C.G. T1D Life

C.G. T1D Life 38 years living with Type 1 Diabetes. Just telling my story.

04/14/2026

Nobody tells you what T1D does to the people who love you. Here's the truth.

Loving someone with T1D means loving their condition too. Not just the good days. The 3am alarms. The hospital visits. The scheduling that never goes away. The constant vigilance that becomes part of every single day.

There was a period in my life where I was having serious lows between 2 and 3am and nobody could figure out why. No CGM. No alarm. No warning. I would go to bed and wake up surrounded by doctors, nurses, and EMTs asking me questions I could barely process. Every single time my wife was the one who called for help. Every single time she was the one sitting at that hospital not knowing if it was going to keep happening. That takes an enormous amount out of a person. That deserves to be said out loud.

T1D runs on a schedule whether the rest of the world does or not. I've been on many group rides where people didn't want to stop to eat. So I stayed behind rather than bother the rest of the group. For a spouse that scheduling reality affects every plan and every spontaneous moment. A partner who understands this going in handles it far better than one who discovers it along the way.

Get involved. Go to the appointments. Learn what a low looks like and what to do. Know where the emergency kit is. A spouse who is educated about T1D isn't just a partner — they are part of the management team.

After 38 years of living with T1D here is the one thing I would tell anyone who loves a T1D patient.

Patience will be your biggest ally.

Follow C.G. T1D Life for real talk from someone who's been living it for 38 years.

It takes a strong person to love someone with T1D. What affects the T1D affects the spouse. Here's what every partner ne...
04/14/2026

It takes a strong person to love someone with T1D. What affects the T1D affects the spouse. Here's what every partner needs to hear before they're in the middle of it.

Loving someone with T1D means loving their condition too. Not just the good days. The 3am alarms. The hospital visits. The scheduling that never goes away. The constant vigilance that becomes part of every single day.

Before CGMs there were no alarms and no warnings. There was a period in my life where I was having serious lows between 2 and 3am consistently and nobody could figure out why. No alarm. No warning. Just my wife at the time calling for help and sitting at the hospital not knowing if this was going to keep happening. That took an enormous amount out of her. That is the reality of loving someone with T1D and it deserves to be said out loud.

T1D runs on a schedule whether the rest of the world does or not. Meals at certain times. Medication at certain times. Appointments that can't be moved. A partner who understands this going in will handle it far better than one who discovers it along the way.

The most valuable thing a spouse can do is get involved. Go to the appointments. Learn what a low looks like and what to do. Know where the emergency kit is. A spouse who is educated about T1D isn't just a partner — they are part of the management team.

If you love someone with T1D and you are wondering if you can handle it — show up, learn, and stay.

Patience will be your biggest ally.

Follow C.G. T1D Life for real talk from someone who's been living it for 38 years.

It takes a strong person to love someone with T1D. What affects the T1D affects the spouse. Here's what every partner ne...
04/14/2026

It takes a strong person to love someone with T1D. What affects the T1D affects the spouse. Here's what every partner needs to hear before they're in the middle of it.

Follow C.G. T1D Life for real talk from someone who's been living it for 38 years.

04/13/2026

I had a serious reaction at work and ended up in the ER. My coworkers didn't know what to do. Here's what I changed after that and what every T1D worker needs to know.

I was changing a complete front end on a Dodge pickup. Heavy parts. Went to pull the front differential out from under the truck and couldn't move it. Noticed I was dizzy. Then the confusion started. I was trying to get to my kit but couldn't get there. I tried to tell my coworker what was happening. I couldn't get the words out. By the time they figured out what was going on they took me to the ER. Nobody knew where my kit was. That's the detail that changed everything.

Here's what most people don't know about a serious insulin reaction. I can think clearly. I know exactly what is wrong and exactly what I need. But I cannot communicate it. The best way I can describe it is trying to talk to someone through a thick glass wall. You can see everything clearly. Nobody can hear you. That's why the people around you knowing what to do isn't optional.

After the ER I told every coworker about my T1D. I picked two and taught them exactly what to do. I kept an emergency kit in my tool box and made sure everyone knew exactly where it was. Nobody knew where my kit was the first time. That never happened again.

Have at least two coworkers trained on the signs — shakiness, confusion, sweating, not making sense. Get me sugar immediately. If you can't manage it call EMS. All better than the alternative.

Take every break you are entitled to. Every single one. For a T1D in a physical job a coffee break is active management time. Never skip it.

31 years in a physically demanding job as a T1D. Only needed help three times. That's not luck. That's preparation, trained coworkers, and a visible emergency kit.

Follow C.G. T1D Life for real talk from someone who's been living it for 38 years.

Your coworkers can't help you if they don't know what's happening. 31 years in a physically demanding job as a T1D taugh...
04/13/2026

Your coworkers can't help you if they don't know what's happening. 31 years in a physically demanding job as a T1D taught me that the hard way.

My coworkers found out I was T1D the wrong way — I had a serious reaction that put me in the ER. After that I made sure every single one of them knew what to do if it happened again. In my opinion a T1D working in any environment should disclose their condition to at least their direct coworkers. Ultimately it is a personal decision. But the ER taught me that keeping it to yourself is a risk not worth taking.

Have at least two coworkers trained on what to do if you have a reaction. Not one. Two. Here's what I taught mine. Know the signs — shakiness, confusion, sweating, not making sense. If you notice any of those get me to stop what I'm doing and get me sugar immediately.

Here's something most people don't know about serious reactions. I can think clearly but I cannot communicate what is wrong. I can think it but I can't say it. That's exactly why having trained people around isn't optional.

Keep an emergency kit at your workstation and make sure every coworker knows exactly where it is. Mine was in my tool box. It does no good if nobody knows where to find it.

Take every break you are entitled to. Every single one. For most workers a coffee break is optional. For a T1D in a physical job it is active management time.

In Canada T1D is legally recognized as a disability under federal and provincial human rights legislation. You cannot be fired, demoted, or refused employment solely because you have T1D. Employers have a legal duty to accommodate your condition. Know your rights before you need them.

Follow C.G. T1D Life for real talk from someone who's been living it for 38 years.

04/13/2026

Your coworkers can't help you if they don't know what's happening. 31 years in a physically demanding job as a T1D taught me that the hard way.

Follow C.G. T1D Life for everything you need to know about managing T1D in the workplace.

04/12/2026

38 years of restarts. 38 years of refocusing. 38 years of T1D not getting the final say.

Some days are harder than others. Some days the numbers don't cooperate and the frustration is real. But you get up, you adjust, and you keep going.

T1D doesn't control you. You control T1D.

Follow C.G. T1D Life for real talk from someone who's been living it for 38 years.

04/11/2026

Insulin keeps us alive. Never let anyone forget what that means to the people selling it.

If you know you know.

Follow C.G. T1D Life for real talk from someone who's been living it for 38 years.

04/11/2026

We all know one. The person who read one article and is now a T1D expert.

Thanks for the advice. I'll stick with the 38 years of experience.

Follow C.G. T1D Life for real talk from someone who's actually living it.

04/10/2026

The Alberta Children's Hospital told me to stay active from day one of my diagnosis. 38 years later here's why that was the best advice I ever received.

Before insulin was widely available exercise was one of the primary tools used to control blood sugar in diabetic patients. That isn't history — it's still true today. The more active you are the less insulin you need and the easier T1D is to manage overall.

When I was diagnosed as a kid and my blood sugar was high I would peddle the exercise bike in our basement and watch TV at the same time. Half an hour makes a significant difference. My dad made it a competition between us to see who could put the most kilometers on the odometer. Parents — you don't need a fancy bike. You just need one that works and a reason for your kid to get on it.

Here's a mistake I made that I want you to learn from. I had a blood sugar of 17.2mmol before a workout. Took 3 units of rapid insulin and exercised for 15 minutes. Finished at 7.8mmol and skipped my post exercise snack. Forty five minutes later I was correcting a low of 3.5mmol. Two mistakes compounding each other. Should have taken 2 units not 3 and should have had a post exercise snack regardless of where my levels were. I absorb insulin fast when active and drop fast when I exercise. Know your own body.

The post exercise low catches newly diagnosed patients off guard every time. Your blood sugar can look perfectly fine when you finish and drop significantly 45 minutes later. Always have a snack after exercise while still in target range. Don't skip it because your numbers look good.

Bobby Clarke won the Stanley Cup as a Type 1 Diabetic drinking regular Coke on the bench because he was active enough to burn it off. The more active you are the more flexibility you have.

Find what works for your life and build it in. Then never stop.

Follow C.G. T1D Life for real talk from someone who's been living it for 38 years.

04/10/2026

T1D doesn't mean you can't be active. It means being active is one of the most powerful tools you have.

Before insulin was widely available exercise was one of the primary tools used to help control blood sugar in diabetic patients. That isn't a historical footnote — it's still true today. The more active you are the less insulin you need and the easier T1D is to manage overall.

Check your CGM before every workout. I won't start any physical activity below 5.0mmol. I aim to be between 6.5mmol and 9.0mmol before I begin. If I'm high before a workout I use the exercise itself to help bring it down rather than relying entirely on insulin. Just be careful combining both — use less insulin and let the activity do some of the work.

Always have glucose tabs within reach. I sip orange juice during exercise to stay regulated. Water if I'm trying to bring a high down — it helps flush excess sugar from your system.

Here's what catches newly diagnosed patients off guard. If I don't have a snack after finishing while still in target range I will have a low within 45 minutes to an hour. The delayed post exercise drop is real. Have a snack ready before you finish.

Bobby Clarke played in the NHL as a Type 1 Diabetic at the highest level of professional sport. His method for regulating during games was drinking regular Coke on the bench because he was active enough to burn it off. My specialist at the Alberta Children's Hospital used him as an example of what being active enough can do for T1D management.

Exercise doesn't have to mean a gym. Yard work, mountain biking, a Bowflex, an exercise bike. Even riding a motorcycle burns 200 to 300 calories per two hour ride. Find what works for your life and build it in.

The more active you are the less insulin you need and the easier this whole thing gets. Bobby Clarke won the Stanley Cup as a T1D. You've got this.

Follow C.G. T1D Life for real talk from someone who's been living it for 38 years.

04/10/2026

T1D doesn't mean you can't be active. It means being active is one of the most powerful tools you have.

The more active you are the less insulin you need and the easier T1D is to manage overall.

Follow C.G. T1D Life for everything you need to know about exercise and T1D.

Address

Drumheller, AB
T0J0Y0

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when C.G. T1D Life posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to C.G. T1D Life:

Shortcuts

Share

Category