Managing type 1 diabetes

Dillon learned how to monitor his blood glucose levels and administer his medication. He also learned about foods that could enhance or impact his athletic performance and how to time his meals and snacks. Members of the medical and education team also helped Dillon face his condition with confidence.

“They reassured me that it was going to be all right,” says Dillon. “They told me it was going to be a life-change, but it wasn’t going to define who I am.”

Dillon still had one piece of business to take care of. He had been recruited to the University of Kentucky’s baseball program, and he had made a verbal commitment to go there. He needed to let the coaches know about his diabetes.

“I was scared,” he remembers. “I didn’t know how they would respond.”

Dillon called them from the Hospital and explained what he had learned about his diabetes. He described how he would need to manage his condition before, during and after games. Dillon was pleasantly surprised by the coaches’ reaction — they were completely understanding and supportive.

“They told me they would do anything they could to help. I really couldn’t ask for anything more from them. A weight fell off my shoulders,” says Dillon.

Two weeks after leaving CHOP, Dillon was back on the baseball field, playing in a summer league that travelled through the southeastern states.

“I felt like a completely new person,” he says. “I knew what was going on. I knew how to treat it, how to take care of myself.”

Dillon’s play on the baseball field continued to improve while he managed his diabetes. It took time to rebuild his strength and stamina and to gain back the weight he had lost. But by the fall, he felt he was back to his old self.

A bright future ahead

Today, Dillon gets his insulin through an insulin pump and monitors his sugar level via a cordless continuous glucose monitor (CGM). He has learned how to keep his glucose levels in a healthy range during physical activity by paying attention to his food and fluid intake before, during and after training sessions and games. He also has snacks and juice on hand to increase his sugar levels if the CGM tells him they are dropping.

Dillon comes back to CHOP frequently to meet with his team at the Diabetes Center. A key member of that team has been Kenneth Rodenheiser, BSN, RN, CDE, CPT, a certified diabetes educator who is also an athlete.

Dillon is looking forward to a healthy baseball season for his senior year and beyond — in college and, hopefully, in the major leagues. His pitch velocity is back, and he continues to hone his control, which is already a strength.

“People with diabetes can go to the major leagues.”

Dillon has encouraging words for kids with diabetes who may feel apprehensive about playing sports with the disease.

“I now look at the diabetes as a positive,” he says. “You can do whatever you want. It’s just going to take more work. That’s my drive. People with diabetes can go to the major leagues. There’s Brandon Morrow with the Cubs. In the NFL there’s Jake Cutler. I want to inspire kids. I believe I was given this for a reason — to help other people.”

Dillon’s parents are impressed with the way he has taken his diabetes in stride. “He’s exceptional in ways that are greater than baseball,” says Tammy. “He’s a fantastic baseball player, but he’s so much more. He wants to help people. He always puts other people first.”

Tammy is also thankful to all the members of the Diabetes Center team at CHOP for their expert treatment and ongoing support. “I’m indebted to them beyond words,” says Tammy.“All of them — the doctors, the nurses, the nutritionists — they go beyond what they need to do. You can tell they truly care about Dillon.”