Please help save little ones like my son! My Diabetic Superhero! Please pass it along!

[redhotmommy]

Hello everyone! Some of you may already know, that both my son and my mother are Type 1 diabetics. That means they are insulin dependent. My mother is on an insulin pump and my almost 3 year old son gets 4 or more shots a day plus numerous finger pricks for blood sugar checks. Diabetes is always on their minds, as well as mine. There is no cure! However, they are close. The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation does so much for adolescents with diabetes. Every year they have a walk to raise awareness and money for a cure. This year is the first year I will be participating in that walk. We have a team in honor of my son, and we are calling the team Gavin's Gang. I know alot of you of course don't live me my area, so you aren't able to be walkers on our team, but we still need donations to sponsor us. I wrote a journal awhile back about Gavin's story of diabetes, and how he was diagnosed, and I thought I would share it again. I also included some warning signs of diabetes, because it's something as mothers we should all be aware of. If you could find it in your heart to help us with our walk, we would really appreciate. Whether it's a 25 cents or 10 dollars, it is all going to help save lives like my little Gavin's. And, if you can't/want to contribute, could you at least make popular to raise some awareness for this very important subject! I'll include a link for you to our team page. 

Link:  http://walk.jdrf.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=extranet.personalpage&confirmID=87530632

 

 One of my old journals: Gavin's Story:

Diabetes does not discriminate. Of course there are risk/genetic factors that play a part, but who would have ever thought that a 17 month old baby would be the face of Type 1 diabetes?

 

 

I'm writing this mostly to get the word out. I want mothers to keep up on the warning signs. Diabetes is manageable, but it can easily be a death sentence if not under control.

 

Gavin hadn't been acting himself for several days in a row. He was kind of out of it acting. Almost like he was depressed. I thought it was surely due to the fact that he was missing his daddy, since daddy was working most days from 7am to 11;30 pm. He was taking longer naps and wanting to sleep more and more. Again I associated that with Gavin suffering from separation anxiety. Also he was peeing through his diapers constantly. I even resorted to buying overnites for him to wear during the day. I related all the wet diapers to him drinking tons more and always being thirsty. Little did I know that the being thirsty was a symptom of diabetes hitting me in the face. The last couple of days before he went into the hospital he wouldn't eat and he wouldn't drink. I knew he was sick, but not with what.

 

May 4, my 25th birthday we went over to my mother's to pick up my presents. Gavin was super crabby acting and wanted to sleep all morning. He woke up from a second nap and was breathing super heavy. It was like he was grasping for air. Chad assumed he was coming down with a cold. I said I was really worried but Chad said let's just see what happens. Well we went to my mother's and nothing seemed to be making Gavin happy. Nana can usually cheer him up. She's the one who gave us the extra push to bring him into the hospital. My mother is a type 1 diabetic.

 

We got to the Naval hospital and apparently they already had a clue what might be going on. They rushed us back and tested his sugar. 522! That's all everyone kept yelling. Immediately, an IV was started  and X rays were being done. And then the diagnosis..."we believe Gavin has type 1 diabetes."

 

WHAT?Are you kidding me? Not my baby! He's always been healthy! Gavin spent a night in the PICU and then 3 more nights in the regular pediatric ward. His sugars are getting under control. He's gotten used to the shots and blood sugar checks. It's not something though that anyone's child should have to "get used to." It's hard giving your almost 3 year old shots and pricks all day long, but you know that that's what going to keep them alive.

 

Gavin will always be insulin dependent. However, he's no different than any other kid. He can become anything he wants to be. He's my hero. I love him so much! I'm so glad we didn't wait any longer. The next step after the heavy breathing, would have been a coma. Giving a few insulin shots s day is better than not having him at all. I teaching him that all his pokes and prods are bravery marks- he's mama's brave little boy!

 

Some warning signs of type 1 diabetes:

Extreme thirst Frequent urination Sudden vision changes Sugar in urine Fruity, sweet, or wine-like odor on breath

Increased appetite Sudden weight loss Drowsiness, lethargy Heavy, labored breathing Stupor, unconsciousness

Please do your part! If you have notice any of these signs with your children, let your doctor know! If you have noticed these things with any other children, please speak up! It's a very simple way to save a child's life! Something also I found interesting is that my son's endocrinologist(his diabetes doctor) says that the largest increase they are seeing in type 1 diabetes is 0 to 4 years of age. Keep a watchful eye mamas!

 

 

 

You don't want to need up here if you don't have to...

 

 Oh, and if you have anyone in your family with diabetes or have diabetes yourself, feel free to share your stories! Thanks mamas!

 

 

[army_wife_06]

Oct. 6, 2009 at 6:43 PM

Good luck with the walk. We don't live in the area but I did donate for you. I don't think they do that walk here.

[redhotmommy]

Oct. 7, 2009 at 4:25 PM

thank you so much! I'll update on how it goes!

(Original Poster)

[army_wife_06]

Oct. 11, 2009 at 10:43 AM

Congrats on hitting your goal. We had a late start yesterday and I didn't get to check in before you would have walked.

[mom-5girls1boy]

Oct. 20, 2009 at 5:59 AM

Is there a group for parent's of diabetic children on cafemom? if not, how does one make a group? I would definitely be interested in joining. My daughter was diagnosed on 5-2-07 (she is 14 now). We have not had a person with diabetes in our family unless you go back 3 generations (counting from my daughter) and then it was my grandmother's siblings and her mother. Testing for diabetes should be part of a well child check because it only takes a few drops of blood to run the A1C test.