very sad mummy

[Chris70]

Dear Jayne

Take it from somebody who was diagnosed Type 1 just before turning 7 a many years ago - you can have a long and happy life as a Type 1 diabetic. Your daughter will get her head round it soon. Diabetic life now is so easy compared to when I was diagnosed. Although injections were only twice a day, the syringes were the old fashioned large type you had to boil sterile again!!! Luckily my mother took to everything medical like a duck to water. I depended on urine sugar tests st home and shudder to think what my HBA1C must have been...
I remeber my father always telling a story whilst my mother injected - that was nice and took the mind of worrying about the needle. I eventually had to learn to inject myself for a school trip as I did NOT want mum to come along - obviously. I must have been about 13 at the time. I was then on to the smaller plastic syringes you only used once, which was fine. Nowadays treatment has advanced so massively that my stories seem to be out of ancient times. I know all this won't help you much right now, but trust me, be cheerful, keep yourself informed about all new developments and don't let your daughter see your worries. If you are fine with it she will be too. And in 50 years she'll get a medal (though when I get mine in 8 yeras I suppose I should really give it to my mum!).

[lesaw]

Hi Jayne,

My son was diagnosed 08.02.10 age 6 and our lives changed in that respect as everything now revolves around carbs/hypos/hypers but it does get easier as time goes by. Our lives are still all carbs/hypos/hypers but now football is added.

My son started doing his own injections a week after leaving hospital as my father was a little heavy handed one night giving his injection and from then on he has taken charge. My husband and I sort all the insulin and such but he injects (he also is very good at working out carbs but guessing or using the carbs & cals app/book) . The hospital at first thought it was a bit early but it has really worked out well for us.

His love of football has seen him through - he has been to the JDRF Junior World Cup in Geneva, he trains with an SPL club and has been asked to train with a few others - but there's not enough days in the week.

We still have our ups & downs with the bloods results, tears and tanturms - it's normal now for us now.

Good Luck and kind regards
Lesa

[etmsreec]

Hi Jayne,

For what it's worth, I was diagnosed in 1981 when I was 12. I was in the second year at secondary school and my mother had been widowed for about 7 months. At that time, I was taken into hospital (Alder Hey in Liverpool) for a week to get used to injections, blood tests, urine tests and to get my sugars in check. As someone else has posted, it was two injections a day, manual mixing, Actrapid and Monotard. There were two or three of us being diagnosed at roughly the same time and the first time one of the other lads did his own injection I was sick in the sink!
31 years later, things are much easier. I'm happy to do injections myself of course and I'll do them anywhere. It's not something to be ashamed of and it's really easy with insulin pens.
My only significant advice would be NEVER to reuse needles and to make sure you swap round injection sites too.

[wiflib]

Hi Jayne.

No advice about T1 from me, I know nothing! However, when it comes to how children express their feelings, I'd like to suggest something and forgive me if this is something you have already thought about.

My two children, now all grown up, and my grandchildren have gone through some horrid moments in their lives, the sort of things that as a parent and grandparent, I would happily die for, if it meant that my death spared them the pain, but I soon realised that by protecting them, I wasn't acknowledging how they felt. It IS unfair, it IS nasty, it IS upsetting and letting them express how they feel is by far, the best thing I can do for them, whilst sobbing with them.

We find ways of showing how we feel without being nasty to others; screaming into a pillow, making loud noises, sobbing until we fall asleep and most of all, dancing, singing, clapping and jumping when it all goes right. It was very difficult to hear my daughter screm at me 'I hate you' but she did it because she knew she was safe to say it, I wasn't going to abandon her for it. What we try very hard not to do is brush aside our feelings, they are important and very, very necessary.

wiflib

[hanadr]

VSM
at the moment, you are probably suffering more than your little girl. At 7 she probably can't think very far ahead to the consequences of her situation.
It's my experience of many years working with children, that they do best if given at least some of the decision making responsibility. Obviously with supervision whilst they are little. However, it's you that will have to be brave. Chances are; your little girl will grow up into a happy healthy adult[ albeit with diabetes]
Hana

[Lenasmummy]

My Daughter was diagnoised last November 8th and my world fell apart, she was 9. Life stood still and i remember feeling like I was drowning in confusion and fear while trying to look brave and in control. I DO know how you feel. She copes really well but when she blew out her birthday candles she said she wished for a cure. I still cry although nobody would know as I always seem so in control. We have the pump now which is amazing, the injections were difficult although she injected herself from day 1, I dont know how she did that. Id be very happy for you to get in contact with me if you like? If you feel ready for that ill give you my email address. My Daughter would also be very willing to help in any way she can. We have met other Diabetic children which really help as they really know how each other feel. Dont worry, it does get easier x

[Nickers]

Hi there il a type 1 was diagnosed when I was 12 I no it's gap from ur daughters age but honestly she will get the hang of and be fine we practiced on an orange when I was first diagnosed 19years ago,although I used syringes not pens as I have now it took a while to get used to but my family were great and I've managed it well,as long as u have the support from hospital diabetes team she will be fine it is a hard thing to get ur head around I know stay strong big hugs xxx

[jackiemcg]

As previous posters have said, hang in there, it does get easier. My gorgeous daughter was diagnosed 2 years ago when she was 4 years old. I felt such guilt and so bad that I hadn't gotten her tested beforehand. We were on holiday in Australia when she first started displaying symptoms, but as she was recovering from chicken pox I brushed everything aside thinking it was a post viral thing. As our return date arrived I realised something was seriously wrong, but at this point I just wanted her back in the UK. Diabetes had occurred to me but I had written it off as there was no family history, and she was losing weight. When we arrived home, my mother said she believed my baby was dying as she looked so ill. She spent a week in hospital, just to get her DKA stabilised, and touch wood, has only had one incident where we needed to take her back. Her sugars are kinda up and down when she gets a cold or a virus, but for the most part she's just like any other little girl. She can go to parties with her friends as she knows that whatever she eats she needs insulin for it, she currently gets 3 injections of novorapid after every meal and levemir before bed. She hasn't yet progressed to self injection but does all her own blood sugar testing and knows what her bm's mean. She also is quite hypo aware which helps a lot especially at school where they are very supportive. As her 7th birthday nears the nurse specialists have encouraged her to take her insulin in her tummy, and she accepts that when she's big enough to do her own injections that's where it'll be easiest for her to use but for now we rotate sites (arms, legs,etc.) We encouraged our little one to be involved in her condition and don't really treat it like a disease. She knows that she's different to the other children in her class and teaches them to be more accepting of that difference.
I hope that you experience the same support that we have from the hospital team and also from your daughter's school. Forums like these are brilliant for increasing your knowledge and support base.
Stay strong, and by all means have a good cry when she's asleep, sometimes we need to empty the barrel before it empties us x

[Jen&Khaleb]

I haven't been in the forum for ages but your post has prompted me to let you know that it will all be okay. There is so much to learn at the start just to get through the day but over time everything gets a little easier while your bag gets a little heavier. My son was dx at 8 months and turns 6 fairly soon. It is certainly a journey that can test your stamina. You have already discovered the relentless nature of testing, eating, insulin. Be happy and just find ways to keep doing what you're doing with diabetes. Search out whatever information you can as even though some things won't work, there will be some gems that help out in tricky situations.

[GOM1307]

Hi,

I am the feeling the same has you are. My beautiful, caring little girl found out she had diabetes on the 13th July this year, it as been the worse months of our lives. For Grace we are been very brave and trying to keep life as normal as possible for her. Some days I just look at her and my heart breaks, I would do anything to take it for her.
To make matters worse on Monday we were informed that Grace also as coelaic, again another big blow. How do you keep life normal when your child is going through hell.
My friends, family, and DT have been a great support and keep you going. I have to stay positive and think to myself that there are worse things in life Grace could have, and with a healthy lifestyle and support and love, she can live life like any other 5 year old.

Thinking of you


Kellie

[Lenasmummy]

Oh Kellie
My heart broke reading your story . As I stand here making lunch , scales at the ready , calculating carbs it all gets me down even a year on
I feel so sorry for you and your little girl , you are still in shock and them to receive more blows .
If anyone lives in or near Sheffield where I am , I'm happy to get together with the children ?
Big hug
Noorea x

[GOM1307]

Thank you Noorea for caring

[Hali]

Hello sad mummy,

I was diagnosed type 1, 20 years ago when I was 9 years old. Diabetes is a very emotional disease because hormones can affect sugar levels, you have to get used to injecting multiple times a day, see specialists and worry about complications later in life. I am currently on a pump because at one point my doctors required me to take 6 to 8 injections a day. In my 20 years I have experienced everything from major hypos where I passed out to keitoasidosis. One day I was sick, passed out in my car, flipped it and went into shock, releasing my body's glucagon storage.
I would be happy to help/listen if you would like someone to talk to about your daughter. [mod edit: personal contact details should not be posted http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=5019]

[mmcnicol]

diagnosis of my 12 year old daughter 1 month on. I am still crying reading through all the posts, very sad mummy here too, sad for enforced changes to her life, sad for the lack of spontenaity for her, sad for so many things right now, hard to find a positive in any of it, other than she is coping tremendously well, i am so proud of her and her 2 little sisters who help her out holding her meter until she gets her fingerstick sample ready and my 4 year old who is able to read the insulin units for her becasue her eyesight is still changing so rapidly one day long next short sighted. Its a day at a time just now for us.

[anna29]

I understand where you are right now . It was one year yesterday my 11 yr old daughter was diagnosed. I'm happy to support you in any way I can .
Hugs Noorea