When 12-year-old Colton Buse took the field as the Norton Children’s “Superhero of the Game” at a recent Louisville City FC match, it was about much more than soccer. For Colton and his family, it reminded them how far he’s come since his Type 1 diabetes diagnosis.
Colton is an active teen from Santa Claus, Indiana. He loves soccer and starts at right defender for his middle school team. He also runs cross country, swims, hikes, skis and loves to travel. He’s a huge Louisville Cardinals fan and looks up to pro soccer star Lionel Messi.
“Seeing him out there smiling while playing sports is something we don’t take for granted,” said Colton’s mom, Erika Buse. “There was a time when we weren’t sure what his future would look like. The support he’s received from his care team at the Wendy Novak Diabetes Institute has changed Colton’s life.”
A scary diagnosis
One night in December 2023, Colton felt sick. What seemed like a typical stomach bug quickly turned into an emergency.
“Suddenly, his symptoms got much worse,” his mom said. “His breathing was labored, and by the time we reached the ER in Jasper [Indiana], he was so out of it that I had to carry him inside.”
Doctors quickly discovered that Colton was in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state (HHS), both life-threatening complications. His blood sugar was nearly 1,000 milligrams per deciliter — when the normal fasting range for children without diabetes is less than 100 mg/dL.
“We were told that it was possible he could die or have significant brain damage,” Erika said.
With no pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) beds available nearby, the team at Norton Children’s Hospital in Louisville, about 80 miles east of Jasper, stepped in immediately.
“Even though Norton didn’t have any beds open, their team told us they would find space for Colton. They even started giving orders remotely to help the Jasper ER team treat him,” Erika said. “They sent the transport team to get him when a spot opened up. They even tried to life-flight him, but high winds made it impossible, so the team rushed him to Louisville by ambulance instead.”
Learning to live with Type 1 diabetes
Once Colton’s blood sugar was slowly brought down to a safe level, he moved out of the ICU. That’s when his family began an intense education process for new diabetes patients and their families.
“The nurses and diabetes educators walked us through everything,” Erika said. “We learned how to use the glucometer, how to give insulin shots, how to count carbs and everything else we’d need to take him home and start this new chapter.”
In the beginning, Colton was getting up to 12 insulin shots a day, including one long-term insulin injection and several doses of fast-acting insulin every time he ate or needed a correction. After six months, he transitioned to the tubeless Omnipod insulin pump system, which allows him to administer insulin from his phone and needs to be changed only every three days.
“That pump has been life-changing,” Erika said. “It’s made managing diabetes so much easier, especially for an active kid like Colton.”
The power of comprehensive diabetes care
Wendy Novak Diabetes Institute, part of Norton Children’s, has remained a constant source of support for the family since day 1.
“Their goal is the same as ours: That one day there is a world without diabetes, and they’ve been with us every step of the way,” Erika said. “They truly care about Colton’s well-being and always take time to answer our questions. The staff is available 24 hours a day if we need them, which puts us at ease should an emergency arise. Having the MyChart chat option is great for quick questions too. They even include us in their research program on sports and blood glucose management, which has been exciting for Colton.”
Colton’s care team includes Prasanthi P. Gandham, M.D., pediatric endocrinologist with Norton Children’s Endocrinology, who has been instrumental in helping fine-tune his glucose management, and specialists like certified exercise physiologist with Norton Children’s Research Institute, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine, Amy Sketch, M.S.; nurse practitioner and new patient family and program lead Heather M. Rush, APRN, CDCES; nurse practitioner Lauren Bauer, APRN; and diabetes educator Kiersten Hodge, R.N.
“When we were in the hospital with the initial onset, I spent countless hours with our diabetes educator Kiersten, who helped me more than she will ever know,” Erika said. “She went over everything and was there to support Colton and our family during the transition. The entire family had to learn how to treat diabetes and understand how to treat lows and highs.”
Thriving with support
Today, Colton is thriving. His most recent A1C level was 5.5% (which is within the normal range for someone without diabetes) and he meets his target blood sugar range 86% of the time.
“Colton is doing very well at managing his diabetes, but it will be a daily and lifelong battle until a cure is found,” his mom said. “He has to constantly monitor his blood sugar, because if it gets too low or too high and isn’t treated quickly, it could be life-threatening. He’s handled everything so well, especially for his age.”
His school community has been very supportive in managing his diabetes care. His coaches also have learned how to work with his condition and make sure he’s always safe to fully participate.
Now, when Colton runs onto the soccer field, whether it’s for his school or appearing as the Lou City FC Superhero of the Game, he is proof that kids can still live a fun, active and fulfilling life with Type 1 diabetes.