How Abnormally High Blood Sugar Led to Marely's Diabetes Diagnosis
CHRISTUS Children’s celebrates Diabetes Awareness Month in November
Marely Valenzuela, 18, loves her family, her friends and CrossFit. She has always prided herself as being a young woman who took care of her body.
But three years ago, when Marely was just 15, she wasn’t her usual get-up-and-go self. And she recognized something was very wrong. She recalls feeling unusually thirsty and constantly hungry. And she felt so run-down. I was sleeping all day and all night,
she said.
Meet Marely's Endocrinologist
That wasn't me. I’m always super energetic.
Then others noticed that Marely was losing weight. Her mom, Carla, wasn’t sure what was going on, but she knew it was time to see a doctor. That visit changed everything. Marely’s bloodwork came back with concerning results, and the family was told to go to CHRISTUS Children’s in San Antonio immediately.
All of a Sudden I Was a Diabetic
At CHRISTUS Children’s, doctors checked Marely’s blood sugar again. It was 600! They told me that was incredibly high,
she recalled. It was well above the normal range. All of a sudden I was a diabetic.
The normal range for blood sugar is 70 to 140 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). Seeing a reading of 600, the care team at CHRISTUS Children’s immediately started insulin treatment to bring Marely’s level down safely.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition where the body stops making insulin, a hormone that helps move sugar from the bloodstream into cells for energy. Without insulin, blood sugar builds up, which can cause serious complications.
While type 1 diabetes can be hereditary, Marely said there is no history of the condition in her family. Further, she showed no signs of diabetes until she was 15.
Marely was admitted to the hospital for observation and education about her diagnosis. That first night, I couldn’t sleep,
she said. Every hour, they were checking my blood sugar. My fingers were bruised. I thought, there’s no way I can live like this.
The next morning Marely’s care team, led by Dr. Monica Dussan, division chief of Pediatric Endocrinology at CHRISTUS Children's, taught Marely and her mom how to manage diabetes.
They explained how important nutrition was going to be for me and they taught me how to count carbohydrates, check my blood sugar and manage insulin throughout the day,
Marely said. I was overwhelmed. I was so afraid of needles. At first, I didn’t even want to eat because it meant checking my blood sugar.
Living with Type 1 Diabetes
Today, Marely wears a Dexcom continuous glucose monitor on her arm to track blood sugar levels continuously for seven days at a time. She wears an insulin pump on her lower back, which she changes every three days. If the reading isn’t good, I adjust the pump to give myself insulin,
she said. I keep a close eye on the readings. In the beginning, I had to make adjustments two or three times a day. Now, most days it is really under control.
Managing type 1 diabetes takes daily attention, but Marely sees it as a lesson in responsibility. At 18, she is handling it gracefully and is happy to tell others that there is a bright side to the disease.
I think it’s a terrible condition, but it teaches you so much about taking care of your body,
she said. I'm not glad I have diabetes but learning to manage it helped me mature. I got the hang of it quickly. It’s controlled now. I just don’t make a big deal about it.
Looking to Pursue Nutrition as a Career
As a senior in high school now, Marely is applying to colleges in Texas where she hopes to study nutrition or dietetics to help others live healthier lives.
I want to show others how to eat well,
she said. You never know when you might be at risk. Take care of your body and eat well so you don’t get to that point. Or if you are diabetic, I want to help people manage it through food.
When she’s not studying, Marely spends her time doing CrossFit—a workout she says keeps both her body and her blood sugar balanced. “Working out makes me feel good about myself,” she said. “It makes me happy, and it keeps my sugar under control. It’s almost like medicine.”
November is Diabetes Awareness Month
For Marely and her family, the celebration of Diabetes Awareness Month is personal. It’s a reminder that education saves lives and that a diagnosis doesn’t define who you are.
For more information about Pediatric Endocrinology at CHRISTUS Children’s in San Antonio, Texas, please visit: Pediatric Endocrinology in San Antonio | CHRISTUS Children's Hospital