Whenever diabetes tried to tell Jordan Reichers “No,” she’d respond, “Just watch me.”
Each time someone would say she’d live a compromised life, she’d shrug, “We’ll see.”
When a new summit seemed unreachable for the accomplished hiker, she’d dig down just a little deeper and find her way to the top.
“I wanted to show people that you really can live your life to the maximum and achieve the things you want to achieve, regardless of what other people tell you,” said Jordan, 25.
She didn’t always have that steely confidence — especially when she was diagnosed just before her 14th birthday.
“Honestly, for the first two years, I ran from it,” Jordan said. “Puberty was setting in and you have all of these hormone changes. I had glasses. I had braces. This was just another thing that made me different, and I hid it from my friends.”
Until one day, she didn’t.
Call it the proverbial lightbulb going off. Jordan began to harness the person she wanted to be, not the person diabetes was telling her to be.
“I said, ‘Screw it,’ this is my life,” she said.
Jordan started a support group at her school and learned half a dozen other students were living with type 1 — all of whom had previously kept it to themselves.
“We did fundraisers, we raised awareness, we created a support system for each other,” she said.
Jordan points to that as the catalyst to living life on her terms, which includes hiking Colorado’s famed “14ers.” It led to reaching summits in Alaska and dashing down black diamonds in Boulder.
These days the former ski instructor has swapped the Colorado cold for the warm shores of Florida, where she works as a marine biologist with the Coral Restoration Foundation in Key Largo. That means a lot of time on — and under — the water.
Jordan’s mother, Kirstie, also lives with type 1 diabetes. She tried to set a good example for her children by showing them diabetes wouldn’t slow her down. Clearly, those lessons resonated with Jordan.
“I always told my kids, ‘Don’t let fear hold you back,’” Kirstie said. “You can do anything you want. Experiment with who and what you want to be. Just keep going ... It’s a daily, full-time job. But getting a Tandem pump was a game-changer for both of us.”
Mother and daughter both rely on the t:slim X2 insulin pump with Control-IQ technology. For Kirstie, it is a massive leap forward from how she grew up managing her own diabetes. For Jordan, the freedom to disconnect for work and diving allows her to do what she’s passionate about.
“With the right technology you can absolutely achieve anything,” Jordan said. “I have a Personal Profile set up for ‘Work’ and that is a tremendous help to me when I reconnect in between dives. With Tandem, I can live the life I want.
“Could I do all of this with just shots? I don’t know. Maybe. But with the incredible technology from Tandem, why would I want to?”
Good luck, Jordan! We’re excited to follow your career above and below sea level.
Courtesy photo, Jordan Reichers.
Note: From time to time, we may pass along suggestions, tips, or information about other Tandem insulin pump user experiences or approaches to the management of diabetes. Please note, however, individual symptoms, situations, circumstances, and results may vary. Please consult your physician or qualified healthcare provider regarding your condition and appropriate medical treatment. Please read the Important Safety Information before using a Tandem Diabetes Care product.
Important Safety Information: RX ONLY. The t:slim X2 pump and Control-IQ technology are intended for single patient use. The t:slim X2 pump and Control-IQ technology are indicated for use with NovoLog or Humalog U-100 insulin. t:slim X2 insulin pump: The t:slim X2 insulin pump with interoperable technology is intended for the subcutaneous delivery of insulin, at set and variable rates, for the management of diabetes mellitus in people requiring insulin. The pump is able to reliably and securely communicate with compatible, digitally connected devices, including automated insulin dosing software, to receive, execute, and confirm commands from these devices. The pump is indicated for use in individuals 6 years of age and greater. Control-IQ technology: Control-IQ technology is intended for use with compatible integrated continuous glucose monitors (iCGM, sold separately) and alternate controller enabled (ACE) pumps to automatically increase, decrease, and suspend delivery of basal insulin based on iCGM readings and predicted glucose values. It can also deliver correction boluses when the glucose value is predicted to exceed a predefined threshold. Control-IQ technology is intended for the management of Type 1 diabetes mellitus in persons 6 years of age and greater.
WARNING: Control-IQ technology should not be used by anyone under the age of 6 years old. It should also not be used in patients who require less than 10 units of insulin per day or who weigh less than 55 pounds.
Control-IQ technology is not indicated for use in pregnant women, people on dialysis, or critically ill patients. Do not use Control-IQ technology if using hydroxyurea. Users of a Tandem insulin pump and Control-IQ technology must use the insulin pump, CGM, and all other system components in accordance with their respective instructions for use; test blood glucose levels as recommended by their healthcare provider; demonstrate adequate carb-counting skills; maintain sufficient diabetes self-care skills; see healthcare provider(s) regularly; and have adequate vision and/or hearing to recognize all functions of the pump, including alerts, alarms, and reminders. The Tandem pump must be removed before MRI, CT, or diathermy treatment. Visit tandemdiabetes.com/safetyinfo for additional important safety information.
