I Don't Know What to Write
Last Saturday, January 14, 2017, Ellen was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. In the jargon I have recently learned she is T1D, a type one diabetic.
I fully intend on writing the story all down in here and I rehearse the words and ideas in my mind while I am putt-putting up and down the road on the 4-wheeler in the mornings, graining the animals. While I am doing dishes, elbow-deep in suds and comforting warm water, the phrases flow through my mind effortlessly.
But when I sit down here at the computer it is all a jumble. My emotions are still right under the surface and trying to put the story into words is painful.
For now I only wish to urge you, whatever your age, if you have children in your life or not, please read up on the signs of both type on and type two diabetes. Diabetes can rear its ugly head in any child of any age, and on any adult of any age, regardless of family history. There is no history of type one diabetes on either side of Ellen's family.
Type 2 can be controlled by diet and lifestyle, Type 1 cannot, but the symptoms are pretty much the same:
Excessive thirst
Excessive urinating
Excessive hunger, even after eating
Weight loss, in spite of the huge amounts of eating
Signs of dehydration
Fatigue, dragginess
And in the last stage before it becomes super, super critical; ketosis, or sweet-smelling breath. Not long after ketosis (which means the body is consuming itself and becoming acidic) a coma can set in.
These are all the signs I saw in Ellen. For a week or two I tried to deny it. I even made her an appointment for Tues Jan 17th. But I became scared, super scared and took her to the walk-in clinic on Saturday. Yes, her blood sugar tested high at 390 and we were advised to get her to the emergency ASAP.
It's at this point my emotions break and I can't go any further now.
Thankful: I am so thankful that somewhere along the line I had read up on the signs of diabetes. I am thankful that Ellen is feeling so much better. I am thankful that diabetes can be treated; with careful management and God's grace Ellen will live a long and otherwise healthy life. I am thankful that though Ellen does not like the pokes and injections, she has not fought this, she has not questioned "Why me?" At least not out loud to me. I am thankful that I still have my precious girl.
I fully intend on writing the story all down in here and I rehearse the words and ideas in my mind while I am putt-putting up and down the road on the 4-wheeler in the mornings, graining the animals. While I am doing dishes, elbow-deep in suds and comforting warm water, the phrases flow through my mind effortlessly.
But when I sit down here at the computer it is all a jumble. My emotions are still right under the surface and trying to put the story into words is painful.
For now I only wish to urge you, whatever your age, if you have children in your life or not, please read up on the signs of both type on and type two diabetes. Diabetes can rear its ugly head in any child of any age, and on any adult of any age, regardless of family history. There is no history of type one diabetes on either side of Ellen's family.
Type 2 can be controlled by diet and lifestyle, Type 1 cannot, but the symptoms are pretty much the same:
Excessive thirst
Excessive urinating
Excessive hunger, even after eating
Weight loss, in spite of the huge amounts of eating
Signs of dehydration
Fatigue, dragginess
And in the last stage before it becomes super, super critical; ketosis, or sweet-smelling breath. Not long after ketosis (which means the body is consuming itself and becoming acidic) a coma can set in.
These are all the signs I saw in Ellen. For a week or two I tried to deny it. I even made her an appointment for Tues Jan 17th. But I became scared, super scared and took her to the walk-in clinic on Saturday. Yes, her blood sugar tested high at 390 and we were advised to get her to the emergency ASAP.
It's at this point my emotions break and I can't go any further now.
Thankful: I am so thankful that somewhere along the line I had read up on the signs of diabetes. I am thankful that Ellen is feeling so much better. I am thankful that diabetes can be treated; with careful management and God's grace Ellen will live a long and otherwise healthy life. I am thankful that though Ellen does not like the pokes and injections, she has not fought this, she has not questioned "Why me?" At least not out loud to me. I am thankful that I still have my precious girl.
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