Just one year ago, we were about to experience our first Halloween with a Diabetic Child. The thought of Halloween with a diagnosis like this was nothing less than overwhelming!
Max, of course was only excited to dress up as Thomas the Train and get lots of candy! It didn't even matter to him if it meant he had to get extra finger pokes and added shots - it was worth it!
We were released from the hospital a little over a week before Halloween. We left armed with enough information to choke a person! I left with a duffel bag full of insulin, needles, monitors, nutrition guides, test strips, paper work...and the list goes on.
I packed my newly 4 year old son, onto his wheel chair, and covered him with all the bags his little arms could hold. He was such a champ through the whole process. I was less than brave!!
When I took him in for his routine physical, I had an inkling, the smallest thought, that something may be wrong with Max. I was hoping it was just one of my paranoid mommy thoughts. To make a VERY long and somewhat anger provoking story short...the doctor dismissed my concerns, but a dedicated and wise MA at the office ran a urine check...low and behold, his urine was full of sugar.
They did a sugar check on their glucometer. Kim, a great MA there who we love, said she thought it must be broken, and tested herself. The machine wasn't broken, his sugar was just that high. So high, that it wouldn't register on the machine.
After a long afternoon of blood work, phone calls, frustration and panic, Matt and I decided to go against the doctors VERY WRONG, orders and take Max to Children's Hospital. Once we got there, they did blood work and found a shocking sugar reading...it was in the 700's. That, my friend is EXTREMELY high...just in case you were wondering ;).
We were immediately admitted and hunkered down for our three night, four day stay. Max loved it!! Well, everything but the frequent sugar checks, shots and IV! He still asks to go back and stay sometimes!! He loved that he had mommy all to himself, could watch 24 hour cartoons, go to the playroom and order off his own "room service" menu!
Things have been a whirlwind for us since then. I had a moment of "why my kid" syndrome. Reality, quickly set in, and I realized that there were children MUCH sicker then my own child. I then began to thank God that it is "only diabetes".
Life has gone on for us with only a few minor hiccups. We've had one infection as a result of the diabetes that was quickly cleared up with antibiotics. We've had a few frustrating nights and heartbreaking moments since the initial diagnosis. There have been times when Max, has broken my heart, asking me "Why won't God heal me now, I don't want to take shots anymore"...with tears streaming down his little face - and mine. These moments, praise God, have been few and far between.
We still pray daily for God's healing and believe that God will heal Max....how, we don't know, but trust that one day he will.
I, unfortunately, know what it means to be diabetic. I understand things that Max doesn't and shouldn't understand yet. I know that it puts him at a MUCH higher risk for heart problems and more prone to other illnesses then some. Right now, we are focusing on getting him more hands on with his care. He's doing great and is learning how to check his own sugar! This may not sound like a big deal, but if you've ever had your sugar checked, you know how unnerving it can be to do that...imagine having to poke yourself! It's much harder than it sounds!!!
All that being said...Halloween is tomorrow and I am MUCH less overwhelmed by the event. Max is doing great with his insulin pump. He's had little to know problems with the pump. The only problems we've had are caused by human error! His sugar is fairly well controlled. We'd like to get a bit tighter control over it, but are working on that daily.
Max is a champ and a brave boy. He has blood work done every 6 months due to a thyroid issue too. He doesn't bat an eyelash at it anymore! His brother Sam has also been a big help! He loves helping Max read the numbers on his glucometer and has even had his sugar checked twice! In the beginning he held Max's hand for his shots....it was sweet! Owen will often hold his finger out to be checked too...it's cute. Everyone wants to be involved!
We thank God for bringing us this far. The grace of God has brought us through a storm we didn't expect to weather, but a storm we were able to handle walking with Him. W are are often asked how we handle "all this". Our answer is two fold...We just do...with God's help!
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