Resilient multi-sport athlete

Samson is an active teenage boy who was diagnosed at age two. He can remember only being able to eat ice chips in the PICU and being really sick. From the beginning, Samson played an active roll in learning about how Diabetes needed to become an extra part of everyday life. He started with multiple shots per day each time he ate food for all meals and snacks. He used to say he needed a “pump dump” and would operate his pump with supervision by the time he was 4. 

Samson has always had a ball or bat on his hand. He went from hitting home runs in the backyard to hitting 7 home runs at Dreams Park in Cooperstown, NY. Samson has also played basketball and football and has run cross country. He also loves hunting, fishing and farming. One thing he hates about the disease is having his alarms go off in school and in the woods! 

Samson’s family has always been adamant about not letting Type 1 Diabetes get in the way. Being able to eat at restaurants, travel, camp and continue with sports takes extra steps and more in depth planning, but they never stopped doing what they love. Managing blood glucose numbers at home, in school, on the road, in nature and on the field is challenging. It is a constant balancing act that requires lots of math, nutrition knowledge, environmental awareness, discipline and flexibility. Samson  can independently take are of himself, but he likes to focus on his sports and being a kid. To accomplish that, his parents help with care to manage highs and lows during games and throughout the night. 

Not feeling well while playing a game, playing with friends or exercising is so hard. Type 1 Diabetes is something you can’t see, but it really affects how you feel. Headaches, stomach aches, blurry vision and feeling slow are all things that Samson deals with as an athlete. He hates stopping so he tries to get his glucose levels in range prior to practices and games and he uses different settings on his pump to keep things as steady as possible. If symptoms ever stop him from playing, it isn’t for long. He can only remember missing one practice due to diabetes. 

Samson wants all young athletes to know that Type 1 Diabetes is hard. You may get discouraged with changing pumps, sensors and pricking your fingers, but staying resilient is key. You can do anything you want to do.