• Home
  • Work with me / About me
  • Disclosure
  • Terms/Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Website Terms & Conditions
  • Contact

Northern Mum

Crossfitting, pancreas acting, single mum to three

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • instagram
  • youtube
  • mail

Type 1: Suckling on sugar

It is ironic that my daughter was diagnosed with diabetes on Halloween, because when I close my eyes that is how I personify the condition.  I see a gremlin that tap dances on her skin, a playful demon who suckles on sugar.

It has been almost a year since we wandered innocently into the surgery to take her to see the nurse about a simple case of thrush.  Almost a year since I felt that collapsing feeling of utter dismay that threatened to suffocate us all.  I recall, faintly, sitting inside a doctor’s office, whilst my children chatted about trick or treating and suddenly I saw my daughter properly for the first time in months. I saw her white skin pinched over her cheekbones, I noticed her clothes hanging off her small frame, and I watched her drink her cup of water as if she had been in the desert for days.  The memory makes me cry.

I’ll be honest, I felt like a fool for not knowing the signs.

It has been a year since I felt the world crack up around me and then it has been through the year that I have watched my daughter rebuild it, brick by brick, restoring normality where I could only see change.

This time last year the thought of an injection would have sent my type 1 warrior into a frantic fear.  To date, she has injected insulin into herself over 1700 times since the last all hallows eve.

She brings truth to the old age saying, what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.

Like all Type 1 kids, my child has proven herself to be outstanding when it comes to her diabetes.

And now?

A year on.  We are a different family.  Diabetes has changed us although in no way defined us.  Our specialist subject on Family Fortunes would be the carbohydrate content in foods.  We eat better, I work less, myself and he who helped create them share the load more equally of helping Molly manage her diabetes.  She has learnt confidence through her own self care, proven when she turned to a waitress, who dared to call her disabled, with the retort,

“I am not disabled, I have diabetes.”

It has been a year with type 1, and no point has been worse than the initial, terrifying moment of diagnosis.  The road, whilst being bumpy, has only got smoother. In November we face a new turning, Molly is moving to an insulin pump, and we will wave farewell to daily injections.  Instead she will inject a catheter into herself every 2-3 days and wear a pump which will deliver her insulin as she dictates it.

Type 1 warrior - injecting
Type 1 warrior – injecting

A new way of diabetic life to learn how to live, new fears and complications and new hopes for better control for my child.

It has been a long year since diagnosis but it has been an incredible one.  A journey which has no end, but one that has proven to make us all more formidable.

To my type one warrior, I cannot explain in words how proud we are.

To my type one siblings, you are amazing, you truly are.

It will be a year to the day that she was diagnosed on Halloween, if you need us we will be trick or treating in Disneyland, Paris.  Far more preferable to the hospital ward of 2012 – I am hoping the food is far better and the tea a little warmer.

The signs of Type 1 Diabetes are the four T’s….

  • Toilet
    Going to the toilet a lot, bed wetting by a previously dry child or heavier nappies in babies
  • Thirsty
    Being really thirsty and not being able to quench the thirst
  • Tired 
    Feeling more tired than usual
  • Thinner
    Losing weight or looking thinner than usual

One in four children that have Type 1 Diabetes are diagnosed at the stage of DKA – which is a life threatening condition that can kill.  One in three children with Type 1 Diabetes are admitted upon diagnosis with DKA.  As a parent of a Type 1 child who ignored the bed wetting, didn’t see the thirst, missed the weight loss and put the tiredness down to school, I urge you to take your child to the GP’s when these signs are present.  It is a simple urine test and, or finger prick test to put your mind at rest, or in the worse case, get the best care for your child before they become seriously ill.

You can read more about being Type 1 aware on Diabetes Uk webpage

 

 

Comments

  1. HELEN says

    October 22, 2013 at 9:23 pm

    amazing girl you have there Jane…have a fab time in Disneyland x

    Reply
  2. Actually Mummy... says

    October 23, 2013 at 6:39 am

    There is nothing to curse yourself for in this – what parent would expect a child to have Diabetes? You are remarkable for how you have faced all this, and your campaigning and your voice makes it all the better for the rest of us who would never suspect. If just one parent takes heed then you have done a good service not only to your daughter but to everyone.

    Reply
  3. Caro says

    October 23, 2013 at 7:49 am

    Congratulations to all of you on a year of living well despite diabetes! And good luck with the pump start. I’ve now notched up thirty years with type 1, 12 of them on a pump. It’s fair to say that it’s revolutionised my ability to manage my blood sugars and I could not be without it. For children and teenagers in particular, I think they are life(style)-saving. As in, literally life-saving, but they also allow children to do all the things that they should be doing much more easily. My only wish about my pump is that I’d had it back then! I can’t pretend to love diabetes,but I can’t know what my life would have been like without it, and my life so far has been very awesome. Your daughter has the most important things – a loving and supportive family. You should not beat yourself about anything to do with diagnosis, but instead focus on what has followed and just how much you have all achieved. Enjoy Disneyland!

    Reply
  4. Coombemill says

    October 23, 2013 at 10:15 am

    Jane you and Molly have handled this whole year so well and informed the rest of us on what to look out for too. I would have been no wiser than you and have brushed off the symptoms finding my own explanations. It is only thanks to your blog I would now think twice if I spotted the 4Ts.

    Reply
  5. Notmyyearoff says

    October 23, 2013 at 9:13 pm

    I don’t think even someone like me who has grown up in a massive family of people who have diabetes would have clicked about TG. It’s just not something you easily think a child would have. I remember reading the post at the time and you’d gone through a lot of change. I think anyone would have naturally put all the symptoms down to that. But well done to your warrior girl. She’s done so well. x

    Reply
  6. helloitsgemma says

    October 24, 2013 at 12:58 pm

    You have both been amazing over the last year.
    Brilliant photos. She is a star!
    Enjoy Disneyland.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Jane is a working Mum of three and has great hair. One of these things may not be true.

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 10,117 other subscribers

Categories

  • All Posts
  • BB's journey with DDH
  • Breastfeeding
  • mummyblog
  • Paleo / Crossfitting
  • Reviews / Featured Content
  • Travel / Out and About
  • Twin Girl and Type 1 Diabetes
  • Uncategorized

Tots 100

TOTS100 - UK Parent Blogs
TOTS100

Search

Follow on Bloglovin

Follow on Bloglovin

Previously on northernmum….

Awards!

Tots100 MAD Blog Awards

Looking to Save Money?

Check out my thrify blog, full of ideas to eat and play well  – for less money!

www.fromspendingtosaving.co.uk

Northern Mum

Copyright © 2019 Northern Mum Crossfitting, pancreas acting, single mum to three
Site design with help from DigitalJen

Copyright © 2021 · Slush Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

SAVE & ACCEPT