living in Ontario, Canada. I’ve been living with Type 1 diabetes for 6 years.

Travel, nutrition, and type of diabetes are my biggest passions! I travel every chance I get! I am a dietetic student en route to becoming a dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE). I love educating people about diabetes and about making diabetes fun! Mainly through painting my Omnipods 🙂 My bionic parts are my favorite accessories!

I didn’t grow up with diabetes, and I never hid it! I think it’s so cool, and I love all my gadgets! I definitely show them off, as I think it’s a great way to start conversations and educate!

I honestly don’t remember diabetes as being too hard of a transition for me. Obviously, the amount of information and the first month or two can be extremely overwhelming. I was lucky enough to already have a friend with type one with whom I could relate and an amazing, compassionate health care team and endo.

However, when I was first diagnosed, I had one appointment with a different endo (who didn’t specialize in Paeds), and he was very cold. He essentially walked in, stuck a needle in my stomach, and said, “Take 2 units every meal.” He was then talking briefly about site rotation, and I asked him a question, and he replied, “I am speaking to your mother.” Which floored me because it was me who was going to be doing my injections and managing my diabetes. I was 16 at that moment. I was almost immediately transferred to the great pediatrics endo and type one team who did proper education with me, and I’ve been there ever since.

That original lack of empathy, compassion, and communication was the hardest for me and my family.

“Diabetes will not hold me back in any way.”

Your treatment

How do you treat your diabetes, did a lot change over the past years and are you able to manage it well?

I have huge support from a few diabuddies and close friends and family who have been educated just by being close to me over the years. I also have a diabetes Instagram page, and there is a great family of support and connectedness there. I treat my own diabetes.

I am on an Omnipod insulin pump and a Libre CGM. I am currently using Humalog, a fast-acting insulin. I’ve always been on Humalog, but when I was on injections, I was also on Lantus for my long-acting.

Diabetes definitely changed my life. My diagnosis is what got me interested in food and nutrition, as, obviously, I had to start carb counting. This sparked my love for food and nutrition and set me on the path I am on now, which is becoming a dietitian and a certified diabetes educator. That is a very positive outcome for me.

I also love to travel a lot. Diabetes has definitely made travel harder for me. Always having to have documentation, get enough supplies and backup supplies, other ways of insulin injection in case your pump breaks, store the supplies properly, worry about your luggage getting lost or stolen. Full pat downs every time you go through security. Having to carry and plan so much more than a healthy individual. It has not deterred me at all from traveling, but again, I certainly added many more steps. I am lucky to have a great healthcare team. Their motto is that my diabetes will not hold me back in any way, and it has been a huge part of helping me with and making my extended travel plans possible. This is kind of a neutral outcome as I’ve accepted this, so it doesn’t bother me, but I could definitely do without it!

I’ve also made so many friends I would have never met otherwise! Big plus!

I think I manage my diabetes very well! A1C has been favorable since diagnosis. The only time I have more issues is when I am traveling. Much more physical exercise, exertion, and foreign food that is hard to carb count. There may be language barriers to reading packaging.

Can you recognize the symptoms of a low/high blood sugar? Do you test often and can you tell a bit more about your experiences with low blood sugar?

Yes, I can recognize them. When I am low, my heart races; I can get shaky and start to sort of fade in and out of full consciousness if it is a really bad low. During highs, I get very tired and have very bad headaches. Both occur 2 to 5 times a week.

In Canada, we must do a minimum of four blood sugar checks a day. I check approximately 7 to 18 times a day, depending on how good my sugars are. The Libre makes it so quick and easy. I rarely draw blood for a glucose check anymore—only when I feel different from what my Libre is saying.

Apple juice boxes are my go-to treatment for low blood sugar. I always choose liquid over solids as I can get it in my body quicker, and sometimes, when I’m low, I genuinely can’t coordinate chewing.

I have never fainted before due to low blood sugar!

Food and diet

How does your diabetes affect your eating and do you find being on a diet restrictive?

What I am eating always changes as I love to explore with food! I generally eat 3 meals a day with at least one snack, but I eat intuitively and therefore do not follow any specific plan, nor is every day the same.

My current favorite breakfasts are eggs and toast, oatmeal with peanut butter, toast, yogurt, or smoothie bowls. My current favorite lunches and dinners are rice bowls, chili, stir-fry, quesadillas and wraps, sandwiches, and omelets. I like Greek Food and Pierogies/Polish food! I never skip a meal.

I love snacks! Some of my current favorites are granola bars, yogurt, or cottage cheese with fresh fruit.

I don’t believe in foods that are “not good for you” or in labeling food. I always take my insulin based on my carb ratio and the carb content of the food.

I love water, but although I try, I probably don’t drink as much as I should. I normally drink water in the morning, at night, and with each meal.

It is definitely annoying when people ask me what I can eat or can’t eat. Although this is a common misconception, I use the situation as an educational opportunity to explain that I can eat anything.

Do you believe that a plant based diet can improve diabetes? Did you ever experiment with this?

I’ve been vegetarian in the past and to date rarely eat meat or dairy, however these choices have nothing to do with my diabetes. With type one diabetes, I don’t believe that being a vegetarian alone would drastically affect anyone’s management.

Do you have a hard time eating out in a restaurant? And what are you thoughts on making this easier?

I don’t have a hard time eating at restaurants. Being on a tubeless pump is a huge part of this, as it is way easier to bolus than being on a tubed pump or injections. I also have come to be pretty good at carb “guesstimating,” or most websites actually have the nutritional information of each meal, so you can be precise. Obviously, I am not perfect, and my blood sugars aren’t always good after, but it has never been a big issue for me.

I love trying alternative or vegan restaurants. For typical chains, I love Swiss Chalet or Chucks Roadhouse.

“I rarely draw blood for a glucose check anymore—only when I feel different from what my Libre is saying.”

Exercise and work

Does your diabetes restrict you from exercise or your daily job?

I really enjoy walking and hiking. The only organized exercise I do is yoga. I would say I do one or the other about 4 days a week.

I am just about to start my dietetic internship, although I am currently a Dietary Aide. In both professions, most have a good understanding of type one and have so far been very compassionate and ensured I have the support I need to manage my diabetes while at work. These are mostly things such as keeping juice boxes at work for myself and encouraging me to take the time to test and treat whenever I need to.

My work doesn’t really affect my diabetes.

Final

Do you have any positive or negative effects because of your diabetes?

To manage my diabetes better, I try to pre-bolus so that I don’t spike as much after eating. I think having a CGM and being able to see my levels at all times has improved my control significantly.

I think the hardest part is that sometimes it can make me feel like a burden to others. Such as in situations when I’ve had to call in to work due to diabetes or cancel plans. Although some are compassionate, I feel like some don’t see diabetes as a valid reason to, say, call into work. Although this may not be true, I always feel guilty and like I need to prove that I’m sick enough to validate my changing plans, which can be emotionally burdening to me.

But the best part is I get to express myself creatively through painting my Omnipod pods, and I get to meet the most incredible people worldwide due to our connection through diabetes!

I think the place where I live can affect my diabetes by affecting my mental and physical health. I generally require a support system, a consistent social life, walking trails, or some sort of outdoors in my vicinity to be content.

Living in Canada covers my insulin until I’m 25, which is a huge financial relief. I also get funding for my pump, which helps financially as well. The more financially stable I am, the better my mental health. I do wish we had more coverage for all the other supplies we need and that we were covered for longer, however the coverage we do have does not go unnoticed or unappreciated. The future financial burden of diabetes in Canada does cause me significant stress.

What is the best advice that you can give to non-diabetics, new diagnosed diabetics and diabetics?

Having type one diabetes is not at any fault of our own. We can eat whatever we please. That is the base knowledge I would love everyone to know, as we often get clumped in with type two diabetes, which can be very frustrating.

Things will get easier, but also that, however they are feeling at the moment, whether it be anger, confusion, or defeat, it is completely valid.

If there is something you want to do or accomplish and think that you can’t because of your condition, there is always a way. It will definitely take extra work, but it is possible.

What would you ask the other diabetics?

If there was a cure for type one, would you undergo the procedure or get the cure?

Share your thoughts in the comments—I can’t wait to hear from you!

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