The saddest part - Sweet Mary-Kathryns story

This morning I ventured into the cyber type 1 community where constantly Im struck by the 'togetherness' you feel with people you have never really met IRL (in real life).    Fact is, nobody really understands what you go through until you are living with the disease.   My six year old son and three year old daughter can get the accucheck mobile blood glucose meter going and test Reubens blood sugar.  

 They are both aware how important Reubens diabetes is even at their ages.   Evander did a talk for his class all about diabetes and looking after Reuben.   From what I heard it was a quite sophisticated for a 6 year old child!   This leads me to my next point.   



I came across this story while posting on a forum for parents with diabetic children.    I wanted to share it with you but please get tissues and sit first.     The fact is, Diabetes is pretty silent with obscure symptoms.   In our own experience I begged the GP on the 13th and final visit to his clinic to 'check Reuben for broken bones he screams all night long'.  We were prescribed thrush drops :(      He didnt have temperatues but did vomit on and off for a week.   This included reduced activity, lethargy, inability to have sound sleep, extreme thirst and heavy nappies, plus a weird sweet acetone smell coming from his skin.      Anyone who has a child vomitting assumes tummy bug, right?   At 6 months unsettled sleep can mean teething.. You can explain away the symptoms until full blown Diabetic ketoacidosis where you are admitted to the hospital emergency department and usually have to be transferred to intensive care.

It gets to this point because GP's dont do regular routine blood glucose tests on children.   Type 1 diabetes can be detected before the child gets this sick.   The link - and Mary-Kathryn's tragic story couldve been prevented with GP education and a quick finger prick.    I cried and could barely breathe as I read it.   Then I signed the petition.   I hope you will do the same. xx

http://www.squidoo.com/jdrf/Juvenile_Diabetes