I had remembered watching commercials over and over again as a kid. If you have these symptoms – you could have diabetes…frequent urination (check), urgency in urination (check), drinking more than usual (check) were among the commercials short message.
I had no idea what made me think of it, but thank you God that I had heard it over and over again. It may have helped to save my child’s life.
What to watch for…With Type 1 diabetes – the symptoms can vary. You can think that it is one thing and it becomes something incredibly different. So my son went to a hockey game with his dad who complained about having to take my son to the washroom so often during the game. Of course I asked what did he give him at the game. The reply was a very large fountain drink. I fluffed it off as a coincidence expecting that – that was the answer.
However, there were nights that he could not wake up enough to go to the bathroom. The last sign that I had seen is we had just left a restaurant only 1/2 earlier and by the time we had been that far away, there was an urgent need to relieve himself.
I had an amazing pediatrician who saw my son and said that it was probably a growth spurt where he had lost a little weight and was sprouting up…but she believed that if I thought there was something wrong with my child – that she would check. Prior to our appointment as it was around dinner time we had gone to a fast food restaurant. My son had gotten a medium sized pop and was very thirsty. He downed his very sugary drink…I tell you this as we went right away to get blood work done.
I took my children home that night and tucked everyone into bed. I got a call about 10 pm that night. It was my pediatrician.
‘Miali – you need to take your son to the Hospital for Sick Kids right away. I have contacted the emergency department there – they are expecting you.’ She had said it in a very calm voice. I had a very bad head cold and was so tired. I remember asking if this could wait until morning as I had just gotten the kids to bed. Her reply was firm – ‘You might be right about the diabetes – his numbers are 36 he should be 6’ (of course she was talking about his blood sugars).
That chill went through my body. Up we got. I dropped my daughter at her dad’s place where there was someone to look after her and I picked up his father and drove to the Emerg at Sick Kids (in Toronto). I was never so scared in my life.
We found Emerg and they put us into a room coming in on a somewhat frequent basis. They assess our son and was given a bed right away where he was administered the first insulin shot of his short life. And then we waited…it was a very, very long night.
By the way, it is the 13th anniversary of my son’s diagnosis today. It is still very emotional. I don’t celebrate it. I acknowledge it as the day that changed the rest of his life.