Written by Tina (Mike's mom)
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
Me and Mike!
When I was 15 I received the diagnoses that would change my life. On my Mom’s 40th birthday, January 24th, 1984, I was diagnosed with juvenile Diabetes. (HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM) This was something that definitely changed my life, but I was 15, I knew everything!
Most people thought I was in denial about my condition. I was not, it was there and it wasn’t going anywhere, so I accepted it. I was not angry it was I and not my brothers, I did not have a fear of needles, and they had all sorts of sugar-less products around.
I did however find out who my real friends were. They were the ones who did not think I was an invalid, or contagious. They were the ones who were willing to visit me in the hospital. Then there was Karen, my best friend since grade 8. She made sure she knew as much as she could to help me in most situations, I mean lets face it I was still a teen and I was not going to stop doing all those things that I hope my kids won’t do!
I managed to survive the trials and turmoil of my teen years. I must have done an all right job, for I do not have Diabetic complications. When I was 24 I was pregnant with my first child! I was so excited! Everyone asked how I was managing with my D. And of course what is the risk towards the baby and the baby’s chances of developing D. We were so confident that we would not have a Diabetic child. I mean the odds were so low, and there was not a strong history of type 1 in my family (I was the only one!). I have had three wonderful pregnancies, three beautiful children! No diabetic problems with any of them unless you include their size.
May 24th, 1997, just under two months before Mike’s 4th birthday I took him to see our doctor. He was wetting the bed; something he had not done since he was potty trained. I had tested his fasting blood sugar myself, and it had been normal, but a urine test to see if there was a bladder infection found traces of sugar. Another glucose tolerance test confirmed it……….Mike had Diabetes.
Mike has just celebrated, yes celebrated, his third anniversary of being Diabetic. Every year we go to his favorite arcade and he does whatever kids like to do there! He has adapted exceedingly well to his condition. At 5 he was able to do his own blood test, and at 6 he was delivering his own shots! If you ask him he can tell you all you need to know about his daily life. He knows when his sugars are low and how to treat them. I have had many people, friends, teachers, and even strangers, tell me how brave he is. I don’t know how much my having Diabetes has helped him, but I know at least he had no fear of needles from watching me. There have been times when he has just broken my heart with comments like “ Mom I don’t want to be like you anymore!” but like all hard times these statements have come and gone. He is very accepting and understanding and has adjusted much better at 4 then I did at 15.
These are our stories, as simple as they may be. We have Diabetes, we are Diabetics, we know the complications and we let them guide our choices, not rule our lives. We do not let Diabetes limit our enjoyment of life, and we hope everyday there will be a cure to end the condition called Diabetes Mellitus.
Tina