Jane Bennett
Type 1 Diabetes Success Story
Jane Bennett was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes exactly one week from her 31st birthday. She experienced all the classic symptoms: excessive thirst, frequent urination, constant hunger despite eating often, and still losing weight. As a physical therapist, she “knew it was diabetes and called my PCP.” Two days later, Jane was in the ER at UMass Memorial with blood sugars above 500 and in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). She spent the weekend in the hospital, where she learned all about her “new normal.” The diagnosis, new terminology, and information were overwhelming.
The following week, she and her husband flew to Las Vegas for a planned birthday vacation. Jane was terrified, but she packed her glucometer, glucose tabs, & insulin supplies and headed to a different time zone, where they ate at restaurants every night.
Her primary care physician advised Jane to see Dr. Richard Haas at the UMass Memorial Diabetes Center of Excellence. She had been trying to get pregnant and was told to stop until she could lower her A1c from 15% to below 7%. That was all the motivation she needed. Dr. Haas strongly recommended that she start using an insulin pump to control her blood sugar levels. Within six months, her A1c level had dropped to 7%, and she was able to conceive immediately.
“I love Dr. Haas,” she said. “He calmed me down and assured me I can have a baby and live a normal life with diabetes.” She appreciates the time he spends with each patient and how he consistently responds to her calls and emails promptly. “He called me every week during my pregnancy.”
Using an insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor (CGM), Jane eventually lowered her A1c to 5.2% and maintains it. Her young children motivate her to do everything in her power to stay healthy. “I weigh and measure all my food, and I use the MyFitnessPal app to count carbs and manage my weight.” She looks forward to seeing what the future of constantly improving technology will bring.