The News
My 5 year old granddaughter Kylee Ann was diagnosed on May 8th with type 1 and so begins a new journey for all of us. I believe that knowledge is power when we are up against something unknown so all of us are educating ourselves for the long haul.
I have been on the internet nonstop for over 2 weeks now looking for information, books, support groups and anything inspirational and encouraging to send on to my son, Scott and my wonderful d-in-law Kim to read when they come home from work. Kylee's daycare teachers have been so wonderful about educating themselves and Scott and Kim have meetings lined up with the fall 06 kindergarten teachers next week……
Kylee called me twice while in the hospital in Montana. We live in Washington. The first thing she said was, "Hi Gramma, I was peeing my pants all the time so Mommy took me to the doctor and Gramma I have diabetes now." That just about summed it up for her….of course I was a basket case and when I hung up the phone I just wept because I knew what lay ahead for her - well, I thought I knew and I can honestly say I think the good Lord put me in shock because I thought she was just going to have to take insulin and that would pretty much be it and certainly they had some kind of pills for that now days, I mean it being 2006 and all. So anyway, Kim told me she would have to get shots everyday. Oh dear God - and me with a needle phobia - just the thought of that needle piercing her skin was almost more than I could even bear….dear God in heaven just let this be a big mistake - but no……it was all real. I remember pinching my arm and saying maybe the shots hurt like this, or this, or this…for some reason I just had to know and feel the level of pain she was in - I know this sounds so sick but it is what I had to do at the time….and in truth I am sure my pinching was way more than what she was feeling because….
The next day Kylee called me to say, "Gramma I am fine. Daddy gave me a little poke and it never even hurt." Kylee was calling me to let me know that she was ok - she is without a doubt the bravest person I have ever met. We went to visit her the next week. I just had to see her. I was so scared all the way over on the 6 hour drive that somehow this would change her, would touch the very essence of who she is and I didn't think I could stand that - I was a nervous wreck all the way over….but we pulled up in the driveway and went to the front door and there she was - the same old Kylee - our littlest grand doll! She giggled and said guess what? I said what? And she said, we're having a baby!" She will have a new brother or sister sometime in November. And then she just ran off laughing….oh dear God in heaven, thank you!
She showed us how she gets her shots, does the finger pricks, tried it out on Gramma and Grampa. Grampa injects his arthritis medicine on Sundays, so they shot up together that morning…..she has been such a little trooper with all of this. Of course, the next day she said she was NOT going to do her finger sticks, etc…but Mommy and Daddy explained that she had to to stay healthy…..so she does them….Scott wants to get her on a pump ASAP but her doctor wants to wait 6 months…
I am here at work in Alaska on the pipeline for my 3 weeks and I do fairly good during the day but the nights are hell….it just still feels like a bad dream….to imagine every day is going to consist of all of this testing, pricking, sticking, counting…up, down, high, low, etc…..I could scream but then I think yes, this is hard but at least we have her - our precious precious wonderful, funny, smart Kylee Ann.
AND I know that there will be a cure in her lifetime and probably even better insulin devices within a couple of years - so we will just walk this diabetes trip out one day at a time. I know that God is leading and guiding us all the way..I have to have a little faith!
I have been on the internet nonstop for over 2 weeks now looking for information, books, support groups and anything inspirational and encouraging to send on to my son, Scott and my wonderful d-in-law Kim to read when they come home from work. Kylee's daycare teachers have been so wonderful about educating themselves and Scott and Kim have meetings lined up with the fall 06 kindergarten teachers next week……
Kylee called me twice while in the hospital in Montana. We live in Washington. The first thing she said was, "Hi Gramma, I was peeing my pants all the time so Mommy took me to the doctor and Gramma I have diabetes now." That just about summed it up for her….of course I was a basket case and when I hung up the phone I just wept because I knew what lay ahead for her - well, I thought I knew and I can honestly say I think the good Lord put me in shock because I thought she was just going to have to take insulin and that would pretty much be it and certainly they had some kind of pills for that now days, I mean it being 2006 and all. So anyway, Kim told me she would have to get shots everyday. Oh dear God - and me with a needle phobia - just the thought of that needle piercing her skin was almost more than I could even bear….dear God in heaven just let this be a big mistake - but no……it was all real. I remember pinching my arm and saying maybe the shots hurt like this, or this, or this…for some reason I just had to know and feel the level of pain she was in - I know this sounds so sick but it is what I had to do at the time….and in truth I am sure my pinching was way more than what she was feeling because….
The next day Kylee called me to say, "Gramma I am fine. Daddy gave me a little poke and it never even hurt." Kylee was calling me to let me know that she was ok - she is without a doubt the bravest person I have ever met. We went to visit her the next week. I just had to see her. I was so scared all the way over on the 6 hour drive that somehow this would change her, would touch the very essence of who she is and I didn't think I could stand that - I was a nervous wreck all the way over….but we pulled up in the driveway and went to the front door and there she was - the same old Kylee - our littlest grand doll! She giggled and said guess what? I said what? And she said, we're having a baby!" She will have a new brother or sister sometime in November. And then she just ran off laughing….oh dear God in heaven, thank you!
She showed us how she gets her shots, does the finger pricks, tried it out on Gramma and Grampa. Grampa injects his arthritis medicine on Sundays, so they shot up together that morning…..she has been such a little trooper with all of this. Of course, the next day she said she was NOT going to do her finger sticks, etc…but Mommy and Daddy explained that she had to to stay healthy…..so she does them….Scott wants to get her on a pump ASAP but her doctor wants to wait 6 months…
I am here at work in Alaska on the pipeline for my 3 weeks and I do fairly good during the day but the nights are hell….it just still feels like a bad dream….to imagine every day is going to consist of all of this testing, pricking, sticking, counting…up, down, high, low, etc…..I could scream but then I think yes, this is hard but at least we have her - our precious precious wonderful, funny, smart Kylee Ann.
AND I know that there will be a cure in her lifetime and probably even better insulin devices within a couple of years - so we will just walk this diabetes trip out one day at a time. I know that God is leading and guiding us all the way..I have to have a little faith!
posted by Taocat | 11:45 AM
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