Friday, June 10, 2011
Not a Scary Story
When Kimberly Ford's son was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes, she knew their lives would change. She didn't know there would be an up side.
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8 comments:
My son was diagnosed on his 6th birthday, almost 14 months ago. There have been many tears since then, for all of us, but this article brought some good tears. I'm feeling very blessed, and proud, that we've made it through this last year. And it's comforting to know that I'm not the only mom who's first thought was Julia Roberts...
I don't understand why JDRF does not have viable solutions for children and adults today. Yes, we want a cure, but TODAY we need solutions to help make this insulin delivering process easier for millions.
Delivering insulin via a needle is COMPLETELY inefficient and unnecessary torture on people.
External Pumps are a more efficient way of delivering insulin, HOWEVER, who wants to feel like a cyborg. How many scars must we endure? How many times does this external pump get accidently pulled out of our bodies! How can you run around and be a natural person when you have wires hanging out of you?
JDRF - you take millions in donations from all of us each year, why aren't you looking into a fully internal insulin pump NOW? Sure keep looking for the cure but provide a better method to treat diabetes TODAY!
I've read about internal insulin pumps (which have been proven to be a viable solution and provided an improved quality of life) and was amazed that this option was cancelled in the US by Medtronics ... and only those in France get to benefit from this option.
JDRF stop being controlled by Medtronics and help people with diabetes now!
I read this story in the print magazine and cried my way through it. Thank you for publishing such beautiful writing and such an important piece. I am very worried about why there's been such a huge upsurge in T1D in the past two decades. We need to figure out the causes and fix the problem. Thank you to Kimberly Ford to bringing more awareness to everyone of what families go through.
hi mary
Hi there,
You have no idea how much this story meant to me. I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when I was eleven years old. I am now 28. The day your son was diagnosed sounds exactly like that day that I was diagnosed.
The feelings you had are feelings I know my mother had that day as well. It's a crazy, fascinating disease that has changed my life in so many ways I can't count them. I am so moved by your story and your sons because I relate so much. I wish I could say it gets easier, and I guess in some way it does. But every single day is a struggle. Last night my blood sugar dipped into the 30's and my sensor was yanked off during a work out. My husband had to sit on my bed and force feed me smarties (I promise-what a coincidence!). Because of the low, I have a horrible headache today and feel icky all over.
It's such a frustrating horrible disease in so many ways, and yet I was reminded by a friend of mine at lunch yesterday who was diagnosed two years ago, we have a disease that WE control. And while that sound simple, it's so true. We are the ones in control of our lives. Your son is going to be fine, and by the time he is my age, there will probably be a cure.
Some days are better than others and some days are horrible and I scream and cry and want to give up. But I won't and your son won't and it will in fact be okay. Thank you for your article you have no idea how much it inspired me.
Hi there,
You have no idea how much this story meant to me. I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when I was eleven years old. I am now 28. The day your son was diagnosed sounds exactly like that day that I was diagnosed.
The feelings you had are feelings I know my mother had that day as well. It's a crazy, fascinating disease that has changed my life in so many ways I can't count them. I am so moved by your story and your sons because I relate so much. I wish I could say it gets easier, and I guess in some way it does. But every single day is a struggle. Last night my blood sugar dipped into the 30's and my sensor was yanked off during a work out. My husband had to sit on my bed and force feed me smarties (I promise-what a coincidence!). Because of the low, I have a horrible headache today and feel icky all over.
It's such a frustrating horrible disease in so many ways, and yet I was reminded by a friend of mine at lunch yesterday who was diagnosed two years ago, we have a disease that WE control. And while that sound simple, it's so true. We are the ones in control of our lives. Your son is going to be fine, and by the time he is my age, there will probably be a cure.
Some days are better than others and some days are horrible and I scream and cry and want to give up. But I won't and your son won't and it will in fact be okay. Thank you for your article you have no idea how much it inspired me.
I want to post a belated thank you for the meaningful comments here. To Rudy's Mamma and Mary in particular, I am moved to have been even the slightest inspiration. T1D can be such a struggle. We are all putting up the good fight.
As for the anonymous post who voices such frustration at not yet having a CURE, I can say that I am frustrated too.
I myself, though, have taken on a volunteer role as VP or Research for the Greater Bay Area Chapter of JDRF. There has been nothing like two years of intense reading on the complexities of this disease for me to realize why we are not closer to a cure.
Forty years ago, when JDRF was founded, we didn't even know we were fighting an auto-immune battle!
Before 1922, T1D was fatal, usually within months depending on the time of diagnosis.
We have come a very long way.
Insulin pumps, more effective insulin, better ways to monitor blood glucose, large studies determining best practices for patients, all of this has contributed to recent studies like the one that just reported that life expectancy for people with T1D has increased (from 1959) by 15 years!
We do not have a cure. That is frustrating. But JDRF's accomplishments are many and they are of foundational importance. JDRF is one of the main reasons I feel the hope I do that, as Rudy's Mamma said, my son will be "fine."
This is a very belated post, but I got to this page from another blog. My son was diagnosed 6 weeks ago today and this is so similar to our story. Doctor's visit for a physical but very concerned about the thirst and frequent urination. As soon as the doctor came in the room and said 'There is sugar in his urine' I knew. It's surreal to take a child who is alert, walking, laughing and just came home from school the the ER. It becomes even more so when they start taking possible ICU monitoring (didn't happen, thankfully) and the seriousness of the situation.
These kids are such troopers and I don't know where they draw their strength. My son has been a trooper...never said he can't do this. He just do what he has to does. These T1D kids are my heroes!
Thank you for the way you capture the reality of the life of a TID parent.
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