Learn the Symptoms to Prevent a Misdiagnosis

Type 1 diabetes can  be fatal if you do not understand the symptoms associated with the disease. Leaving it up to your doctor to diagnosis you child isn't always a fail proof method, because recently, there have been multiple cases of children misdiagnosed with the flu or another illness such as strep, that have fallen victim to the fatality of the disease. This should not happen, period! We should not be loosing happy, otherwise healthy children like Kycie Terry, or 4 year old David Michael Brown to this disease. A simple urine test, a quick finger stick could give you and your physician that vital information to save your child's life. 

During a sick visit, when a child exhibits ANY symptoms of Type 1 diabetes, this should be a mandatory test. During a child's well visit/ check up this should be a mandatory test! 40,000 people each year are being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in the United States, this includes children. The increase in the prevalence of Type 1 is increasing each and every year, yet we are failing to diagnose many precious children before it's too late, and that is unacceptable. Until it's mandatory for pediatricians to test your sick child for Type 1 or at their well visit/ check up, learn the symptoms and signs, educate your friends and family what to look for, you could very well save a child's life. While Type 1 can be fatal, it is extremely treatable. Kids with Type 1 can go on to live long, healthy lives with proper treatment, management and diligence. 

These symptoms are just the most common, recognizable ones, if your gut is telling you it's NOT the flu, or it's NOT strep throat, speak up, advocate for your child, and get them the proper testing and treatment they deserve!

Crossfit's Explosive Mistake! How About an Apology???

We've are raising our children to admit to their mistakes and own up to them. To take responsibility when they've done something wrong, apologize and make it better. It's really not rocket science at all. Unfortunately, CrossFit's CEO hasn't learned what it means to be an adult yet with their latest tweets.

https://twitter.com/CrossFit/status/615539464232902656

Instead of 'man'ing' up and apologizing, admitting you were wrong, and now instead using your status in the online community to raise awareness for the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, CrossFit has chosen instead to stand by their ignorance, and outdated information, and spreading more lies and misconceptions. Seriously, these people have 293,000 followers and they are continuing to misinform the masses.

How about instead @CrossFit you take a lesson from my kids, own up to your mistake, admit you were wrong, and move forward. Use your online presence to inform, educate and raise awareness. I know I'd definitely have more respect for you if you actually admitted your ignorance, and apologized. 

So I'm openly asking for an apology CrossFit, giving you the venue to admit you were not correct, and help correct it. Until then well, just like Type 1 diabetes, there is no cure for your stupidity either.

DBlog Week: Day #3 Clean it Out

Today's Prompt for DBlog Week is "Clean it Out" This could be something in your diabetic closet that needs to be tossed, or something you are mentally or emotionally hanging onto. While I'm sure there are a few things in the D closet that we should toss, I'd like to talk about the mental/ emotional aspect.

When Clifford was first diagnosed in 2010, I held on to "Guilt" that somehow, someway if I could have noticed the signs/ symptoms earlier things would have been different, that he would have NOT gotten diabetes. It took me awhile to release that guilt and understand that no matter what I did differently, like NOT feed him pancakes with REGULAR Syrup during the week before diagnosis, that I couldn't have prevented this. That guilt was heavy, and weighed me down. It took me to places that I didn't like. The relief in letting it go was substantial. So while I do not have to release and 'clean out' this guilt now, there may be someone out there reading this that may still be holding on to guilt. I hope in some way my story will help you to understand that you are not responsible for your disease, your child's disease, or your loved ones disease. There is nothing, right now, that can be done to prevent Type 1 diabetes.

Fast-forward to 5 years later and another diagnosis in one of my children, and the guilt is no longer there, but the heartbreak is. While I know it was a huge blessing on how we found out about Maggie's diagnosis, Read HERE for more information, I still am heartbroken over it. The heartbreak is something I'm struggling with. I know we caught it early, I know it could have been so much worse, so much worse, but my heart is still broken that she has to take on this disease. My heart breaks a little more each time I look at the marks adding up and the imprints on her fingertips from testing 10+ times a day. It breaks a little more when she asks "If this is the last shot forever". And then I have to explain to a 4 year old that no, this is not the last shot forever, and in fact more will come in the future. My heart breaks and sinks into the depths of my soul when she lays her head down claiming she's soooo sleepy, because I know this means she's low. My heart breaks just a bit more when she bruises from a shot, or I can start to play connect the dots on the marks from previous shots. And as silly as it sounds, my heart breaks just a tiny bit more when I see the sharps container filling up, because I know it means she's endured more shots.

This one is going to be a bit trickier than the guilt to clean out. I'm not sure I will 100% get over it. But I do know that the blessing of waking up and seeing their smiling faces alive and well the next day helps to mend the breaks from the days before. The good days, and good numbers help to heal a bit more of my broken heart. While I may not ever be able to fully toss out the heartbreak, I do know that there is always a reason to smile and be happy, and even though it may be day by day sometimes, that's good enough for me.

A Mother's Anthem

When it comes to caring for a child with a chronic illness there are so many things you could say. So many ways you could describe what your day to day is like, or what they have to deal with. But it is difficult to put all those very words together to form just the right words, the right phrases, and the right message. Two years ago I came across a poem on Facebook that was so powerful, and honest. It conveyed the right words, the right phrases and the right message. I wish I knew who the original author was so that I could thank them. I wanted to share it all with you because it is the raw, honest and powerful truth.

The Diabetic Champion: Clifford's New Blog!

Clifford has been looking for an outlet to call his own, to help others who may deal with Diabetes of all types. Tonight we have started him his own blog, with a name that is definitely fitting, and one he chose all by himself. 

The Diabetic Champion

He posted up his very post tonight, and we couldn't be prouder! For those interested, please direct yourself over to his blog at:

http://diabeticchampion.blogspot.com/

And read through, I know he'd love to receive some comments! 

The Man Behind My Awesomeness

~*Your first love isn't always the first person you kiss, or the first person you date. Your first love is the person you will always compare everyone to. The person that you will never truly get over, even when you've convinced yourself you've moved on*~

As much as I would like to take credit for all the awesomeness I have, I simply cannot. What you have to understand is that all this awesomeness you see before you today has been a work in progress, from many many years ago. There was a boy 17 years ago now (Wow, that long ago) who captured my heart. In case you are sitting there trying to do the math, I was 14 years old! 

There were many years while we were apart that I wondered what he was doing, and if he was happy. There were also many nights that he would be back there with me in my dreams, then I would wake up to my reality. I had quite a few years that were not the best. My spirit, my hopes, my dreams, every part of me was beat down and felt like there was nothing better for me out there. It wasn't until 2010 that I realized what it meant to be truly happy, to actually be loved. When he came back into my life, it seemed like all those years apart never really happened. 

You remember how fun and exciting it was to have a sleep over at your best friends house when you were younger? Well I am lucky enough to do that every night, plus some bonuses ;). I am convinced that somehow he was personally created just for me. 

I am lucky enough to have my first and my last love all in one person. I am a better person because of him, and a better mother. When you find someone that you are meant to be with, they will bring out the greatness within you, and that is what I have found. I am very thankful day in and day out that we got the opportunity to have our 'second chance'. I may seem too optimistic for some people, and too corny when I say 'Dreams do come true' but I know it for a fact because mine came true when he came back.

 

Onward to the Next Objective.....

*~When an objective is done, don't look back, look forward to your next objective!~*

Objective: Type 1 Diagnosis

Four years ago we received what could have been a final blow, the TKO, but instead it was an eye opener. We received a diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes in our oldest son Clifford. Clifford was 6 at the time and we had no idea what a diagnosis of Type 1 meant to him, to our family, or to the world. 

But this post isn't going to reminisce about the past, about the hurt, the fear, the sleepless nights, no this post is about looking forward to the next objective.

Objective: Another Healthy Year

Yes, we may have stumbled during these past few years, but we never once fell down! We've developed from the negatives, and persevered during the storm. With a disease like Type 1 diabetes, the unpredictability  makes it impossible to live more than day to day. So the next objective of our life; another healthy year; we will live day to day. During this upcoming year, we will be teaching a now 10 year old more about accepting his disease, caring for his health, and learning to overcome the obstacle of letting his disease get in his way and hold him back.

He could very well use his disease as an excuse.

~*Excuses are the nails used to build the house of failure.*~

But instead he will learn to be "STRONGER" than his excuses and only stumble, but never fall. He will learn to live a healthy, full, successful life, diabetes or not!

*~Champions are made from something they have deep inside them; -- a desire, a dream , a vision*~

And Clifford is a champion that just so happens to have Diabetes!