Adam Jongsma
Meet Adam
I am Adam, born in 1980. I used to work in a trade, but I now work in a corporate technical role. I am happily married and have two beautiful girls; one is 10 years old, and the other is 4 and a half years old.
I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when I was 2 years old, so I don't really know any different. For instance, I haven't had to change my diet like some others would have to, as I was already used to the diet I've had since being diagnosed over 40 years ago - for me, it's just the norm. I still have my ups and downs, and sometimes I wish my diabetes would just go away, but obviously, it doesn't. I've learned to make peace with it.
I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when I was 2 years old, so I don't really know any different. For instance, I haven't had to change my diet like some others would have to, as I was already used to the diet I've had since being diagnosed over 40 years ago - for me, it's just the norm. I still have my ups and downs, and sometimes I wish my diabetes would just go away, but obviously, it doesn't. I've learned to make peace with it.
How has technology changed your diabetes journey after all these years?
I recall injecting insulin was all done mixing two different types of insulin to a certain ratio in a syringe many years ago. Back then, there were no such things as pens or pumps, or if they were available, only the wealthy people could afford them. Then they introduced a ‘giant spring-loaded mechanism’ that you unscrewed into two pieces and placed your prefilled syringe inside it. You would pull it back like a bow and arrow, click it into place, and it would hold up against your skin. Then you would push a button, and it would make a loud noise, pushing the plunger of the syringe to inject into your skin. Looking back now, it was considered technological advancement, but now it seems a little scary. It was noisy, huge, and it hurt.
But then the insulin pen came along, and it was like, "Wow, this is great." You could put it in your pocket, take it wherever you wanted, and you didn't have to mix insulin anymore. In January or mid-February of 2023, I started using the Dexcom G6 Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) and the Tandem t:slim X2 pump, and I love it.
As for blood testing those many years ago, blood tests involved using a monitor the size of a can of Coke, which took more than 2 minutes. This process included needing a huge blood drop placed on the strip, then wiping blood off after 1 minute, then waiting another minute for the result. The result was then manually recorded in a book along with the time and date, and examining a dot graph at the bottom of the page to assess your trends. However, with the invention of small pocket-sized meters that provide results in just 5 seconds and can store readings, and now with the introduction of CGM, the transformation in technology has been truly remarkable.
What do you enjoy doing during your free time?
I love working on old cars, fishing, camping, sporting events, bike riding and cycling. My wife and I try to involve our kids in all our family activities as much as possible.
What do you see is lacking in terms of awareness around diabetes?
There's a lot of miscommunication around type 1 and type 2 diabetes – there simply aren't enough conversations about the differences between the two. Also people often don't grasp how draining it is when you can't sleep well at night due to a hypoglycaemic or hyperglycaemic episode, and then you wake up the next day feeling tired, yet you still have to go to work and carry on.
What advice would you give to someone just diagnosed with type 1 diabetes?
Whether it’s the media or social platforms, there’s a lot of information available out there about diabetes. My biggest advice is to do your research and get your information from the industry. For example, I'm a member of several Facebook groups related to type 1 diabetes. Every now and then, in my spare time, I'll browse online to see if there's anything new happening in the world of diabetes. I also subscribe to newsletters from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), Dexcom, and other diabetes companies as they periodically provide updates from the industry.
Want to share your personal journey?
ALWAYS READ THE LABEL AND FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS FOR USE. Read the warnings available on dexcom.com/downloadsandguides before purchasing. Consult your healthcare professional to see which product is right for you. Dexcom is a medical device used to continuously measure and record glucose concentrations in diabetic patients.