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Mum of newly diagnosed type 1

Ellie's mum

Ellie's mum

Well-Known Member
Messages
108
Type of diabetes
Type 1
My 9yr old daughter was diagnosed with type 1 last week. To say we have been on a roller coaster ride since then would be an understatement! I originally took her to the doctors with concerns over weight loss, 24 hours later she was being rushed into hospital and was told her blood sugars were sky high! 3 very long days in hospital and we were allowed home. She's now on lantus at night and nova rapid at least 3 times a day, more if her bloods are high in between meals. I have to say she had been an absolute trooper throughout it all but I find it heart wrenching when I here the words 'why me mummy?' To add to the mix of blood test, insulin and the occasional melt down I also have other children. The 20 yr old has taken on board everything that's happening but I have to say my 11 yr old is struggling with it a bit. I feel that he could be craving a bit of mum and dads attention at the min but when I try speaking to him about it he says he's fine. I was just wondering if anyone else had been in a similar situation?
 
I cannot help you @Ellie's mum but would like to welcome you to the forum.
Your 11 year old is probably wondering what all the fuss is about and will feel left out but once you are able to deal with your daughter's diabetes then things will get better for everyone.
There are parents on the site and I hope they will respond. Type1's will be able to help as well.
 
Hi @Ellie's mum im type1 diagnosed age2 and my 2yr old was diagnosed in Dec when I had newborn twins so different to your family situation but very hard as one of my twins was seriously ill.
I would have given anything for my 2yr old not to have it but you just have to make the most of it. My mum always used to say that there are people who are worse off.
I was the only one through school uni etc etc and people don't get it. Hopefully you are getting support from your diabetic team and maybe they can put you in touch with other children nearby. I am the eldest of 3 and my mum would make sure we all ate the same things etc so I didn't feel left out.
It's still early days for you (for me too with my 2yr old). Just read up on as much info as you can. Hopefully she is at an age where she can understand if she isn't feeling great (hypo/high). Has your daughter got any close friends who she can chat with?
Hopefully once things settle down your daughter can still do all the things her friends do etc-just takes a bit more planning like carrying around glucose all the time.
 
Hi @Ellie's mum
welcome to the forum :)
I will tell a bit about me and the impact ( family wise) and some advice to follow

I was diagnosed aged 14 in 1972 ( after ruining a family holiday to disneyland )where I wet the bed a few times and went to the toilet about every 15-20 minutes for the entire week.
After diagnosis I cried myself to sleep many times over the next few months and I know my parents felt tremendous guilt over my diagnosis. In more recent chat's with my sister who is 5 years younger than me she has said my diagnosis ruined our family life.( she did feel I got all the attention) ( i know it sounds dramatic but redemption will come in the advice hopefully)

1 your daughter ( and the rest of the family) need time to grieve this change.

2 you must not feel guilty - this is an autoimmune disease and could not have been prevented

3 definitely try and normalise the rest of your children's family life and devote some "me" time to them all .

4 try to keep food the same as before ( all sugar was removed from our house back then so that caused a lot of upset for my siblings) insulin therapy has come on dramatically since those days and your daughter will be able to eat just as well ( just more thought into how much and how often )

5 -- diabetes is a marathon race -- not a sprint so try your very best not to worry , to take things 1 day at a time and enjoy because diabetes is completely manageable and should not stop your daughter doing most anything she wants.

hope this helps.
all the best !!
 
Thanks @himtoo. What you've described pretty much sums up how I'm feeling at the min. As much as we're all supporting Ellie I don't want it to change the lives of my other children too much. The diabetic nurses have been amazing with the whole family and I couldn't of asked for more from them. I tend to spend most nights reading more and more info on the subject. It's just nice to know that they're are other people out there that have been through or are currently going through the same thing x
 
hi ellie's mum -- wow what a fab mum you are -- your daughter is lucky to have you :)

keep posting with anything no matter what -- someone will be along with some support ! ( as well as me too ;) )

all the best !
 
Hi elliesmum my son is 14 diagnosed in October , 2 weeks after his birthday. To say it was a shock was an understatement. My daughter is 18 and even at 18 I think there have been times she's been 'jealous' of his attention and needs. She loves and supports him but gets frustrated with him at times. It's hard for us all and it certainly is a roller coaster one I wish I could get off sometimes. But my son has been fab just deals with it . Although it is hard to know when his moods are because he's 14 or because his sugars are low . It's getting easier but then every now and then we have a blip but we get through it . Good luck x
 
Try reading dr Bernstein might should help u done me good sorry can't help more but he tells the truth about every thing
 
Hi Ellie's mum, my daughter grace is type 1 since January this year . She's not moaned once and is enjoying been a happy go lucky eleven year old. Has parents I think we've dealt with the challenge quite well , sometimes ask ourselfs should we night test which we don't . Graces older sister who is also called Ellie is such a drama queen in a caring way listens to everything doctors say about graces diabetes, Ellie is convinced she has diabetes from anything from been thirsty to a common cold , I think this is her cry for attention.
 
Thank you everyone!

Ellie had her first day back at school on Friday and it went quite well, we even managed a majorettes lesson Friday night. We had a good weekend and even managed a few 'good' blood levels, no fall outs or meltdowns!

Then Monday came, just as we all thought we was really getting into the swing of things and knew what we were doing, Ellie's had 2 hypos today. 1 at school and 1 at home.

As much as she doesn't seem fazed by it all, I seem to have gone back to been a nervous wreck lol.

Think I'll be digging out the hair dye again soon as these grey hairs are really starting to show!
 
Yes right with you. My daughter was diagnosed 5 months ago at the age of 9. She has a younger and older brother so life a bit hectic but we try and keep everything the same for her but we plan meals a bit more. In some ways it helps to have the boys as they dont make any allowances for her. You will learn to cope and have pre-emptive strikes so she has a digestive before swimming for example. Big brother has worried that he has it too when he needed a wee 3 times during a football game. We dispelled this by doing a blood sugar. she.s got her name down for a diabetic residential in may half term, 24 diabetic children off to an outward bound centre, I.m hoping she meets some new friends and feels normal for a bit. You.ll find ways to manage things.jelly babies for hypos go down well I find x
 
It really is reassuring to know there's other people out there going through the same and I can't thank you all enough for keeping me going x
 
Hi @Ellie's mum How is Ellie, sister and you doing? My daughter, also 9, was diagnosed last month and I am finding this forum a life saver Read your story and was wondering how you are all doing.


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Last edited by a moderator:
W00sterz00ey said:
Hi @Ellie's mum How is Ellie, sister and you doing? My daughter, also 9, was diagnosed last month and I am finding this forum a life saver Read your story and was wondering how you are all doing.


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Click to expand...

Hi, how are we all is a very good question lol.

Ellie's doing great despite constant morning hypos and her pancreas deciding to have little parties all of its own at random times lol.

I posted the other week to say she'd been in her first dance competition since diagnosis and shed done amazing, 2 silvers and a merit! Got it all 2 do again over the next 2 days. Tuesday will see us at the hospital again for confirmation of coeliacs disease - just something else to stress over at the minute!

As for my son, he's not coped too well to begin with. After a major meltdown he decided that we had made him feel left out, despite all our efforts not to . We had a really long talk with him and made him realise it certainly wasn't the case and that we was still his mum and dad just like we always have been.

As for myself, I'm really not sure. I've experienced that many different emotions over the last few months I don't know whether I'm coming or going lol.

One thing I do know, without the support of my family, friends, Diabetic nurse and everyone on this forum I'm not sure I'd be coping as well as I am! I have learnt so much from people on here it's amazing!

Really hope your daughter isn't having too much of a tough time x


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@ Ellie's mum my mam went through the same thing with my brother after my diagnosis so you're not alone :)


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mahola said:
I've been going through similar with my eldest daughter. She thinks that because her sister is diabetic she gets all the attention. Not the case at all but I think half of her problem is that she's a teenager and everything is one big drama for her.
I keep sneaking her little bags of sweets and bottles of pop into her room and hiding them in her bedside drawers. This seem to put a smile on her face...
Click to expand...

I'm just the same with Jack lol. If anything he gets more spoilt now


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