My life has been changed for ever this Christmas.

[Mincepiedermama]

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?

[Mincepiedermama]

Wow! Thanks for all the responses.
What on earth did I ever do before Mumsnet? You lot are fab! So many inspiring stories and such great support and advice. It's really helpful.
I could gush more but I'd be scared of embarrassing you all.

The NHS diabetes team based at the hospital here have been brilliant. They phone every day to discuss how it's going and adjust treatment. They've been to visit and they'll come into school with me to talk to the teachers about the condition. I've developed a deeper love for the NHS. In the mornings I still wake up and have a downward plunge while I remembe it really is true, but the rest of the time it feels like part of the routine already.

He's plumping up and getting more energy, which is helpful. But emotionally he's all over the place so we're having to finely tune the balance between cutting him some slack and treating him normally.

Thanks again.

[puddle]

Spidermama this must be such a worrying time for you. Another story of an older person with diabetes - dp was diagnosed when when he was 18ish so he has had it for 20 years. He is very fit and healthy otherwise. He is very rarely ill. He does look after himself and is much more disciplined about exercise than me - he runs regularly, for miles.

You probably already know that moods are hugely affected by sugar levels being out of balance and this is probably causing your ds's emotional mood changes (more I would imagine than the diagnosis which he will be slower to come to terms with at his age?)

[Mincepiedermama]

Puddle I'm still confused about the exercise side of things. I thought execise used up sugar so brought down sugar levels but it's not this simple is it as it can actually raise glucose in the blood as you liver is instructed to release more. It's a minefield. At the moment his sugar levels are pretty high anyway and yet he's supposed to eat extra before exercise.
I guess I'll get used to it. It'll be far easier when the so-called honeymoon is over and we can have a proper routine and a regular insulin regime.

[puddle]

Yes spider i think you are right but also that routine is important. If DP misses runs his sugar levels sometimes go a bit off, even though he has not eaten so much (ie to account for the fact he won't be running it off...)

Dp is at his best when he is eating and injecting (and exercising) at similar times.

[gggimesnowsnow]

Just seen this on another forum. Haven't read it all so don't know if it is helpful or not. Take with a pinch of salt (excuse the pun!)

[Mincepiedermama]

Great link ggg. It includes a grown up woman who was dx-ed as a child telling the mum of the newly dx-ed boy what the pitfalls are, how to avoid resentment, rebellion etc. Very edifying. Thanks.

[flashingnose]

Gary Mabbutt is another v successful sportsman with diabetes IIRC.

Sorry to hear your news Spidermama.

[ItllBeLonelymumThisChristmas]

Only just seen this and have to add my sympathies/condolences, whatever is the right word.

What a nightmare. How clever of you though to learn the hang of insulin injections so quickly!

I know it is not quite on the same scale of things, but my son was diagnosed with asthma earlier this year and is now on daily puffers, oh and he has ezcema too so on creams too. I was rather floored when he was diagnosed (although it wasn't completely unexpected as dh is asthmatic) but you soon get used to the daily medication and ds is ever so proud of his condition and his need to have daily medication! Silly boy! but it is better that he is like this than that he is miserable about it. Hopefully your ds will come to feel the same way about it, and at least he won't grow up with a fear of injections.

Not trying to trivialise it at all, but just hoping your ds is as mad as mine!

[singersgirl]

I've just seen this and wanted to say that you did brilliantly to get it diagnosed so quickly. Also another positive famous person story - at primary school my mum taught the opera singer Janice Watson, who has been insulin-dependent since she was about 8. She travels all over, is very successful and has a daughter now, I think.
Good luck to all your family as you adapt to things.

[Crystaltips]

Well done you spider for being so aware od your DS's symptoms .... I don't think I would have been as pulled together as you.

Hope 2006 is kinder to ou all - once you manage to get on an even keel .... {{{{hugs}}}}

[ruty]

spidermama what a shock. So glad he is going to be OK tho. My uncle had type 1 diabetes for much of his life and died at 80.

[anorak]

Hi spidermama. I've been through all this with my brother who was diagnosed at the age of 4. I was a teenager with an alcoholic mother so I went through the experience with him in more of a motherly role than that of a sister. He spent several weeks in hospital having his condition stabilised, he was in a very bad state before my mother realised he was ill.

It is heartbreaking to see a little boy of 4 learning to put up with insulin injections, blood tests and not being allowed to eat the same things as everyone else. But you get used to it, and so does the child. I remember we used to sing a little song (this is going to sound mad) to get my brother to give his urine sample every few hours in an old jug we kept for the purpose, 'let's have a wee wee on the jug, little bug' (his nickname when little).

We turned things into a game. If his sugar was high we would see how many times he could run round the garden in five minutes. He grew up loving to run and continuing to enjoy sport into adulthood. We learned that if he started to get grumpy and talk rubbish that he might be about to have a hypo. We got used to things.

My brother is 35 now and loves to shock the children by injecting himself in odd parts of the body in front of them .

Don't let this get you down. I always marvelled at the fact that only a couple of generations before my brother would have died. Now he gets to live almost the same life as the next person. He's enjoyed years of cricket, cycling and running, and has two sons of his own.

[coribells]

Another story for you Spidermama. Many years ago I worked in a nursing home, there was a lady probably in her 80s resident there. She had a certificate on her wall ( probably from the diabetic association) saying that she was the oldest known person to have lived with type 1 diabetes all her life. I remember her saying that she had never known any other way to live so hadnt felt burdened by it. Also from what I remember she was quite fit and active ( for some one who is 80 odd that is)

[Tortington]

spidey, what a shock, i completely understand the whole ...one day things are fine and the next its all tits up. this happened with dd she went for a second hearing test and came home having chosen hearing aids and i had all this equipment and appointments. but i couldnt cry and had to pretend that WOW how wonderful and lucky she was to have the aids to make her feel good about it.

in 6 months time you will be giving injections and taking blood tests inbetween baking a pie and doing homework like it was second nature.

much love xxx

[DanceOfThePeachyPlumFairy]

Another story, a young man I know who had a dx at 5. He was the town looker, a DJ in the evenings, very popular, had a fantastic social life (as in, had when I knew him- strongly suspect he still does!) a career as an nurse in an autism unit, performed in the local theatrical group as a star member (Chairman by the age of 21).

I can tell you, nothing held that chap back! If we went away anywhere (eg fundraising) he just had a portable fridge for his insulin.

[anorak]

Yes my brother is a DJ too! And he wins karaoke competitions. A right show-off

[suedonim]

If you want yet another positive story, SM, dd1 has just started uni with another 18yo girl who's been diabetic almost forever. She has an insulin pump inserted in the tummy area and is training to be.....a doctor! Dd says the diabetes doesn't affect her friend's scuzzy student lifestyle at all.

[hoxtonchick]

how are you all doing sm?

i forgot to mention before, but diabetes run fantastic family weekends (i should know, i volunteered on one & so did my mum!). the whole family goes, & the children with diabetes & all their siblings are taken off to do activities (we took our lot trampolining!), mostly looked after by adults with diabetes so the kids can have positive role models, whilst the parents attend workshops. really really worthwhile, but also fun too.

here's a link for you .

[maZebraltov]

i saw your other thread spidmama but i didn't say anything (cuz not much 2 say) except i felt a bit shocked for you & all.

Except i'm curious, is there any history of any type of diabetes or autoimmune disease in your families? I mean, would you have had any reason to think this was more likely to happen to one of your kids than average?

[Spidermama]

maZebraltov - apparently there is a hereditary element. My Grandma and two people in dh's family had it. They're still not sure of the trigger though but know one can be genetically disposed to it.

I'm hugely inspired and relieved by so many of these posts. Thanks.

Anorak what a lovely story about your brother, little bug (sniff). How lucky he was to have you as a sister - but what a weight of responsibility for you.

Hoxton' thanks for the link. I think it'll be great for him to see other older kids (and grown ups) injecting themselves and managing their condition.

It's going pretty well on the whole but he's still having angry outbursts, which is normal I guess.

Thanks again.

[PrincessPeaHead]

oh I've just seen this spidermama, I'm so sorry - what a shock for you all.

I'm so glad you have had so many positive postings - I'm sure whoever said that within a year you would all be treating this as one of the slightly annoying but normal things in life was right. My ds1 has congenital hypothyroidism which means he has to monitor and take thyroxine all his life, which is really no bother and much less complicated than diabetes, but after the initial shock of being told when he was 10 days old we looked around the paed ward we were on, where there were so many desperately ill children, and thought "god, if any of these parents were told their child could lead a completely normal life on one or two pills a day for the rest of their lives they would be so delighted" and it put it all in perspective, really.

Hope your ds comes to terms with it all soon. xx

[anorak]

spidermama, I'm glad of it now. In adulthood my brother and I are very very close, I guess I love him the way I would love a son, and he tends to listen to me more than he will listen to my dad or my sister. He lets me tell him when he is being an arse!

Yes I forgot about diabetic camp. My brother used to go there every summer and have a fantastic time! I also remember doing lots of fundraising when I was a teenager, manning the bottle stalls all day at fetes etc to raise money for what was then called the BDA (British Diabetic Association), it's probably changed its name by now!

I do remember one particular year that my bro went to diabetic camp for a couple of weeks and came back talking frightfully posh - blimey we soon got him back to normal with our piss-taking!