Just last week I had an unexpected surprise that turned my world upside down.
Had I known the signs of a Type 1 diabetes, my 7 year old would have been given the proper care at the early stages of her Type one diabetes.
Both my husband and I do not have anyone in our family with a history of diabetes nor did we know much about diabetes.
Just last week our seven year old daughter was admitted into the Pediatrics Intensive Care Unit after she was diagnose with Type 1 diabetes.
Just a bit over a month ago our daughter seemed to be a healthy seven year old started losing weight.
We noticed she started looking thin like her older sister was at her age.
This seven year old has always been an average size kid but was not thin.
So as parents, we assumed that she was going through a growth spirt.
We did not think much about it.
Then she seemed to be thirty, drinking more water than usual.
Her skin seemed very dry.
The air in Idaho is very dry and since it's winter we figured it was the dry air and the season that cause the dryness on her skin.
Two weeks ago she started experiencing low energy.
She told us she did not feel good and so we kept her from school for a couple of days.
She did not have a feverso we were not too concern.
She was drinking a lot of water andthought that was a good thing.
We knew the importance water intake for hydration and cleansing.
What we were not aware of was how often she was going to the bathroom.
So by Wednesday (3rd day) we sent her to school since she seemed better and it was only a half day.
She went to school Thursday and Friday.
By the time she came back from school Friday, she was back to her very "low energy" and it progressed into the weekend.
She felt a bit nausea and her appetite was low which is normal when someone does not feel good.
By Sunday evening she became so weak she could not even walk to the bathroom without someone supporting her.
We figured we would take her to the doctors first thing in the morning, since she was not running a fever and thought that she was weakened from not eating much the past few days.
I did not realized how frequent she had to go to the bathroom until I had to help to the bathroom.
It was every few minutes!By about three in the morning she complained about difficulty in breathing.
That was when I realized this was not a normal "bug" she got and took her to the emergency.
From there she was diagnose with Type 1 diabetes.
Even though she was drinking a lot of water she was extremely dehydrated, her glucose level was extremely high and blood pH was also very acidic.
She was admitted into the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.
I'd never learned so much and so fast about Type 1 diabetes than those few days in the hospital with our daughter.
My daughter is back to school today.
So much has changed.
She got home from the hospital Thursday and by Friday she can check her glucose and give herself insulin shots.
She has learned what she can eat and when she can eat.
At two every morning I wake her up to check her glucose level.
She has to have insulin shorts the rest of her life.
She is adjusting very well and so are we.
We are just grateful for the modern technology and supports we received since this very unexpected surprise.
So what is Type 1 Diabetes? Type 1 Diabetes is a condition when the body no longer produces insulin.
Insulin acts like a key to unlock the cells in our body so the glucose can get into our cells to make energy.
When insulin is not present, the cells in our body is all "locked" up.
The glucose in our body get build up in our blood.
The antibodies in the body for some reason thinks the cells (icelet) in the pancreas which produce insulin, are foreign bodies so they kill them off (autoimmunity).
Now these cells no longer produce insulin.
Because sugar cannot be used for energy, the body breaks down fat for energy.
Keytones are the results of using fat for energy.
Type 1 diabetes isa childhood, juvenile, Insulin-dependent condition for life.
The most common signs are frequent passing of urine, constant thirst and weight loss.
Here are the symptoms of Type 1 diabetes: For Hyperglycemia (high blood glucose)
It's a very common condition suffered by many children and young adults.
Just because you do not have a familyhistory of diabetes, does not mean no one in your family will ever gets it, as I have learned just a week ago.
When we are armed with correct information, we can bless the lives of others as well as ourselves.
Had I known the signs of a Type 1 diabetes, my 7 year old would have been given the proper care at the early stages of her Type one diabetes.
Both my husband and I do not have anyone in our family with a history of diabetes nor did we know much about diabetes.
Just last week our seven year old daughter was admitted into the Pediatrics Intensive Care Unit after she was diagnose with Type 1 diabetes.
Just a bit over a month ago our daughter seemed to be a healthy seven year old started losing weight.
We noticed she started looking thin like her older sister was at her age.
This seven year old has always been an average size kid but was not thin.
So as parents, we assumed that she was going through a growth spirt.
We did not think much about it.
Then she seemed to be thirty, drinking more water than usual.
Her skin seemed very dry.
The air in Idaho is very dry and since it's winter we figured it was the dry air and the season that cause the dryness on her skin.
Two weeks ago she started experiencing low energy.
She told us she did not feel good and so we kept her from school for a couple of days.
She did not have a feverso we were not too concern.
She was drinking a lot of water andthought that was a good thing.
We knew the importance water intake for hydration and cleansing.
What we were not aware of was how often she was going to the bathroom.
So by Wednesday (3rd day) we sent her to school since she seemed better and it was only a half day.
She went to school Thursday and Friday.
By the time she came back from school Friday, she was back to her very "low energy" and it progressed into the weekend.
She felt a bit nausea and her appetite was low which is normal when someone does not feel good.
By Sunday evening she became so weak she could not even walk to the bathroom without someone supporting her.
We figured we would take her to the doctors first thing in the morning, since she was not running a fever and thought that she was weakened from not eating much the past few days.
I did not realized how frequent she had to go to the bathroom until I had to help to the bathroom.
It was every few minutes!By about three in the morning she complained about difficulty in breathing.
That was when I realized this was not a normal "bug" she got and took her to the emergency.
From there she was diagnose with Type 1 diabetes.
Even though she was drinking a lot of water she was extremely dehydrated, her glucose level was extremely high and blood pH was also very acidic.
She was admitted into the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.
I'd never learned so much and so fast about Type 1 diabetes than those few days in the hospital with our daughter.
My daughter is back to school today.
So much has changed.
She got home from the hospital Thursday and by Friday she can check her glucose and give herself insulin shots.
She has learned what she can eat and when she can eat.
At two every morning I wake her up to check her glucose level.
She has to have insulin shorts the rest of her life.
She is adjusting very well and so are we.
We are just grateful for the modern technology and supports we received since this very unexpected surprise.
So what is Type 1 Diabetes? Type 1 Diabetes is a condition when the body no longer produces insulin.
Insulin acts like a key to unlock the cells in our body so the glucose can get into our cells to make energy.
When insulin is not present, the cells in our body is all "locked" up.
The glucose in our body get build up in our blood.
The antibodies in the body for some reason thinks the cells (icelet) in the pancreas which produce insulin, are foreign bodies so they kill them off (autoimmunity).
Now these cells no longer produce insulin.
Because sugar cannot be used for energy, the body breaks down fat for energy.
Keytones are the results of using fat for energy.
Type 1 diabetes isa childhood, juvenile, Insulin-dependent condition for life.
The most common signs are frequent passing of urine, constant thirst and weight loss.
Here are the symptoms of Type 1 diabetes: For Hyperglycemia (high blood glucose)
- Extreme Thirst
- Frequent Urination
- Dry skin
- Hunger
- Blurred vision
- Drowsiness
- Nausea
- Shaking
- Fast Heart beat
- Sweating
- Anxious
- Dizziness
- Hunger
- Impaired Vision
- Weakness Fatigue
- Headache
- Irritable
It's a very common condition suffered by many children and young adults.
Just because you do not have a familyhistory of diabetes, does not mean no one in your family will ever gets it, as I have learned just a week ago.
When we are armed with correct information, we can bless the lives of others as well as ourselves.