Being a T1D Mom

             I am a member of a group for Type 1 diabetic moms on Facebook. About once a week, I get notifications informing me that someone has posted a concern, a triumph, or a question regarding their child’s Type 1 diabetes. It is place to receive support, answers, and understanding of the struggles that parents of children with diabetes face everyday. So far my involvement has been limited to reading other’s posts and comments. However, I know that if I had a question, concern, or triumph to announce the community would rally around me. Having a community is important when you are a parent, but especially important when you are parenting a child with special needs. Everyday we face challenges that are foreign to most parents; challenges that take a toll physically, emotionally, and mentally. I, like most parents of children with special needs, am not looking for sympathy, but rather understanding. When you are a T1D mom:

1.    You do not sleep. Lily must be tested a minimum of 6-7 times a day. Three of those are in the evening. Once before bed, at midnight, and at 3am.  Jody and I have developed a system over the years. One of us tests Lily before bed. I go to bed by 9. Jody stays up and tests her before midnight right before he goes to bed. I then wake up at 3am and test her. If her sugars are high or low further testing may be required. I have been up all hours of the night at times making sure her sugars are level.

2.    Your life is dictated by numbers. Normal blood sugar levels should fall between 80 and 200. Anything under 80 requires treatment to bring her sugar up. Anything above 200 requires giving insulin to bring her sugar down. Both high and low blood sugar levels can be dangerous. Besides knowing her sugar level, you must know how to count carbs, calculate ratios, and corrections.

3.    You can’t just higher anyone to watch your kid.  Anyone that watches Lily has to know not only how to test her but how to bolus her, and what to do if her sugar level is low or high. Therefore, date nights are non-existent. We only get breaks when we take turns.

4.    You worry, A LOT! All parents worry, but as a T1D mom you worry ten fold. Not just about everyday sugar levels, but about sickness (which affects sugar levels), about leaving your child at school in the hands of other adults who aren’t necessarily trained to take care of your child like you are, and about leaving your child alone for any amount of time, even in another room. You worry about pod failures and alarms. You worry about the long-term effects this disease will have on your child.

5.    You feel isolated and alone due to the demand of your child’s condition. Taking care of Lily gives me very little time for others and every spare moment I have I use to take care of myself. Unfortunately, spare moments are few and far between.

6.    You find an inner strength you never knew you had. I have never liked disease or anything related to the medical field. I always said that I could never be a nurse or a doctor. I can’t stand illness. It stresses me out. However, since Lily has been diagnosed I have had to do things I never thought possible, like giving her shots and pricking her finger to draw blood.

Despite the challenges we face on a daily basis, I am continually amazed by Lily’s resilience and positive attitude towards life. Some days my patience is stretched to its limit. Some days I am worn out and stressed out, but in the end you do what you have to for your child’s health and happiness and along the way learn something about yourself.