Botumile “Abe” Ngoma bikes. A lot.

He runs, too. And, when he’s not racing, he teaches and counsels high schoolers so they can reach the all-important finish line of graduation.

What can we say? The man loves a good endurance test.

But the 62-year-old Ngoma, of Houston, Texas, won’t take on any of them without one essential: the FreeStyle Libre 2 continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system that helps him stay the course as he manages his Type 2 diabetes.

If he doesn’t have his glucose reader with him, “We have a problem,” he says with a laugh. And so, since he began using our FreeStyle Libre 2 system and its accompanying reader about five years ago, it stays by his side — through marathons, 150-mile bike rides, full school days with teenagers ...

He just. Keeps. Going.

But what really stands out about Ngoma is that he feels like none of it would be possible if he hadn’t discovered a way to take more control over his health.

Believe it or not, there was a time when diabetes threatened to overrun him.

How a CGM Helps a Grandfather Go Farther

“My father was diagnosed with diabetes when I was in college,” Ngoma says. “But I did not think I was going to get it. I mean, I was a soccer coach and playing soccer, and I was running and doing so many things.

“I did not see it coming.”

Ngoma’s own diagnosis came about 20 years ago. He was a father at that point, too.

It started with Ngoma having trouble making out the words on street signs when he was driving. But it progressed to something more alarming: “I started drastically losing body weight.” The change came on so suddenly that his doctors initially wondered if he might have Type 1 diabetes.

That was a worrying thought for Ngoma, who feared he wouldn’t be able to run, bike or stay active if he needed to wear an insulin pump. Eventually, with adjustments to his medication, the situation stabilized. He was officially diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, and, while he would have to use insulin, a pump wasn’t needed. 

Still, even when he got his exercise, he could feel himself slowing down as he constantly thought about his blood glucose going too low or too high.

Change came in the form of our FreeStyle Libre 2 system.

With the ability to now see his glucose levels in real time, and also get an indication of where they are headed, “I feel like I am in control,” Ngoma says.

Why Use a CGM for Type 2 Diabetes?

Continuous glucose monitoring technology has been a true breakthrough for people living with diabetes. Today, about 6 million people around the world use one of Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre CGM systems.

One of the key benefits is right there in the name: A CGM monitors your glucose levels continuously. Systems like our FreeStyle Libre 2 deliver that information whenever you want it, and programmable alarms can alert you when you need to take immediate action.

It’s life-changing, it’s easy and it’s painless. Prior to CGM systems, if you wanted to know your glucose levels you would have to prick your finger¹ to draw a drop of blood, then put it on a test strip, then insert the strip into a glucometer to get the reading.

That’s what Ngoma used to have to do: “stop and punch on the fingers,” as he puts it.

But, too often, his body sounded the alarm first.

“I had some dizzy spells where I literally had to rely on my body telling me something is wrong,” he says.

“Many times, it used to hit me like that at school. But I had trained my students to understand that, when I’m starting to shake, help me out, let me sit down.

“I was reacting. I was not proactive.”

Built for the Long Haul

On the other hand, here’s a quick story from Ngoma’s life after he started with a CGM.

Recently, Ngoma says, he was on a 70-mile training ride for a team bike race. About halfway through, his FreeStyle Libre 2 reader alerted him that his glucose level was low.

He urged his teammates to go on ahead. But the ride was not over for Ngoma. He refueled with some “sweet stuff” and had complete confidence to keep pedaling on his own. “I knew my Libre was watching me,” he says.

The next time he checked his glucose level (and saw it was in a normal range), he was 20 miles farther down the race course.

Accurate data to help him adjust on the fly. Something Ngoma, a math teacher for many years, can truly appreciate.  

It has also given him an appreciation for the need to talk with his family and friends about diabetes. “I talked to all my kids,” he says. “They know what insulin I’m taking and how I’m taking it.”

When it comes to an endurance test like diabetes, Ngoma says, “you better be prepared, no matter what.”

References

¹ Fingersticks are required for treatment decisions when you see Check Blood Glucose symbol and when your readings from the system do not match symptoms or expectations.