Elise Trigger photos by Evie Johnstone.
Elise Trigger is 20 years old. Home for her is Byron Bay, Australia, where she was born and raised. She discovered surfing at the age of 13, soon after she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Journeying through her teen years and diagnosis and figuring out her identity, Elise was met by the many insecurities that young teens deal with and face due to the public’s unawareness/misconceptions about T1D. She’s gained confidence through her surfing and life experiences and hopes to inspire others to travel through the waves of life and T1D with the confidence to speak up and be unafraid to be themselves.
Elise now uses social media platforms such as Instagram in hopes to spread awareness about Type 1 and continue living her dream of surfing and traveling the world. Check her out on Instagram: @elisetrigger.
I am a very shy person especially when it comes to not wanting to burden people with my problems but Type 1 has forced me to speak up in times where I’ve needed too.
I started surfing a little before I got diagnosed with Type 1 and I remember at the time of diagnosis how odd and alienated I felt. There were moments where people would try and tell me what I could or shouldn’t do, who I am or how my life should be. I used to be worried and believe people when they said I couldn’t do something because of the way I was born or who I was/my diabetes. I’m happy I had my passion of surfing to lead me to grow confidence and an identity where I could be confident in myself.
The thing I’ve struggled with the most having Type 1 is this disease never sleeps. Levels rolling around like a Ferris wheel, where there’s no getting off the ride, no matter how much I scream in anger or cry.
I’ve been terrified to death of having lows, to be too weak to carry my own body to the closest sugar supply, and I’ve had nightmares of going blind and disabled in addition to running my sugars high trying to prevent the scare of low weakness again. So how can I have a normal straight line of blood sugar levels like it feels like the rest of the population do without even having to try? The answer is there is there’s no simple answer.
There’s always going to be unknown hiccups and potholes on the road of being a Type 1 and all you can do is try, be patient and never stop loving yourself. These are some tips and things I have learnt to help me along the way.
The thing I’ve struggled with the most having Type 1 is this disease never sleeps. Levels rolling around like a Ferris wheel, where there’s no getting off the ride, no matter how much I scream in anger or cry.
Do the things you love
By doing things that I love to do and coming to the realisation that Type 1 diabetes doesn’t shape my life was one of the best things for me to understand. Find a way to keep doing and living the things you love and don’t take on anyone’s negativity who tries to shut you down. For me this thing is surfing and travelling and although I still get worried about having lows mid adventure there’s things I do that help give me security so I can relax as much as possible.
Pre surf
Always eat before going out, yep, that saying everyone used to say about not eating before exercise — it doesn’t count for us haha. I try to dose less/small amounts before surfing and eat sustainable, low GI foods that give me energy for longer. My go to breakfast at the moment is whole grain toast with nut butter and banana, yum.
Find a way to keep doing and living the things you love and don’t take on anyone’s negativity who tries to shut you down.
Get organised
I recently started using the CGM libra freestyle which has helped me in ways such as being able to look at the arrows shown and find out which way my sugars are trending; its handy when I’m unsure of whether to eat more food or not before paddling out.
I’ve had my kit stolen from the beach before but I always still at least bring some sweets/juice down to the beach or close to the break I’m surfing. Better safe than sorry always! If you are worried about your things getting stolen, an idea is to use a surf lock or something similar and lock that to a bike lock — then to a tree or pole.
Stay energised
Bring snacks for later in your car incase it’s super pumping and you just can’t go home!
After surf
Don’t forget to dose less insulin (short and long acting at bedtime) especially if it was a big session (I always forget this one) Components that can rapidly drop my insulin requirements can happen for me when the swell / ocean sweep is bigger or the weather is cold. Those sorts of environments use up a lot more of my energy during a surf and I have to remember to take that into account when doing my shots.
Travelling
Always bring extra supplies incase your undercarriage gets lost. Also take a note from the doctor saying you are a type 1 diabetic. Both of these things can save you a lot of time and stress.
I have been in situations where I’ve been left without supplies while boats have driven off on me in the surf as they were unaware and many sticky situations that have forced me to need to speak up to protect my own health and safety.
Be organised
Try to be organised if you can, I’m the least organised person ever but when I do make the effort it really goes a long way and I never regret it. I’ve been in many situations of forgetting insulin or not having my gear and there’s nothing worse.
Believe in yourself
Every time I achieved small goals in activities I enjoyed it became easier for me to believe in myself and stop taking on the negative doubts of other people. In the end I realised how silly it was that I was letting those people stop me from achieving everything I had wanted. I began to understand that in the end the only person who truely knows you the most, is you and believing in that will get you a lot further than listening to passerbys in your life.
I think its important to learn how to not let diabetes drive your life, only have it on the sidelines as an object that makes you stronger everyday. I hope that it can teach you to find confidence within.
Surfing has always been an escape for me, it has taught me to be more present and positive with life and every challenge that comes with it. Although Type 1 has made it hard for me to fully clock off I try to use these sort of examples and tips to make it a little less hard and tiring and am learning everyday more and more about myself.
I think its important to learn how to not let diabetes drive your life, only have it on the sidelines as an object that makes you stronger everyday. I hope that it can teach you to find confidence within.
It’s not easy to speak up for yourself especially to people who don’t understand what you’re going though or how seriously life or death your situation can be but I want everyone who ever feels fear, worried, afraid or alienated when their diabetes has put them in an awkward situation, to know they are not alone and to always speak up.
This article was originally published on Beyond Type 1 beyondtype1.org and is reprinted here with permission. To find out more about living with Type 1 go to the website beyondtype1 beyondtype1.org
