George was diagnosed after he was (arguably) an adult. When he first was diagnosed he was excellent at dealing with it. When I first met him he told me that anyone involved with him had to be at least familiar with it in case something happened with him. Made perfect sense to me.
I loved and wanted the best for him so I learned everything I could. What he taught me, what I could get from doctors, what I could learn from forums/internet. I wanted to support him and help him control his diabetes. I became very good at it. Unfortunately somewhere along the line he stopped trying and I ended up struggling against him and his illness to keep him healthy. While a definite learning experience, something I NEVER want to repeat. It's exhausting.
When my son was born I always had the thought that he could one day become diabetic, but since everyone in George's family got it later in life and no one in my life had it I figured that was a long way off. Of course in true human fashion I thought it couldn't/wouldn't happen to us (me). Boy was I wrong.
Sometime around 18 months Lyam started drinking way more then usual which, of course, resulted in excessive urination. At first I put it off, thinking it would stop, all the while a part of my head screaming a denial. Unfortunately it didn't stop. I took him to the pediatrician who told me all little boys go through a stage like that and it was nothing to worry about. I was relieved, but a part of me was still sure the doctor was wrong, however what mom doesn't want to hear the doctor say she was making something out of nothing in regards to her child health??
It stopped shortly afterwards and I quickly forgot about it. A couple months later there was a repeat, this time for longer then the first time. I went to his peds doc and was again put off. He reiterated that boys often go through stages like this. It felt wrong to me so I asked if he could just test Lyam to put my mind at ease. I was told that there was no reason to put my son through that and sent on my way.
It did eventually stop, but for a much shorter time before it started up again. I saw the doc, they refused to test him, it eventually stopped. This became a cycle that got spiraled shorter and shorter through the new year. Beyond the symptoms my son was showing I had also found ants all over his wet diapers in the garbage. Not a couple of ants, but TONS!
Let me preface the rest of this by saying we no longer see that pediatrician and have since found others having similar experiences with this practice. Most peds docs are not this difficult or idiotic. After this was over I reported them in every way I could.
I went to the doctor told him that ants were all over my sons urine like it was candy, seemed to me he was probably spilling sugar. Doc told me that ANTS ARE DRAWN TO WATER. WTF? I looked at him like he was the idiot he was and asked what did that have to do with urine? He told me to ants it was the same thing.... What exactly do you say to such stupidity?
I left frustrated and unsure what to do.
That night Lyam started throwing up and was obviously feeling ill. I took Lyam to the hospital they drew blood and said his blood glucose (BG) was elevated but was told that they were not pediatric docs and the number was not high enough to say it was diabetes vs being ill conclusively. They said I should give him pedialyte and see our doc in the morning.
Which proved useless. The doctor basically told me that I was just trying to get attention through my son and that he was fine and I would traumatize him if I didn't stop. I informed him I thought he was an ass and that if he really wanted to prove me wrong TEST Lyam.
Needless to say I lost the battle, Lyam wasn't tested and we gained an enemy.
I went home and my neighbor stopped by with his son to visit. It was obvious to him Lyam was sick. By that point, Lyam was in and out of sleep, breathing hard and having a difficult time focusing. I was in tears because I didn't know what to do. Going to the doc/hospital did nothing and I was scared.
I thank God to this day for Justin. He told me that the hospital I went to was the worst one to go to for children. He told me to go to Grandview which was affiliated with CHOP (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia). I took Lyam right away, my heart in my throat the whole way, fully expecting more of the same.
I walked in the hospital tears rolling down my face with Lyam passed out in my arms, breathing hard and pale. Before she could talk I said "Test his BG now! I don't want crap just test him!" I was yelling and a bit stressed at the time. I can say they were great. She just smiled and said, of course and took us back bypassing the front desk.
I think there was part of me that still didn't believe and another part that thought he must just be pre-diabetic. She tested him, then drew blood. Less then 10 minutes later I was informed that my son's BG was 723 and he was a Type 1 diabetic.
I still cry at the memory, I am in fact crying as I type this. Our worlds changed at that moment and would never be the same. My son would grow up with needles and doctors and blood as a part of his life. He would always have to count carbs and look at food different then other kids. Sleep overs, camps, babysitters, school, everything would become harder if not impossible and there was nothing I could do to fix it for him.
He was in DKA (Diabetic ketoacidosis). His blood sugar was too high and had been for too long. He was breathing hard to burn off the acidity and was unconscious as his body struggled with the burden. They gave him insulin and eventually unconscious turned into really deep sleep. We were sent via ambulance to CHOP to get him back in his feet and to ascertain if there was any permanent organ damage as a result.
We stayed for a week while I learned what I needed to care for Lyam. Came pretty easily for me with my previous experience with his father, however I learned that George had created a bunch of 'rules' and didn't really understand and treat his own diabetes correctly, even at the best of times...so I relearned what I George had told me so it was right.
We learned that there, thankfully, had been no longer term damage to Lyam and eventually were sent home with all the supplies necessary to keep Lyam healthy and his diabetes under control. Sometime over the week I had put on my big girl panties and accepted that, like it or not, I would do what I had to and he would grow up respecting his diabetes and not let it control him. Cause it starts with me.
Sometimes brilliant thoughts:
1. You think you or someone else needs to be tested you don't have to go to your doctor. Testing is easy and relativity painless, definitely less painful then DKA. Normal fasting BG can be as low as the 70's up to the 120's. After you eat it can go up to the high 100's and still be normal, depending on the carb count of the meal. In doubt? TEST.
*BG testers can be as cheap as $20 and come with some strips.
*If searched online there are sometimes free tester offers out there from the suppliers. (While in the hospital I requested online a coupon for a free one touch mini, which I used to get the blue mini I carry in my purse. Total cost: $0)
2. Not all hospitals are great with children's health issues. Even if you have a healthy child make sure you know the best hospital to take them to, it may not be the closest, but often you are better off going to them in the long run.
3. You know your child. If you have doubts, questions: ask. If you don't like the answer ask again or ask someone else, or both. Don't let anyone convince you you're wrong without proof.
4. Symptoms of diabetes:
* Excessive Thirst
* Frequent Urination
* Weight Loss
* Increased Hunger
* Blurry Vision
* Irritability
* Tingling or Numbness in hands or feet
* Frequent skin, bladder or gum infections
* Wounds that don't heal
* Extreme Unexplained Fatigue
(In some cases, there are no symptoms — this happens at times with type 2 diabetes. In this case, people can live for months, even years without knowing they have the disease. This form of diabetes comes on so gradually that symptoms may not even be recognized.)
I am extremely grateful for some great friends. While George couldn't seem to bother to be there throughout it all (a couple hours the first night and I was on my own parenting wise, then again I pretty well raised Lyam on my own from day one anyway, so not a real surprise) I made one call to my best friend Age and, though it was the middle of the night, she was there before George. Titi (Lyam's word for aunt) Age stayed and held my hand through that long night and came to realize herself that she loved Lyam more than she had even been aware. Love you Age!! Also Titi Sarah who was there during that week and had the wonderful shared experience of catching George, pulled over on the side of the road throwing up on our way home from the hospital. He was once again suffering from high BG and proving he is a great poster child for what NOT to do when you have diabetes.
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