Hi my name is Jennifer and my 4 year old daughter Alex was just diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes on April 19th. It's all been so overwhelming the amount of information we received from the doctors in such a short period of time. My daughter is doing well given it's only been a week since she was diagnosed. I'm here to get support and feedback from parents and everyone who has Type 1. I want my daughter to have the best life she can!!!
Hi Jennifer, I am tabitha...
I am so sorry for what has happen! I was just diagnosed in October and I am only 16! I think the best thing you can do is give her support and let her know that you are there. My mom and I got into an arguement 2 months ago, and she said that my diabetes is my own fault and that she doesn't want me. I ended up moving in with my older sister. The best thing you can do is give her support. With her being only 4 I would find anything that is sugarfree that is possible. It is really hard not being able to eat whatever you would like, If i were you usually at walmart or somewhere in genral have sugarfree chocolate and other great variations of food to help! Give her all the support that you may and just love her. I am sure she will succeed and have a wonderful life! and if they ever offer you the pump in the longrun.. Take it! It is way better than takeing shots if she does..
Hi Tabitha!
First I just want to say that I am so sorry your mom was not supportive of you! That is awful for her to say those things to you and no having Diabetes is not your fault! My daughter is 4...what could she have possibly done to make herself get diabetes! I will do everything in my power to make sure my daughter has a very happy life...I will support her in everything that she does!
She does get the shot or shots I guess you could say! She gets her blood checked before each meal and a shot after each meal. Also a shot at bedtime. It is a huge struggle right now for her because she used to be able to go to the fridge and get what she wanted or snack on what she wanted and now she can't! She hates it when I tell her no or she has to wait. But she is getting there and I know the older she gets the more she'll realize how important it is for her to follow what the dr's tell her! I am slowly learning all the sugar free stuff and the stuff they consider "free" those are her favorites! =)
If you ever need anyone to talk to please feel free to talk to me! As a mother of a child who was just diagnosed I can't imagine what you are going through without your mom being there for you! Yes I am only 28 but I couldn't imagine ever making my daughter feel like this was her fault! Again I am truly sorry!
Hi Jennifer,
I'm Leslie. I was diagnosed with type one when I was 4 years old. (Back in 1980). I've been on the insulin pump, since THEN. Of course, back in the old days, the pumps were the size of VHS tapes. I can honestly tell you that the pump was an awesome option. Do you have an endocrinologist? (A doctor who specializes in type ONE diabetes (some drs tend to treat type ones the same as type two's, but they're are a lot of differences).
When I was young, my mom would buy the small baby orange juices. The ones in the size of the baby food; she'd keep those by my bed, so when she came in to check my sugars in the middle of the night, if I was low, she'd pop one of those open.
There's a lot more information but I don't want to overwhelm ya. :) But just keep in mind, that your daughter CAN have the best life possible, even living with diabetes. I turn 35 years old in May. So, I've lived with type one for 31 years. :D :D
At first, I didn't want the pump, kids asked me what it was, but now they have pumps that are so tiny, you can put them in a pocket. Check your area for diabetes support groups, and talk to your diabetes specialist about learning to carb count. That's a MUST. You give insulin according to how many carbohydrates your daughter eats. Let me know if there's anything else you'd like to ask!
Leslie
Thank you Leslie. Yes we have an endocrinologist. He is amazing!! I can't wait until the pump becomes an option for her. Right now it is not and I apologize I forget the reason why but hopefully in the future we can get her one! I do keep juice drinks and a few candy snacks in her bag just incase her sugar drops.
Thanks again for the info! I know this is the beginning of a long journey for her so I'm sure down the road or very soon =) there will be questions I need to ask!
Jennifer-
You are completely right that your daughter can have a good life with diabetes. I was diagnosed when I was 4 and am 38 now. No diabetes complications, though my control has been far from perfect over the years.
I've traveled extensively, had crazy jobs (one that required me to travel at least 3 weeks a month) and am now married to a nice man and have a 5-year old son whose not diabetic. I also work full-time and go to school part-time and still am able to have fairly decent diabetes control.
When I was diagnosed they prescribed one shot of long acting insulin and gave me a diabetic diet. Now there is so much more information... the good part about all the info is that it will allow you and your daughter to treat her diabetes in a way that fits into your lifestyle. Know you're doing okay for now and will learn as you go. If you have question, please check here.
Also, this link has excellent diabetes books. Sometime when you're not feeling overwhelmed, look it over and see if there's something that will help you. http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/d_06_b00.htm
Take care. -Jenna
Thank you Jennifer,
Yes it is very hard, I am still struggling yet today. The shots are very complicated! Im not sure where you may live but I know the CVS stores, Walmart, Magic Mart and other stores in that variation have lots of sugarfree food items, You can buy chocolates, candies, I have even found gummie bears that are sugar free! I am so sorry to here about you baby girl! It is honestly so sad! I really hope that she is taking it well... Do you give her the shots or can she do it herself! See when I was diagnosed I hated it, because I was terrified of shots through out being a child! I still very well dissaprove of them, They do tend to hurt! and might I suggest, I mean I know this sounds bad, but they do hurt in your belly and legs and they really hurt in your arms... I do cycle my shots, but I take as many as I can in the butt because there is more fat I guess you could say... and I was very precautious about gaining weight, you would thank that not having sugar and being on a strict diet that you would be fine, but it still requires excersise, which most 4 y/os are very active, I wish you the best, and thank you I love being able to have someone I can talk too.. Thank you so much Jennifer. I wish you and your baby the best. :)
-Tabby
Hello Jennifer, your being here shows how dedicated you are to help your daughter in every way you can. I was diagnosed in 1945, when I was 6, and am very healthy after 65 years of type 1. With the knowledge available today, and the wonderful technology, Alex will be able to have a long, healthy life. Good luck to both of you in the months ahead!
Richard
Hi, Jennifer. I want you to know that Richard Vaughn isn't as unique as you might think. I was diagnosed in December 1942, at the age of 10. And despite the fact that both Richard and I are males, I'm pretty sure there are more female T1s who are in our age bracket. You will be indispensable to the success of Alex, and I'm sure the two of you will make a great team.
Tom Beatson
Hey Tabby!! I live in Indiana and we do have stores with a lot of sugarfree food items...I found hershey's, which she absolutely loves, I was so excited! =) As for the shots..I do give them to her. She just turned 4 in January and I don't want her to do them just yet. She does get her Accuchek ready for me and she gets her insulin ready as well...except for the needles..i don't want her poking herself anymore than she has to! And she is the same as you...she has always been terrified of needles...everytime we would go to the dr she would ask if she was getting a shot...but she is getting better. Sometimes she tells me she doesn't want to eat her food because she knows there's going to be a shot right after. It takes her a few minutes but then she's fine. She has the insulin pen with the nano needles so her needles are very small...I don't know what type you have but the pen is amazing! I love having the insulin right there and all I do is turn the dial to her amount and give her the shot. The only problem with her right now is she won't take the shots anywhere besides her arms. I have tried to explain to her that if she would rotate places then she wouldn't be as sore but she still refuses! She is very very stubborn...=) Oh and she absolutely refuses to do them in her butt...she thinks it's silly! lol It's so nice to be able to talk about it with someone! Last week when she was diagnosed I was and still am terrified! I don't want to do anything wrong that's going to make her sugar go way up or drop way low...and I am scared to leave her with other people! Thank you so so much for giving me someone to talk to! I hope your doing well!
Jen
Thank you Jenna! I will look it over! I wish she only got one shot but she gets 4. One after every meal and one before she goes to bed. But I guess that's the benefit of eating what you want and counting carbs! My biggest thing right now is she is so little and she can't really tell me how she's feeling or sometimes her symptoms of her sugar dropping are the same as her normal everyday self. She may get real tired all of a sudden and I don't know if it's because she really is tired from playing or if it's her sugar! There really is so much to learn and know! That's why i thank you so much for helping me! =)
Thank you so much Richard! Yes I am very dedicated in making sure my daughter has a healthy "normal" life! I don't want this to limit her from doing anything or when she gets older thinking she can't do something just because she has diabetes. I know once she understands why she has to follow what the drs tell her shell be fine! But I try to be very understanding of her because she just turned 4 in January and she really doesn't understand quite yet why she can't have certain things when she wants them or why she has to have the shots. She has a very stubborn attitude and she tries to push and see how far she can get with things but she does know to at least ask first. She knows it's very important for her to not sneak food! That's amazing for a child! I'm sure you understand that as well! I hope you are doing well and thank you again! =)
Jen
Well today my sugar is up and it has been for awhile now, and poor alex.. I am terribly sorry.. But you have to look on the bright side she will be okay.. and convince her that it doesn't hurt as bad in the butt.. I know it hurts in the arm I have only taken one shot there ever!!! also there are alcohol pads that you can buy with benzocane to numb it! they have those at walmart.. i feel terrble for her.. I know as bad as i took it I didn't wanna take the shots i can imagine how she feels.. the first night i was in the hospital i cried all night... It does take an emotional affect on a person because it makes them feel different and out of place.. I am here anytime you would like to talk.. I am terribly sorry for alex.. and if you have any questions at all or just need a friend i am here :)
- Tabby :)
Thank you Tom! I really do feel so much better than I have since we found out last week! I have talked to so many people on here and facebook and it's so comforting to know other peoples stories! I know Alex will be just fine once we become more familiar with her routine! Plus she has a dedicated mommy =) She's definitely my little trooper!
Thanks again Tabby! Yes everytime I find myself crying or feeling bad I stop and remember she will be ok! Things could be worse!! I'm just a little stressed out trying to remember everything and explaining it and re explaining it to people everything that she needs to do! But we will get there once we have a routine down. Her sugar is up and down like crazy because she has only been on insulin for a week. In the mornings it's usually about 200 ish and then lunch and dinner it's usually in the 300-400. The past 2 days her lunch has been close to 500. And then bedtime is usually in the 200s. When she got diagnosed her sugar was a 701. Of course I had no clue what that ment at the time. So when you say your sugar is up what do you mean? I haven't learned all the vocabulary or phrases. I know they want to keep alex between 100-200. So how high is to high...and checking for keytones or whatever that is..again i'm sorry..still trying to remember everything...=) how often do you check for those?? I hope you get yours to where it needs to be!!!
Jen
well I have been diagnosed since october and mine still has not regulated... my sugar is probably the same as hers.. right now mine is 357, and i have never been checked for ketones my doctor says that i don't have them but he is looney... I am seeing a new one in May.. and you buy ketone strips at walmart there about 16$ i think... and you just let her pee on one.. and it does like a color scale and it will tell her... And no worrys i still get confused.. and its hard getting on a schedule.. It is still difficult for me as a teenager.... After a few weeks you will get use to it... and there will be days that she will be grouchy... sad... lack of energy.. it all just comes day by day.... which You seem to be a great mother... and it will get very aggravating.. and you will probably get upset yourself....