“My mom used to say, ‘You have diabetes, but not diabetes.’ And that keeps me going daily,” the reality show star told the News.
Mackenzie McKee is preparing for the 2022 New York Marathon to raise awareness for people with diabetes.
The Teen Mom OG star newly spoke to News about being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as a child meaning her body produces very little or no insulin and requires medication, and how it promp her to prioritize her health.
“I remember being skinny, and that was a time in my life where I needed to gain weight,” says McKee, 28. “I hit puberty, I was 11, and then all my friends had hips and stuff, and I get thinner and thinner. And I crave a lot of sugar.”
According to the Mayo Clinic, signs of type 1 diabetes in children usually develop quickly. Symptoms include weight loss, extreme hunger, increased thirst and frequent urination, fatigue, and behavioural changes.
McKee remembers being in high school and going to the bathroom about thrice.
It became so common that his teacher caught him, assuming he sneaked out of class to talk to his girlfriend.
“I had to go home and say to my mom, ‘Hey, I’m not a problem kid. But I was lock up a lot for leaving class. But I promise I’m thirsty. And my mom just froze because she knew the symptoms “because McKee’s dad had type 1 diabetes.” He looked at me and said, ‘Oh no. By the time it was McKee’s turn, the reality show star’s blood sugar was over 600. Which he called the “coma level.” “tall one.
“I ran to the bathroom, and my brothers hug me and said it’s okay. It could have been an accident, you’ll be fine,” she recalled. “My mom was at the door talking to the doctor on the phone. And I just heard her say, ‘We’ll be right over.’ And he took me to the hospital, and they diagnosed me right away.