The New Normal

What We Thought We Knew about Diabetes
People with diabetes had problems with sugar and couldn't eat treats or desserts.

Julia Roberts played a character with diabetes in Steel Magnolias.

Old people with diabetes had problems with the blood circulation in their feet. (I'm a podiatrist's daughter!)

What We've Learned
Type 1 diabetes is most often diagnosed in kids and young adults. Only 5-10% of people with diabetes have Type 1.

For some reason (most likely exposure to a virus), Grace's immune system attacked the cells in her pancreas which produce insulin. Without insulin, her body can't process carbohydrates and turn them into energy. Because her body no longer produces insulin, Grace must rely on insulin injections to survive. She also must monitor her blood sugar levels several times a day with a simple blood test.

Type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented, cured, or reversed with diet or exercise. Even if she ate nothing but raw, organic fruits and vegetables and did triathalons, she would still be dependent on insulin for the rest of her life, or until a cure is found.

Grace's current insulin routine is two injections a day, one at breakfast and one at dinner. She has to eat 60-70 grams of carbs at each meal and 15-20 at each snack. It's also important for her to eat her meals and snacks at the same time every day. With careful planning, she is able to eat pretty much anything she wants, including cake, ice cream, fruit snacks, and candy. Sugar is not the enemy. As far as managing her diabetes goes, carbs are carbs, whether they come from a candy bar or a piece of fruit.

What We Want Our Friends and Family to Know
Grace is still Grace. She's a beautiful, smart, funny, kind girl. She wants to do everything she used to do--play with the same friends, enjoy the same activities, etc. And for the most part she can. The key is PLANNING.

With our current insulin treatment, routine and consistency are very important. As long as we know ahead of time what she will be eating, we can plan accordingly and she should be fine. For example, we had FHE with some other families last week. I knew ahead of time what would be served for dinner, I prepared the dessert, we adjusted her dinnertime dose of insulin, and she was able to go, eat what everybody else ate, and enjoy herself. If she were to be at somebody's house, however, and was given an unplanned snack, even if it were something healthy like an apple, it could cause her blood sugar to rise too high. Please don't give Grace anything to eat unless we know first.

As Grace gets older and more comfortable with her diagnosis, she will be able to check her own glucose levels, give herself injections, track her carb intake, and be aware of signs of high or low blood sugar. Until then, she needs our help. If you are interested in learning how to do these things, please let us know.

We are very happy with our doctors and current treatment plan. We are not interested in pursuing alternative remedies or natural "cures."

What We've Lost
The ability to be flexible or spontaneous

Some of the innocent ignorance we had before living with a life-long disease

What We've Gained
Greater appreciation for many loved ones who deal with much more challenging health related problems. Your grace and courage have been our examples.

Profound gratitude for the help we received, especially the first week after Grace's diagnosis. Thank you for the fridge and freezer full of meals, babysitting, cards, gifts, and phone calls. You've taught us how to serve and love better.