Adam Makhyoun, a fourth year Psychology major at UCSB, is a regular participant in Intramural basketball and football. Even though Adam looks like another athlete pulling down rebounds and catching passes, he faces unique challenges, not just while on the basketball court or football field, but in every day life.
When he was 19 years old, Adam was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. “I lost thirty or forty pounds in a month,” Makhyoun said when describing the symptoms he experienced just before he was diagnosed. “I went to the doctor and my blood sugar was at 768, which means I was in danger of falling into a coma. I spent a couple days in the ICU and they got me back to normal. I read some books, talked to some nurses, and I’ve been learning about the disease ever since.”
Diabetes is a metabolic disease where the body is either unable to produce the required amount insulin, or the cells do not respond to insulin, resulting in high blood sugar. Makhyoun was eager to explain the difference between Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes.
“I am Type 1, which mean I’m insulin dependent, so basically my pancreas does not work. Type 2 diabetics are insulin resistant. Their body rejects the insulin that is produced. 95% of people with diabetes have Type 2, so I am part of a small minority.”
Diabetics must be constantly aware of their blood sugar level, and most carry a testing kit with them.
“I test between classes, always before I eat, and before I go out or go to play ball,” Makhyoun said. “It’s always the first thing I do when I wake up, and I test six to ten times a day, depending on how much I have going on.”
Makhyoun stressed how beneficial playing sports is for his condition.
“When exercising, your muscles absorb the sugars in your blood, and I can sometimes go four to six extra hours without additional insulin. I love basketball, and the fact that it helps with my diabetes makes it that much better. But you have to watch out, because ten to twelve hours after playing, sometimes when you’re sleeping, you will get hit with low blood sugar. But I just eat some sugar and I’m back to normal in a matter of minutes.”
Makhyoun stressed how importing eating well is in his life, “the most important part of a diabetic’s life is family, food, and friends, in no particular order.”
Despite his condition, Makhyoun remains constantly optimistic.
“Diabetes is more of a yield sign than a stop sign,” he said. “It makes you more aware. I pay much better attention to my health now than I did before. I’m better off now in my life, with diabetes, than I was before.”
