María José Rego fights for all patients to have sensors and pumps

"There are more and more cases of diabetes, they appear earlier and there is no explanation"

Sleeping is no longer an option when your child has diabetes, and you have to be constantly alert controlling their sugar levels.With this reality, about a thousand Galician families live together, to which the Association of Nenas and Nenas with Diabete de Galicia (Anedia) tries to lend a hand so that its day to day is more bearable.

On November 14 they will celebrate World Diabetes Day with a program of activities that includes from storytelling in schools, exhibitions, careers, motorcycling session or talks with psychologists.

All organized by an entity to whose door María José Rego (A Pobra, 1973) five years ago after the debut of one of her twins.Then, there were barely 30 associates, and today they approach 300. «It has been a spectacular growth;When people see that you do things, calls, especially when there is a problem, ”he says.

-He are there more cases?

-Are time there are more cases, they appear earlier and there is no explanation.At the Barbanza Hospital in 2020 we count five, and it is very much, because before they could spend years without any.There is no reason, they blame it for environmental components, because the hereditary element is minimal.In the association we have twins that is only diabetic one, but there are also other families that are the two;We have brothers with different ages that debut at the same time, and others that do so in different years.

-You have not to investigate, are there advances?

-It is very complicated, I always say a phrase that researchers use: "If we were mice, diabetes would be cured," because they have already seen how to cure it in mice, but in humans it doesn't work.

-How do the coronavirus and diabetes take?

-With a lot of fear, but for now.The cases we know that they were infected did not have an excessive complication, but it is also true that they are people who take care of themselves and have controlled diabetes.The problem is when you have an un controlled diabetes.

-And how was the control of the disease in confinement?

-The good technology is that the data of diabetic people reach hospitals.If you have a pump or a sensor, or both, the information is sent directly to the hospital and that is fantastic.Telephone consultations work almost as face -to -face, because doctors see your data daily.What happens is that those who do not have the advantage of having this monitoring are a bit abandoned.

-And there are many?

-Now all minors of 18 could have the sensor.In addition, a Sergas contest is underway to implement it in adults, and there are already some groups that have it: pregnant, disabled and people with problems of unnoticed hypoglycemia, that is, they do not give they count on the downturn.

-How does the sensor change your life?

-It's incredible.It is like having three photos or a video.You make a blood glucose now and you are fine, but you don't know what happened before and after, you don't have the whole movie.If you have that sensor you see what happens during the 24 hours.It can be activated with a reader or a mobile, and has alarms that warns you of any drop or rise.What is missing is that this sensor is adding a pump to inject insulin when necessary.The sensor tells you how you are, and the bomb puts insulin, you don't have to prick it.There are sensors that communicate with the pump (integrated system), if you are high the pump acts and puts insulin, and vice versa.In some hospitals they are already putting it, we are fighting to put on everyone.

-What are missing?

-Now they remain to put these bombs to the children of the Lugo hospital and the regions.In the barbanza it was planned to start in February, but the Coronavirus delayed it.I hope there is some setting in January.If I lived elsewhere, my son would have it on, but it gives me anger that has to change my health area to put it.It is not fair to anyone, but there is the promise to be corrected ..

-What offers ane to those affected?

-We continue with three psychologists who are experts, because they also have diabetes, and the idea is to make some general online talks, and other individual or family, because sometimes you need the father and mother to also talk about their doubts.

"There are those who need important psychiatric attention"
The life of María José Rego changed 8 years ago when she was diagnosed with her son Samu and, although the control of the disease has taken giant steps due to technology, the hormones of adolescence have now entered the scene, which have returnedTo uncontrol everything.

-Aply all the setbacks, there is always talk of normalizing the lives of the sick.

-The new normality, diabetes families we already know him for a long time.Nobody likes to prick, but you have to do it, it is our normality.

-What is there to be done?

-That the technology contest for adults is awarded.The bomb contest will be launched, where we have the commitment of Sergas that we will be able to participate in patients.Technology is for us the best of allies and we have been in advance for years.We know better than anyone how the different models work, we have expert patients who can scare that technology, and we want to participate and give our opinion.One thing is theory and another daily use.

-How do you take this disease psychologically?

-That a lot, in hospitals they refer you to the psychologist or psychiatry, but the consultations are scarce and do not arrive, and many are not experts in diabetes.We have the case of a girl from Sergas who entered Madrid because her psychiatric situation is horrible, does not accept her illness.There are people who need significant attention.We did a survey to know the needs of our associates, and the requests are immense.Families are really bad, but they don't know where to go.