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Original poster

My life has been changed for ever this Christmas.

73 replies

Mincepiedermama · 29/12/2005 21:45

For those who missed the other thread I thought this punchier title might attract your attention.

Four days before Christmas I took my ds to the doctor, along with a sample of wee, because he was tired, ill, very thirsty and weeing all the time. The doctor sent us straight to casualty at the childrens hospital and they diagnosed Type 1 diabetes. They kept him in for three days and I finally got him home on Christmas eve when I'd shown I could be trusted to continue the regime of four blood tests and two insulin jabs every day.

Insulin injections are keeping him alive and he has to have them all his life, along with regular meals and snacks at specific times. I've now got a fridge full of needles and emergency medical stuff just in case.

Phew! I also feel really lucky to have him and to live in a country and in a time which has insulin.

It's a lot to get my head around (and his). He's doing so well and even doing the pin prick finger blood tests by himself. He gets angry though and has outbursts.

I'm already obsessing on information about the condition and feeling a good deal better than I did a few days ago. Still a bit up and down though.

So that's my festive news.

I think this might even qualify me for the special needs threads? Possibly?

OP posts:
PantomimEDAMe · 29/12/2005 23:03

Oh Spidermama, that must have been such a shock. So sorry for you and your ds. As you say, thank goodness we have insulin. I have to take daily medicine for a chronic condition (not diabetes) and am very, very grateful it is possible to manage illnesses like this these days.

I hope someone with Type 1 diabetes comes along soon to reassure you.

stitch · 29/12/2005 23:05

o spidey, lots of hugs and strength to you both.
how old is your ds?

gomez · 29/12/2005 23:08

Spider - my sisters eldest has diabetes. He is 14, happy and healthy. If you have any specific questions let me now and I can certainly ask her.

She lives a wee bit away from us so I never saw D (her son) on a daily basis so can't pass on my experiences IYSWIM but please ask away she will be more that happy to help.

Cheers,

Cadmum · 29/12/2005 23:10

What an immense shock! I am so sorry to read that you and your DS have had such a rough Time over Christmas.

A childhood friend of mine has coped with this since she was 5 and as many have mentionned, it was just part of her routine. I have read recently that they are making great advances in the treatment of diabetes and hopefully within a few years the daily injections will be a fading memory.

You are such an amazing and strong mum that although it is awful that it should happen to your family, I have every faith that you will cope beautifully.

JoolsToo · 29/12/2005 23:14

thankfully we live in an age where we can control conditions like diabetes due to all the great research done.

I'm sure things will be fine now

bosscatsroastingonanopenfire · 29/12/2005 23:18

what a nightmare for you and ds. sounds like you are coping admirably though. all the best to you both x

ParrupupumScum · 29/12/2005 23:20

Gosh- sounds like you've both coped amazingly well. Must have been v scary though. Good luck to you all coming to terms with it in the next few weeks.

harpsichordcarrier · 29/12/2005 23:25

blimey, sorry to read this. takes a bit of getting used to I would imagine.
HC x

Miaou · 29/12/2005 23:40

spidey, sorry to hear this. If your ds takes after you I am sure he will cope admirably and simply take it all in his stride.

QueenVictoria · 30/12/2005 00:31

Sorry to hear this SM

Im sure he will adjust very quickly.

jinglinggoblin · 30/12/2005 07:19

sorry to hear this sm must have been an awful shock

i had a friend with diabetes i met when i was about 8, she had been diagnosed a fair while before i met her and we never treated her any differently, she did all the things we did. i was actually quite jealous of her cos she got biscuits every day (i know how stupid that sounds now!) and she used to go on outings with a sort of support group. i went with her once and it was brilliant fun maybe worth having a look for something like that in your area?

i didnt know diabetes was a problem at all til i was an adult. as a kid it just seemed like one of those things, she had to have injections and eat at certain times but didnt seem to have any ill effects. her mum and dad were very strict on routine and were rather over protective of her but it never occured to me it would be because of the diabetes at all. she never made a big deal out of it either so i assume that was because she wasnt too concerned about it, it was just a normal part of her life

last time i saw her she was in a pub with her mates, just before going to uni hth

tigermoth · 30/12/2005 07:43

What a shock for you and your ds.

As cadmum says, lets hope medical advances in the coming years take away the need for daily injections and generally make life easier. Hope the stories here of other children with diabetes are making you feel better.

WideWebWitch · 30/12/2005 07:50

Oh this must be a shock spidermama, thinking of you.

bobbybobbobbingalong · 30/12/2005 07:51

You do need to "grieve" for the life you expected to have with him. At some point you will find yourself saying exactly the right things to someone else in a similr situation as you and realise how far you have come.

WellieMum · 30/12/2005 07:55

So sorry to hear this. Your ds sounds as if he's doing really well.

I know someone who has type 1 diabetes and is a doctor. She works mad hours - night shifts and all sorts - and has a very demanding job.

She doesn't expect to be treated any differently from her colleagues. She has to be sensible about eating properly during long shifts, but that's about it. No limitations to her way of life.

dinny · 30/12/2005 08:06

Spidermama, what a shock for you all. Poor ds but thank goodness GP on the ball and referred him straight away. This will become 'normal' in time. In the meantime, stay strong. Sounds like you are doing a fantastic job.
Dinny x

PottyinaPearTree · 30/12/2005 09:36

Spider - sorry to hear this. What a huge shock for you both. Yes, it's brilliant to be living in a country where he can be treated but you are allowed to be angry about it, you know, just as he is. It takes some getting used to.

I have a dd who takes daily meds for a chronic condition - it just becomes part of life - although we still get the 'it's not fair' outbursts even now.

I'm sure you'd be welcome over on Special Needs - loads of support over there (not that there isn't everywhere on mumsnet ) . There will be some practicalities to sort out, won't there, school for example?

You sound like you're doing really well.

LadyTophamHatt · 30/12/2005 09:40

oh spider, what a shock.

I'm sure your ds will learn to manage it well with you beside him.

xxx

Twiglett · 30/12/2005 09:43

well that doesn't seem fair does it?

very soon it will all be second nature to you and you won't even notice it as being any different

in the meantime you're entitled to get angry, upset and generally stomp about it .. time makes it easy to accept and live with chronic conditions

gggimmesnowsnow · 30/12/2005 09:45

I used to foster an amazing little girl with diabetes who had been diagnosed with the condition when very young - under four, I think.

She was a brilliant child (probably a wild teenager now!) and her diabetes never stopped her doing what she wanted to do.

Her diabetes was poorly controlled (due to her home circumstances) and I used to get the diabetic liason nurse to come and see how she was doing, then we would sit and work out menus with her. I found a brilliant cookbook for children with diabetes and we would choose what we would make and what treats she could have. I can't remember the name.

I do think that it is actually easier for young children to get the illness and learn to deal with it at a young age (whilst still compliant!) than a bolshy teenager who is in the throes of rebelling, finding out that they have diabetes.

Wishing you all the best.

TheholyGHOSTY · 30/12/2005 09:45

Spider, what a shock for you ... and for DS ...

If this helps at all ... I taught a little girl once who had T1 diabetes (started due to a complication from chicken pox of all things when she was 4). She was 7 when I taught her and she was totally at one with the whole thing. She knew when she needed to eat and would come up to my desk during a lesson sometimes (not often, maybe happened a couple of times a term) and ask quietly if she could go and 'do a test because I feel a bit funny'. She would go off to the cloakroom, do her test then do whatever she had to do (sometimes eat, sometimes give herself some insulin) and then she would come back in, give me the thumbs up and get on with whatever she had been doing. She was so cool about it ... and she and her parents never made a big deal about it. Her mum told me once that it took a bit of getting used to but after the first year they had it all sussed.

HTH a bit and good luck {{{}}}

Blandmum · 30/12/2005 09:47

SM, what an awful shock for you , if so sorry that this had happened to your darling ds.

Now for the irritating upbeat bit.... I teach two children who have insulin controled diabetes. One is on the severe end of the spectrum but they both live normal lives for children of their age. They have card to get out of class if they feel a hypo coming on (never used in the two years I have worked with them) and they are experts in this own condition, totaly 'together' kids IYSWIM.

Did you know that Stever Redgrave the international rower and olympic medalist is an insulin contraoled diabetic? He also has dyslexia and colitis....none of wheich seem to have slowed him down any

Is your local practice giving hou the support you need for all of this?

Sending you mega hugs

puff · 30/12/2005 09:50

Spidermama ,don't know how I missed the other thread - sorry!!! Have read it all now - what a rollercoaster for you all.

My cousin has diabetes - he was diagnosed at 14 - is now 44 with 2 children and generally healthy. He has had some ups and downs with his diabetes - inevitable when you have been living with it for 30 years, but he lives a very normal life with the management of his diabetes woven into it.

You will all need time to come to terms with this.

Thinking of you.

Puff xx

Kristingle · 30/12/2005 09:56

Spider - i knwo its a shock now, but once you are your Ds adjust to teh idea you wil both be fine honest. as Ghosty says, kids are so resilient, they just get on with it. Her description of the child she taught is just like my friends son. Soon your Ds will be doing his own injectiosn and managing his own levels just like that.

I know kids always worry about their friends reactions and being "different" but there will alreday be several other kids in his class with medical conditions - those with asthma who use inhalers or allergies who have pens.The school and the other kids will just take it as normal, honest.

Woudl second what other have said about joining a suport group for you and also one your son can go to. So he can see that the other kids there are just "normal" ( like him!!!).

Also could you get in touch with the local daibetic liaison sister? My friend does this job at the local childrens hospital and she is fab.Maybe your Hv or Gp woudl know?

gggimmesnowsnow · 30/12/2005 10:01

Yes, do contact your hv and ask for a referral to the diabetic liason sister. The British diabetic society is also excellent.

The child I spoke about used to go to a summer camp and they had a wild time but learned about managing their diabetes and also meeting other children with the same condition.

This little girl used to say 'if you have diabetes, you aren't different - you're special"