Only Diabetes?

  

Here's the deal folks.  Diabetes is a awful, horrible, nasty, disgustingly annoying disease.  I hate it.  I don't just hate it, I LOATHE it.  I have hated it for the last 14 1/2 years.  I have lived every single day since June 10, 2000 HATING DIABETES!!!

As a mom of a kid who has type 1 diabetes...I hate that phrase in that picture.  I've heard it many times--I have had those exact words spoken to me ABOUT my son.  And let me tell you, that is NOT something you should EVER EVER EVER say to ANYONE who has diabetes, or has a family member who has diabetes-especially if they are a young child.  While it may seem like a simple harmless phrase, stop and think before you speak those words.

I was scrolling through my Facebook feed earlier when I saw this picture above.  

And this was my first thought:  

Omg!!! YES!!

Read the words on this pic and let it sink in!!

It's not "just diabetes"

Don't ask me, "can't he just  take insulin or pills or something??"

Or "will he ever get over it?"

NO NO NO NO NO!!

People it's not just diabetes-it's a deadly disease--A SILENT KILLER!!

I also hear the following questions:1)Can he just take pills? Um no-you can not take insulin in pill form! Why not? Because as soon as the pill hit your gut, all the acid would interact with it and you'd puke it back up.  (sorry for that graphic but its a fact we were told from day 1!)

2) Can't  he just take insulin or something like that?  Uh, YES, he MUST take it every single day via multiple insulin shots, OR use an insulin pump, which requires changing infusion sites every 2-3 days.

3)Will he ever grow out of it? Will it just go away?No, it won't just go away, or disappear suddenly and he will NOT grow out of it.  

His pancreas is DEAD.  ZIP ZILCH NADA!  It DOES NOT WORK!  It doesn't produce ANY insulin at all, not one single drop.  The insulin that he takes daily is not a cure for his diabetes.  This side of heaven there is NO CURE!! 

Insulin is NOT a CURE!  It's my kids life line! 

My son is not a sports kid--he never has been.  We always thought he would play soccer or baseball, but he just never did.  There were a few times that I started to sign him up, and would talk to people about getting him signed up.  I would just mention to the coaches, "he has diabetes..."  and the response was, "Oh.. I see.." and the attitude was crappy after that, like it was a big issue, and like they just didn't want him to play.  As a result of those reactions, my son never played sports.  And that is actually OK--b/c he will tell you now, that he is not a sports kind of guy.   

Oh and wait..My FAVORITE from people, "oh well you should be thankful its not cancer!"

What the heck?!??!  That's a no brainer!!!  I am SO incredibly thankful its NOT cancer. That is also not a statement or phrase you should say to a parent of a kid with diabetes.  Why? Because it is still a DEADLY DISEASE!!!!!!!  Without insulin, he will DIE.  

He has to check his blood at the least-6 times a day.  If he's sick?  It turns into twice that.  If his glucose levels are above 250, he risks developing ketones.  And any glucose levels over 400?  You can bet money on the fact that ketones are present.  What the heck is a ketone you ask?  

 Ketones are substances that are made when the body breaks down fat for energy. Normally, your body gets the energy it needs from carbohydrate in your diet. But stored fat is broken down and ketones are made if your diet does not contain enough carbohydrate to supply the body with sugar (glucose) for energy or if your body can't use blood sugar (glucose) properly.

If ketones develop, and we don't act accordingly, and fast, the he risks diabetic ketoacidosis.  Say that 10 times fast!!  What is that??

Go here to get an idea of what Diabetic Ketoacidosis is exactly.  If it is not treated in a timely manner, it CAN be deadly.  

We're talking risking slipping into a coma.

And its not just high levels.  You have just as many issues if your blood sugars drop too low!!  Then  you risk having seizures and with each seizure, the oxygen levels in your brain go down.  

Thats just a few of the things that have to be watched with diabetes.  So yes it IS just a wee bit serious and nothing to be taken lightly or ignored or overlooked.  

Its not "OK" to say, "You only have diabetes".  And no, I don't expect everyone to understand all this, and my concern with needing to write this post.  But that goes with something I have also said many times in the last several years, unless YOU are the parent of a kid with diabetes, or an aunt or uncle of a kid with diabetes, or a grandparent of a kid with diabetes, etc..you just simply can not say or think, "Its only diabetes"  Because to US?  Its not "just diabetes."