I'm sure many years ago, I mentioned how therapeutic it was for me to write on this blog. I could get my thoughts out and also have record of important events in our lives. I've obviously taken years off. Don't get excited, it may not last. Today, however, I need that therapeutic outlet.
Brooklyn was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes yesterday.
A little background…she's always been one to drink a lot, use the bathroom a lot, and had her fair share of complaints. Yesterday morning, things started adding up a bit and the wheels started turning in my head. I assumed it was me being over analytical, but after talking to a couple of nurses on the floor and Zac talking to the school nurse, we decided to bring her in just to check her blood sugar. I was already at work, so Zac brought her in for a quick check. One that added up to a blood sugar of 547. Putting on our best game faces, we decided it would be a good idea to head on down to the emergency department! They decided to keep her for the night and give us a load of information and an insulin schedule. Not quite the couple of days we were expecting.
For me, the diagnosis yesterday was just not that big of a deal. Today it was. Now, I've come to realize that a hospital doesn't offer the best nights sleep. I'm confident a lot of my emotions today stem from pure exhaustion. I hate being on this side of a disease again. I hate this for her. Will it define her? Absolutely not. She would never allow that. Brooklyn is one of the most organized kids. She loves this kind of stuff. The glucose checks and shots, not so much. Right now, it's really just an inconvenience. Soon, it will just be our new normal.
The hard part is that it brings back a flood of memories. Having to give her these shots kills me. She's being such a trooper, but she hates it. She understands that it won't "go away".
But the blessings in all of this:
We caught it so early. I've seen how sick some of these kids can get. We were no where near that.
We have one of the best Diabetic Resource Centers around at OSF…and their dietician/educator happens to live right around the corner from us! Our family, neighbors, friends, and co-workers make up the best support system anyone could ever imagine.
We are learning about a whole new community to support and get involved with.
We found out that the kids really do like each other, no matter how much they fight and argue. Jack was pretty upset about the diagnosis and seems to be struggling a bit. One of the first things Brooklyn said when she woke up this morning was that she wanted to see her brother because she missed him.
Brooklyn has some of the best friends around. She's gotten messages, cards, and gifts that put the brightest smile on her face.
I could go on and on, but I think it's evident that the blessings in all of this far outweigh the initial shock of the diagnosis.
….and just think - this is only day two!
