Just a couple of months ago, my six-year-old daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, which means her body cannot produce insulin. She also has Celiac Disease and therefore cannot eat any wheat products. This combination can make traveling tricky, but certainly not impossible. There are ways to enjoy a vacation and know that you have easy access to the medications and food needed to keep you or your loved one safe if they also have one or both of these conditions.
What is Type 1 Diabetes?
If you aren’t sure what the difference is between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes, Type 1 is when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. Because the pancreas can no longer make insulin, glucose (or sugar) cannot enter the cells for energy and instead builds up in the bloodstream. It has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle, and is actually an autoimmune condition. As of now, there is no cure for Type 1. My daughter now requires medical intervention to provide a steady stream of insulin, plus concentrated doses around mealtimes based on her carbohydrate intake, in order to stay alive. Scary? Yes. Manageable? Also, yes. And the technology has come a long way, helping ensure she lives a safe and healthy life.
What is Celiac Disease?
A couple of years earlier, we discovered she had Celiac Disease. Also an autoimmune condition, Celiac Disease means she cannot ingest any gluten. Gluten triggers an attack on her small intestine, and eating it makes her extremely ill and causes damage to villi that lines the intestines, leading to malabsorption of nutrients. Celiac is not a fad diet; it is a serious and often misunderstood condition.
The Autoimmune Connection
We learned the hard way that autoimmune conditions sometimes go hand in hand. While Celiac does not necessarily beget Type 1, or the other way around, it’s not an uncommon scenario for a person to develop both. According to the University of Florida Diabetes Institute, about 3.5 -10% of people with Celiac Disease develop Type 1 diabetes and vice versa. Based on an observational study by The National Library of Medicine, the risk of developing Type 1 diabetes is significantly higher for individuals with Celiac Disease or thyroid disease compared to those without any of these conditions.
Our Experience Traveling with Type 1 Diabetes and Celiac
Traveling with Type 1 looks a little different than what we were used to. We need to always have insulin, insulin pump changes, continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), a blood glucose meter, lancets, needles, alcohol wipes, glucose rescue tabs, and of course fancy bandaids. NOT boring bandaids. Princesses, ice cream cones, animals, etc. In fact, even when we were in the hospital during her diagnosis, my daughter was not impressed by the Looney Tunes bandaids provided, and some of the nurses snuck her in some more acceptable options 🙂 *We love nurses. Also note that insulin needs to remain refrigerated. And let’s not forget that in addition to being a picky 6 year old eater, she also can’t have wheat, so bring on the Celiac-safe snacks and meals.
As you can imagine, bringing all of these items along can be daunting. Her insulin pump must be changed every 3 days. Her CGM every 10. They can also get knocked off or stop working, so even if your trip is short, you need to bring a backup just in case.
How an RV Rental Made Travel with T1D Easier
Lucky for me, I work at RVshare. RVshare is an RV rental marketplace where RV owners list their RVs for rent, and travelers can experience the fun and freedom of RV travel without committing to purchasing a camper of their own.
Our company provides a generous rental stipend each year so that employees can take RV trips — because we love RVing just as much as our customers do! Taking an RV trip eased my mind immensely when it came to traveling with my diabetic daughter. It was easy to pack ample backups of all the medical devices we needed, and they were always easily accessible. We could also bring all her favorite snacks and meals, ensuring that she wouldn’t accidentally be exposed to gluten. We could even pack our food scale to make counting our carbs as accurate and easy as possible!
Taking an RV Trip with Kids
Putting aside the fact than an RV rental made traveling with T1D and Celiac easier, it’s also just a really fun way to travel with kids! My oldest was elated over sleeping in the bunkbeds, and we were able to enjoy tons of outside time and take a nice break from technology. We stayed at East Harbor State Park, and like most state parks, there were plenty of things for kids to do, including multiple play grounds, a beach, walking trails, campfires, and more. If you’re intimidated by the idea of renting an RV, RVshare has tons of resources for beginners as well as an entire team of Rental Advisors that will help you find and book the perfect option. Also, don’t think you have to drive or tow a giant vehicle, most of the RV owners on the site will deliver your RV straight to you or your campground! We arrived to a fully hooked up RV with electricity, running water, crisp air conditioning and the fridge nice and cold.
Type 1 Diabetes Travel Packing List
With the help of Breakthrough T1D, I’ve put together a packing list to help make sure you have everything you need so you can enjoy a stress-free vacation with Type 1 Diabetes.
- Insulin supplies
- Vial and syringes
- Pen
- Insulin pump (if you use one)
- Blood sugar testing supplies
- Continuous glucose monitor (if you use one)
- Blood glucose meter with lancets and test strips
- Alcohol wipes
- Hypoglycemia treatments
- Fast-acting carb of choice (my daughter’s favorite is marshmallows, but various candies and juice work as well)
- Glucose tablets or gel
- Baqsimi in case of emergency
- Miscellaneous
- Sharps container for disposing of needles safely
- Ketone strips
- Fancy bandaids
- Cell phone and charger (if you monitor your blood sugar with a CGM or have an insulin pod)
As you can see, this can be a lot to keep track of. Having our Diabetes To-Go Kit easily accessible on the RV took a lot of stress out of our travels. This is not to say we’ll never travel farther, or go on a plane, in fact, I’m certain we will. But being at the beginning of our diabetes journey, this was a great way for us to dip our toe into traveling. And I want more people who may be hesitant to take a big trip to know that an RV rental is a great way to still enjoy an adventure, with the option of staying close to home and close to your T1D supplies. Safe travels!
