Written by Falyn Shilts,
JDRF Volunteer

An interview with the
Altamirando Family

Roman was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in June of 2018, at 4 years old.  Most people don’t know they have Type 1 Diabetes, but they have some (or all!) of the warning signs. A few weeks prior to Roman’s diagnosis, his daycare mentioned to his parents that he was constantly asking for something to drink, as though he had an unquenchable thirst.  It was summertime, and his parents thought that maybe he was just getting overheated from the Florida weather.  All the additional drinking led to him having bathroom accidents at school.  His accidents seemed odd since he had been potty trained for well over a year, but they settled on the notion that the accidents must have been brought on by a combination of him being young (four years old) and the stress of preparing for a baby brother.

At first the bathroom accidents were just at school, but they quickly started happening at home.  He even started having accidents during the night, which had never happened before (not even during potty training).

Roman’s father, Tony, had previously worked as a Physician Assistant at a family practice and was aware of some of the early warning signs of diabetes (Increased thirst, frequent urination, bed-wetting in children who previously didn’t wet the bed during the night, extreme hunger, unintended weight loss, irritability and other mood changes, fatigue and weakness, and blurred vision). He thought it might have been a long shot, but he decided to test Roman’s urine for ketones for peace of mind. When your cells don’t get the glucose they need for energy, your body begins to burn fat for energy, which produces ketones. Ketones are chemicals that the body creates when it breaks down fat to use for energy. The body does this when it doesn’t have enough insulin to use glucose, the body’s normal source of energy. Unfortunately, the ketone strips showed that Roman had a large amount of ketones in his urine.  Within an hour they were at the pediatrician’s office and within three hours, admitted to Wolfson Children’s Hospital.  At the time of admission, Roman’s blood glucose level was over 500 mg/dL (average blood sugar is usually around 80 mg/dL).

Roman and his family are so thankful they have found JDRF. JDRF is committed to keeping the T1D community connected.  When Roman was diagnosed, it was so overwhelming.  Luckily, at diagnosis they were told about JDRF and was encouraged to attend one of the events.  It was so beneficial for them to be able to get connected with other families who were on the same journey.  Not only is it good for parents, but it is really good for Roman (and other kids) to see that they are not alone.

Roman attended Tynes Elementary School in Middleburg for the 2019/2020 school year.  His parents decided earlier in the summer that it would be safest for Roman not to return to a brick and mortar school for the 2020/2021 school year.

On top of Roman having Type 1 Diabetes, his little brother Marco had to have an omphalocele repair surgery at 5 weeks old, which led to pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure that affects the arteries in the lungs). To ensure the safety of both of the children, they have been limiting the people who come in close contact with their children to their immediate family members.  They’ve tried their best to follow the CDC’s recommendations for staying safe such as washing hands often, wearing masks when we have to go into public spaces and practicing social distancing.  Additionally, they have been sure to keep additional diabetes supplies on hand (blood glucose meter, test strips, lancets and lancing device, alcohol swabs, insulin pen, pen  needles, insulin pump supplies, continuous glucose monitor supplies, fast acting carbohydrates, etc.).

We asked Romans parents how they have taken precautions (since people with Type 1 diabetes do need to be more cautious with sickness) and they responded:

“Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, we have been diligent about wearing face masks every time they go into a public space.  The purpose of wearing masks is not to necessarily prevent us from getting Coronavirus or other airborne viruses but to prevent ourselves from spreading it to others. It is a public service to others. Wearing masks is an easy way everyone can help limit transmission of the virus, whether the wearer is symptomatic or not. If we can take simple measures to help prevent the chances of our children or other loved ones getting COVID-19, why would we not wear a mask?”

How can YOU help get involved with JDRF and what Roman’s family wants the community to know:

Your involvement with JDRF is helping lead to further advancements for those with Type 1 diabetes. (THANK YOU!)

JDRF is more than a fundraising organization.  Yes, they are focused on funding the research to cure Type 1 Diabetes, but they are also working to raise awareness among Members of Congress regarding the costs (financial and emotional) of the disease in hopes of improving the quality of life for the families affected by T1D.

Research is monumental to bringing better treatments and hopefully one day a cure. JDRF plays a major role in getting so many of these trials up and going to keep adding another piece to the puzzle. Breakthroughs are not easy to come by in medicine but this organization has put the T1D community on its shoulders to carry us past each milestone.

You are not alone.  Get connected.  Share your story.

Clay Today recently published a story on the importance of wearing face masks and featured Roman and his family. Read more here:  https://www.claytodayonline.com/stories/a-childs-plea-everyone-should-wear-a-mask-in-public,24017