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Son diagnosed last week, Type 1

marktw

Member
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10
Hi everyone,

found this website the other day while searcing for stuff on diabetes. so signed up

Our son Matt (13 nearly 14) was diagnosed as type 1 diabetic week last monday, he had been drinking loads of juice for about 2-3 weeks prior, going to the toilet a lot, and looking at him, loosing weight, thought it might be diabetes, as i had a friend diagnosed a few years ago and he said he was always thirsty. Anyway got a blood glucose kit from the chemist and did 2 tests, both high so booked into see the gp, and that was it, saw the gp who did a urine test/prick test and said right ill call the hospital and can you get down there as soon as, so off we all went. Hosp did same test plus one to see how bad his keytones were and and if acidic, and that was it, he was diagnosed as type 1 diabetic.

Matthew was admitted onto the childrens ward for the night as the Diabetic consultant, peadiatrician was in the next day. it was a shell shock sat there upset, angry, asking ourselves why matt, not fair, (it would have helped at the time if they could explain what caused it, but as it was explained no one realy nows why it happens, it just does, some people are more suseptable to it then others, and matt would probably have gotten it sometime in his life, it just happens to be now). my wife and i just sat there not taking it all in as the nurse/doctor went through stuff, insulin pens, blood test meters and gave us a pack to read, though must admit matt was handling it better than us, did his own blood test, but not first 2 injections, though he did do 2 next day prior to discharge

The diabetic team were great the next day, the consultant had a good chat with us, matt had his first hypo while the doc was there, went quiet and got the shakes, looks like this is how it will appear in matt, hes had two more since at school, but teated them fine, had his sweets did his blood. The consultant/nurses said this should not stop matt doing what ever he wanted to or stop him carrying on what he was doing prior to diagnois. He plays football for one of the village teams where we live, i manage the team, so well be okay when training comes (this saturday) and for the start of the fotball season, ill be there to check his bloods etc. He also came home with a slip the day he was diagnosed for a ski trip with the school next feb, so thought he wouldnt be able to go when he was diagnosed, but everyone told im it shouldnt/carnt stop you going so that cheered him up on the day

Matt has 4 injections a day, 3 prior to his meals (lantus), after doing his bloods, and one before bed (novorapid), this is the best regime weve been told as it mimicks the body, how the body realises insulin, prior to meals and a little trickle throughout the 24hrs, if matt doesnt want to eat say breakfast then he can miss his injections, plus he can eat what he wants, though the sugary stuff, cakes, sweets, chocolate in moderation, and he does like his cake. hes got the hang of everything, tests and injections and has his appetite back as well. we have been getting worried when he has done his bloods when some readings have been high, maybe focusing on them a bit to much, though when weve spoken to his nurse/consultant and passed the figures over, they have increased his dose by 1 up or 1 down and not seemed to worried some were high, as they said its a balancing act to start with getting his sugars back under control

My wife and me are still coming to terms with it, slowly sinking in, reading the magazines we were given, looking on the web and reading the pack the hospital gave us. Looking into the diabetic weekends that diabetes uk do, thinking of going on one of them, and going to one of the support groups where we live, they have one set up by parents whose children have diabetes

his school have been great, put a notice up in the staff room infoing teachers of matts condiditon, theve had kids with diabetes before but not insulin dependant. When the diabetic nurse goes in to brief them on matts condition, hypos etc, they have said all the first aiders as well as some of his teachers will go along. HIs school mates have been great as well, matt asked a couple to look out for signs of hypos as they are always with him in school, keep pestering him to show them his injections pens

Had matts first diabetic clinic yesterday, went well, asked our questions and got all the answeres we needed, doc checked matts level from his diary, and was happy with his levels, which put our minds at rest, saw the diatician and got some food diary sheets to fill in with regard to getting ready to start carb counting. Feel lot happier now after the clinic though

since matt has been diagnosed, weve been suprised about the amount of people weve spoken to who have relations who are diabetic, matts music teacher (he plays the saxaphone) was sayng to him that her brother and dad has it, matts band leader his wife and friends of ours who have relatons, but you do feel like you are the only ones when its diagnosed, though i do now were not


anyway ill stop typing or it could end up being a book, just wanted to introduce myself and let you know what had happended

mark
 
Hi Mark, welcome to the forum. Mine's a similar story to yours really. My son, also called Matthew, was diagnosed last month. He's 11, almost 12 and he has been brilliant. He's just had two days were he felt life wasn't fair, as opposed to me and his dad, who have taken a lot longer to get our heads around it. We have looked for answers as to why him but it would appear that will remain a mystery.

The heart rending thing for me is that Matthew has wanted to be a policeman since he was about 6. He watches all the police programmes, every time he hears the sirens on the streets, he says how much he can't wait to be a policeman. I haven't got the heart to break it to him yet that that's just not going to happen now. Having said that he has said been as he won't be allowed an HGV licence he's now thinking of becoming a diabetes specialist!

I'm sure you, your wife and Matthew will get through this ok.

Kindest regards

Pud x
 
tks for you reply

the diabetic nurse mentioned that there were a few occupations matt couldnt do know that hed been diagnosed,
join the forces, though he wasnt that bothered about that, carnt be an airline pilot, bus driver or like you said hgv.

hes sort of looking at engineering, but hasnt made his mide up. the nurse did mention about the police, she said though that they are becoming a bit more relaxed, so maybe when matt gets to 18 he may be able to join, but know what you mean about future jobs, if your heart is set on say the forces or like your matt the police then it is even harder

my wife said the bit that has upset her most was when matt was talking to his gran and said ive got this for the rest of my life, suppose to a 13 year old the rest of your life is a long time, though we all know how fast it goes by
 
Hi Mark,

We have 2 girls who are Type 1 and we are really hopeful for a cure in the not too distant future, maybe 10 - 15 yrs, so hopefully our children won't have to live out their whole lives with diabetes. Once you've got over this initial period (and info overload!) you could take a look at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's website, I think its http://www.jdrf.org. There is a LOT of research going on all over the world, stem cell research etc.
Also I can really recommend the family weekends run by Diabetes UK. We have been on 2, they are great both for meeting other families in similar situations and for all the info.
Sue
 
thanks for your replies. it was a typo he has is novorapid before meals, lantus at night, getting them mixed up.

we havent started carb counting as yet, but we were given food diarys to fill in and send back so they can see roughly how much carb he is getting, though we have started to look at the carbs on packets etc and just roughly work out how much he is having a meal times

we will have a look and see when the next weekend diabetes uk do that is hear us and see if we can make it, but we will definately go on one

mark
 
For a start please do not worry too much, whilst this may be hard advice it is necesary. I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 3 weeks ago.I was a hospital admission as ketotic.

Your lad's sugars will jump about like a kangaroo if mine at 43 are anything to go by, peoples bodies have to get used to livin g at normal sugar levels after running high sugars for so long and remember, we only get diagnosed often after fairly intense types of symptom. I speak as an adult, it must be so much harder for children and teens.

In my humble and brief experieence, blood sugar reduces, the point is to ensure your lad has regular meals and snacks and gets usaed to measuring his blood sugar, in my brief experience it's all about learniong to balance carbohydrates against insulin but I have not even been for my
first lab based blood glucose assesment yet so please treat me as no expert, just trying to re-assure people going through the same things as me and I really feel for kids and teens going through this.

Your boy has to weigh up what in his diet is good and bad, actually us diabetics develope a better perspective on good diet anyway, this is my experience as 3 weeks diagnosed as type 1 (Insulin user) If things go well your boy will probably have a better perspective re diet for the rest of his life, wish I had more idea opf this 20 years back!!

RPNKW
 
DON'T PANIC!! your son will be fine. I was diagnosed in '82 aged 7 and believe me the advances in treatment since then are beyond measure. Let him make his mistakes as he makes them, it won't really hurt him and he has to learn. My mum still finds it hard even now to let me get on with it (the times i've laughed when she says azzy don't do that) but i still think she did a great job in my early years cos she let me treat it myself.
Keep us informed and maybe try to get him to join the site too. Learn together
Take care Azz
 
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