June 13, 2013

Taking Back Control

(2 days before diagnosed, last day of 1st grade)

Last week my 7 year old son, Casey, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. It came basically out of nowhere. After a month of on again off again drinking & peeing spurts I decided let's just take him in to be checked. Sure I was sick to my stomach that morning waiting for our appointment, but I kept telling myself to stop being silly, that I'd be embarrassed afterwards for asking some family members to pray before we went in...

And that's when diabetes took over. 

After being diagnosed we were sent straight to urgent care being told we were lucky he was healthy enough to not need a 2 day hospital stay as most children do. We spent the rest of the day there getting insulin, IV drips, blood tests, and lots of information.

We left with a nauseous, tired little boy, a bag full of samples and leaflets and our heads spinning. Don't get me wrong, they did a wonderful job helping Casey and us through the whole ordeal. There's just only so much information one brain can take in in a 5 hour period, especially when that brain is still trying to cope with a new diagnosis.


It's 6 days later. My house and my life feel like they have been taken over by this disease. Leaving the house takes 3x as long as I double check I have enough alcohol swabs, lancets, pen needles, and test strips. Planning lunch causes me to break out in a sweat, I need to know how much he is going to eat exactly, how many carbs will be in that meal and what his blood sugar is before he gets started. Then plug it all into a formula that decides how much insulin to give him 10 minutes before he eats. 


My house is a mess of papers and empty boxes and books and half put away groceries. My week has been about surviving from one meal to the next. I feel like our whole summer bucket list is a thing of the past. How am I going to plan a trip to Six Flags Great America when just packing a lunch stresses me out? How am I going to take my daughter for our special mommy/daughter day to the American Girl Store when I'm the only one who knows how to take care of Casey?

NO.

I'm taking back control.

Starting with my mind set. I will stop looking at my friends' pictures on Facebook and feeling sorry for myself. I will stop feeling like our life is over. I will get this mess around me cleaned up so that our house feels normal again. We will accomplish every single goal on that summer bucket list and we will enjoy it that much more because we will know that diabetes won't get in the way of our life. 

I heard this on the radio yesterday,

"God doesn't always call on the qualified. Sometimes he qualifies the called."

We may not always feel qualified to do the things God calls us to do, but with His help we are more than able. Can I get an AMEN???!!!




8 comments:

  1. You can do this. Take a breath and remember that!

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    1. Thank you! :) We're having a great day and feeling more and more confident with every meal!! :)

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  2. Amen!! You and Casey are definitely becoming very qualified :) Don't forget that I can take care of Casey without being scared - it's one of the perks of having a nurse for a mom :) (Remember, I don't work full time - it just seems like it sometimes!)

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  3. Thinking of you! I'm so glad they were able to diagnose your son. My dad is diabetic and had a really hard time at the beginning but he has been able to regulate with medicine and diet. I know is overwhelming right now and you feel like life won't be normal again, but I think you'll learn the things you need to do and it will become second nature. x

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    1. Thank you Danielle! It's only been 10 days since being diagnosed and I can feel a WORLD of difference. We're keeping his blood glucose levels fairy even which makes giving insulin doses easier to figure out. I've been surrounded by love and prayers and notes and calls and texts and it has been such a blessing to see how many people truly care about Casey and our family :)

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  5. I know how you are feeling , my daughter was diagnosed at age 8 she is now 18. It is very overwhelming in the beginning but going to support groups and sending him to diabetes camp in the summer is very rewarding. My daughter got the insulin pump a year after being diagnosed and that is so much easier with them living and you living a semi normal life so just make sure you have a great endrocronologist and dont be afraid to ask questions and ask for help. Good luck and God bless! Tammy italiangirl5599@hotmail.com

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    1. Thank you so much Tammy! So far all of the people at our endocrinologist's office have been so wonderful. Taking time to make sure we are all coping well and talking directly to Casey so he knows he's important to them. We were diagnosed just a little too late to be able to go to summer camp but they told us we'll definitely want him to go next year. We're also hoping to be able to start a pump sometime during the next school year, our docs think he will be ready in 6 months at the earliest so we'll see!! :)

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