About Kylee Pedrosa
My Diabetes Story
My story is a familiar one to every person faced with a diagnosis of diabetes; when life got hard, I changed and adapted.
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In the summer of 2009, my husband and I noticed that our two-year-old daughter was irritable, thirsty, and soaking through her pull-ups. I knew that something was really wrong the day I went grocery shopping and my 30-pound toddler chugged not one, but two 16 ounce bottles of water and screamed for more, while soaking through her clothes. I called her pediatrician’s office that day, and told them that I was afraid that I was seeing the symptoms of diabetes in my daughter. They gave me an appointment for the next day--and it turned out that that day could have been the difference between life and death for my daughter.
A Family Crisis - Managing Type 1 Diabetes
I’ll never forget the image of the doctor pricking her tiny finger, and the numbers that popped up on the meter: 567. Before my husband and I could process the terrible news we’d just been given, we had to race her to the Children’s Hospital to be admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.
When she arrived, she was already in ketosis and was immediately hooked up to an IV so she could receive a slow drip of insulin and fluids. After a few days of breathlessly waiting for her blood sugar to come down and ketones to clear, we began the crash course for our new normal -- checking blood sugars every few hours, monitoring everything she ate, and injecting insulin into her tiny arm 4-6 times per day.
Learning Diabetes Management
My family, as many families do, rallied and learned to live our life with this new reality. I quickly became frustrated with clinicians who didn’t truly understand the daily challenges of caring for a child with diabetes, and I was determined to learn all I could about diabetes management. I changed career paths to go back to school for my Bachelor of Science in Food and Nutrition, then my Master of Science in Nutrition Sciences. I completed a 1200-hour Dietetic Internship, and passed the rigorous exam to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.
My goal was to provide the absolute best care possible for my daughter, and to guide other families through the difficult transition that we lived through. I wanted to share with them what we wished we knew back then. We have learned that the road may be hard, but it will lead to beautiful destinations. An independent, healthy and happy life after diabetes is possible, and I want to show every person touched by diabetes how to get there--whether you are managing Type 1 or Type 2 in yourself, or caring for a child. With my support as a Diabetes Coach, you can and will THRIVE.
Education and Credentials
Kylee Pedrosa has dedicated her life to helping others THRIVE with Diabetes. She holds:
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Bachelor of Business Administration in International Business from Wichita State University
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Bachelor of Science in Food and Nutrition from the University of Alabama
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Master of Science in Nutrition Sciences from University of Alabama Birmingham
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1200-hour Dietetic Internship at the University of Alabama Birmingham
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CDCES: Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist, Certification Board for Diabetes Care and Education
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RDN: Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Academy of Nutrition Dietetics
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LDN: Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist, Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing