The Diagnosis!

As a mother, I don't think I will ever forget September 14, 2009..the day I was told that my 4 1/2 year old daughter had Type 1 Diabetes! I have decided that creating a blog to keep up with things on a day-to-day basis and also talk about the ways myself & Elleigh-Kate are feeling will help everyone else...family, friends, etc. have a better understanding of what's going on..and hopefully answer any questions that you may have. I hope you enjoy reading this and encourage you to visit our site everyday. I also ask that you pray for our family...especially Elleigh-Kate! =]

How did we know she may have diabetes????

Over the past few months I have noticed Elleigh-Kate drinking more than usual. Downing glasses of water and milk by the gallon. And then along with drinking this much...she was urinating just as often as she drank. Sometimes 5 times or more in only a 30 minute period. The thought of a urinary tract infection crossed my mind...but she never complained of any burning..and plus..still..why the thirst?? So like I said..I felt something may be wrong...but just wasn't sure what it could be. Plus..soo many people were telling me how great it was that she drank so much water...now we know why! This past Saturday & Sunday is when it really dawned on me that something wasn't right. She complained of her tummy hurting on Saturday and also seemed tired..and then on Sunday after church she said her tummy hurt again..and seemed shaky and pale. Soo...I went home & did what any normal mommy would do...GOOGLE!!!!=] I googled the symptoms and billions of sites came up & ALL of them saying "juvenile diabetes". And again...like any normal mommy...I FREAKED!!!!!! I called my mom, my hubby's mom, friends, other relatives....freaking myself out. I cryed, and cryed!!!!! I tryed to stop reading these sites but I couldn't help it..which only freaked me out more. Later that night I prayed.....asking God for peace..and strength. Elleigh-Kate went to school like normal on Monday and after I picked her up we headed to her pediatrician. When we got there they asked her to pee in a cup...then they brought us back & asked me what was going on. I started to explain her symptoms..and then the nurse went & checked her urine sample...came back to the room and checked her blood sugar (pricked her finger)...then the doctor came in. Even though I felt like she probably did have diabetes....it's still tough to hear the doctor tell you that your child has a chronic disease..treatable or not. The first words out of the doctors mouth was "mothers intuition"....and then she said "it appears that she does have diabetes....and I'm sorry to have to tell you this...but it is a life sentence". I took in everything she was saying..and she couldn't get over how calm I was. I explained to her that I had had my nervous break down the day before. haha! But I will say..things do come easier when you expect them. She proceeded to tell me that we would need to go to Egleston..."the one in Mt.Zion"..I asked....umm..no..the one in Atlanta...emergency room & be prepared to stay over night. Luckily Gavin & Emmi-Reece were at my parents house...so Elleigh-Kate & I drove back there first to grab a few things..and I do mean a FEW! My poor Dad had to go to Wal-Mart that night & buy all of the "baby supplies" that they would need to keep my kids for a few days. Obviously I wasn't prepared to have to go to Egleston...so I only had a few things for the kids. So anyway...off to the hospital........

Our stay at Egleston!!!

Not having Greg around during this time was very tough...so I went & picked up the next best thing...his mother! They look just alike..so I felt like he was with me...haha! My mom kept Gavin & Emmi-Reece while we were at the hospital. Anyone who knows me, knows that I am SUPER picky about who keeps my babies. Elleigh-Kate cryed & asked for my mom alot...but I didn't want my mom coming back & forth from the hospital and taking germs back to Emmi-Reece since she is so young. So anyway.....we get to the ER...surprisingly only sat in the waiting room for 5 minutes and then got a room. They had to do an i.v. which she did very good getting it..I was shocked. They took her blood & once the results came back..the doctors would come talk to me. I never knew what an "endocrinologist" was until this week! ha! Everyone at Egleston was sooooooooo good! I kept thinking to myself...what did we do before children's hospitals??? They took SUCH good care of her & made her visit fun. Monday night was pretty tough..for Elleigh-Kate & for myself. I cryed for hours that night. And I also prayed alot. My faith was so strong. Even though I didn't like that this was happening to my baby...I know & understood that this was God's plan for her life. He knew this would happen before the world ever began. He knew that I would have my first daughter, name her Elleigh-Kate, & at 4 1/2 years old she would get diabetes. Man, the peace you have as a Christian. I don't see how "non-Christians" go through stuff. It was still very upsetting...& VERY hard. With her being so young..and just not understanding...that has been the hardest part. When the nurses would come in to check her blood-sugar...or give her an insulin shot..she would cry..and say stuff like "why"..."this is terrifying"..."why are they hurting me"..and the one that got me like a knife to the heart.."why can't I be healed"...oh gosh! And how do you explain all of this?????????? This..like I said..has been the hardest part. But each day is getting better.

How will she be treated???

Elleigh-Kate will follow a low carb diet and have to have her blood-sugar checked 4-5 times per day & also have 4 insulin shots per day. She will be seen by an endocrinologist every few months and have frequent visits to her pediatrician. THANK GOD for military insurance!!!!!!!!!!! And I have to say...how can you ever doubt God???? He KNEW she would get diabetes...and therefore he allowed things to go in the right direction so Greg would join the army...and we would have good insurance. My visit to the ER & hospital stay cost ZERO!!!!! God knew this..and I am so thankful for this! Elleigh-Kate is what the doctors call "a grazer" meaning she likes to eat small amounts of food all day long. This has also been an adjustment..& a tough one at that. I have ahd to explain to her that she can only when I say she can. Hopefully this too will become easier as the days go on.

Elleigh-Kate will still live her life...just as any other child can live theirs..she will just need shots each day. The doctors asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up and she said "a princess"...and he told her that even with diabetes that she could still be a princess! =] We went today & had her a cute bag monogrammed for us to carry all of her "supplies" with us. I am going to keep her out of school until Monday...just so we can all adjust a little longer..but I am meeting with her teacher tomorrow to educate her on what all she will need to know to take care of Elleigh-Kate while she is at school. Everyone has been so sweet & we appreciate SOOO much what all of you have done. The prayers especially. I hope that you will all read this blog each day to check on our "Diabetic Diva".