HI it's Brenden...This post is about what it is like to have diabetes not just saying hi. First I just want to say thank you for posting some comments. I just need to say I can love having diabetes. If you get it too you will learn to like it. But I can also HATE IT. Most of the time it is right there dead center in the middle. I have had lows here and there and a little bit of hi over here but I'm really perfect a lot. I have to get off and go wash up for dinner and go CHECK MY BLOOD SUGAR RIGHT NOW ...so goodbye(:(:(:(:

Brenden's thoughts!

Hi my name is Brenden and I am 9 years old. I have type 1 diabetes. I have an older brother that has it too. It is not fun having diabetes but it is not horrible. My life hasn't changed a bit since I got diabetes. It is like I never got it. But unfortunately I did. I would love it if you have diabetes to send a comment of how you feel about having it. If you don't have diabetes can you comment what you think it would feel like to have it? Thank you for reading this.

Goodbye,

Brenden

Diabetes Siblings Day!!

Having 6 kids makes life a little crazy (and FUN) in and of itself. Add diabetes to the mix and things can be a LOT crazy!! Fortunately, my husband and I both grew up in large families so we are used to the craziness, but diabetes adds a new level to crazy, right? You know what I am talking about...!! :)

Do you ever worry that your other children feel left out or they feel like they don't get enough attention or worse yet, that you love them less? I try really hard to make our lives as normal as possible, but there are some days that yes-they probably feel left out and yes-they probably feel like they aren't getting enough attention but absolutely NEVER-do I love any child more than another!
Last year ~ November 30, 2010 I declared it Diabetes Siblings Day!! I'm going to make this a yearly event and really have fun with it! We had a super fun day! I did a post on my other blog last year! Again, a big THANK YOU to all of my kiddos for being so AMAZING!!

April 2011
(Can you figure out who the gymnast is? haha)

Diabetes Blessings 2!

I need to be clear about something first...I am NOT thankful for diabetes, but I am thankful for the blessing that have come to us in spite of this ugly disease! I cannot be thankful for something that is so horrible because it causes my children pain, and frustration, and tears (and ME too). It can cause horrible complications and even death (which most people don't want to talk about or acknowledge). It is a disease that doesn't go away and you never get a break from it.

HOWEVER...I have been BLESSED with...

A courage and a strength within myself that I never knew I had.
To see empathy and compassion develop in my children way beyond their years.
Seeing Christ-like love between my family members.
To meet so many new, incredible people because of this disease.
We have come to love our endocrinologist (who is also Type 1) and his wife (our diabetes care nurse).
We have had an amazing school nurse who has become a very dear friend.
We have amazing doctors and hospitals here.
To feel the love and to be the recipient of service from our family, friends and neighbors.
Boys that are very good at math and measuring.
A HUGE pantry (18' x 6') room that is plenty big enough to hold food and all of their diabetes supplies (there's a lot)!!
Living in the United States where we have access to good doctors, hospitals and medication.
The insulin pump...LIFE-CHANGING. Both of my boys are one the Medtronic mini-med.
My boys have each other - they don't have to feel alone in this.
A faith in my Father in Heaven and His plan for each of us. I don't know how you go through the day-to-day without knowing you are a child of God and the He knows us each individually and will never give us more than we can handle.
(although I think he has me confused with someone else) :)
The internet and blogs...I have turned to these resources too many times to count.
Prayer~I know that during those times that I have had enough and feel like I can't do this anymore, I can get on my knees and turn this over to the Lord.
Watching my boys live without letting diabetes stop them.
Nutrition labels on food...life is so much simpler knowing exact carbs.
Measuring cups...I have a whole drawer dedicated to them.
Friends that listen (even though they probably don't want to).
Mostly...I am so thankful that I have my family (all 8 of us)!

Here is a video that I saw on someone else's blog and which inspired this post. I couldn't make it through without crying. The words are so appropriate and a wonderful reminder to all of us, because we all deal with hard things!

"What if your blessings come through raindrops? What if your healing comes through tears? What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know you're near..?"

I've cried too many tears to count.
I've had 2,176 sleepless nights. Maybe not totally sleepless - but it hasn't been the same since the boys were diagnosed.

I know that blessings HAVE come through raindrops and healings HAVE come through tears and because of 2, 176 sleepless nights...I HAVE felt Him near!

ENJOY!!

Diabetes Blessings!

Idea for picture/post

Christopher and Brenden
Walk For a Cure - Nov. 2011

I will be doing a post about the blessings of diabetes. Yes, you heard me right...I did say blessings! For now, I will let you enjoy this picture of my boys! Hopefully, I can get the post done tonight!

What are your blessings?

Symptoms

People ask me all the time what the warning signs/symptoms were. Knowing the warning signs for type 1 diabetes (medically known as diabetes mellitus) could save a life. Education about the symptoms of type 1 diabetes is critical because type 1 can easily be mistaken for more common illnesses, such as the flu, and misdiagnosis can have tragic consequences.

These symptoms may be the first signs of type 1 diabetes, or may occur when the blood sugar is high:

• Being very thirsty
• Feeling hungry
• Feeling tired or fatigued
• Having blurry eyesight
• Losing weight without trying
• Urinating more often (we noticed the middle of the night potty trips)
  
• Losing the feeling or feeling tingling in your feet

For other people, these warning symptoms may be the first signs of type 1 diabetes, or they may happen when the blood sugar is very high (see: diabetic ketoacidosis):

• Deep, rapid breathing
• Dry skin and mouth
• Flushed face
• Fruity breath odor
• Nausea or vomiting, inability to keep down fluids
• Stomach pain

If you or someone you love exhibits one or more of these symptoms, call a doctor immediately.

Knowing the symptoms of type 1 diabetes can save a life. Please share what you've learned with everyone--family, friends, teachers, doctors. Until a cure is found, the more who know, the more lives will be saved.

Brenden's Diagnosis

This is a post from a previous blog I did right after Brenden was diagnosed!

~November 1, 2010~

Our lives were changed forever...AGAIN!!

Brenden was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes!

Here is his story:
Last Thursday, Brenden wet his bed in the middle of the night. He has never had a bed-wetting problem (even when he was a toddler). I didn't think anything about it other than he must have had a lot to drink before bed and didn't go potty either. Then on Saturday, Brenden told Rich that he was really tired because he has to keep getting up in the middle of the night and peeing all of the time. Rich told me that night and it sent up a little red flag but...I still thought no way!
Then, Sunday night...
Rich and I had just gotten into bed and had turned of the lights and we heard the kids bathroom door shut. I asked Rich to please go see who that was...it was Brenden. I told Rich that we needed to check his blood sugar. After he came out of the bathroom (it's around midnight), we brought him into our room and sat him on our bed. We got Christopher's meter and proceeded to check his blood sugar. When it beeped and I looked at the meter with the result staring me in the face, I felt like I couldn't breathe. It was registering HI...that means his blood sugar was over 600. The meter will only register to 600. I told Rich to check his blood sugar just to make sure the meter was ok. Rich tested and he was ok. We checked Brenden again and the result was the same...HI. i went downstairs with my heart pounding out of my chest and got a different meter. We tested him for a 3rd time, but with the new meter...same result!
We knew we had to take him to the ER. I went downstairs to call my mom and ask her to come sit with the kiddos. In my brief walk down my stairs, the floodgates opened and I couldn't control the tears! Was this really happening to our family AGAIN?? How could this disease ravish another one of my childrens bodies? My poor mother probably could not even understand me through my crying. I wasn't crying due to panic or fear this time...it was pure heartbreak! I knew what we were headed for...what Brenden would have to go through!
My mom came and we left for the hospital. Christopher had woken up during this time and wanted to come with us to support Brenden so we let him. We got to the hospital and our worst fears were confirmed...

Brenden has Type 1 Diabetes too!

Brenden in the ambulance

They transferred him to Riley Children's hospital in an ambulance! He thought it was pretty cool that he got to ride in one. They took care of him so well there. They gave us lots of wonderful goodies (diabetes supplies) to take home with us. One blessing is that we got to come home on Monday night. They normally keep new diabetic patients for 3 days to go through all of the education and training, but since we already had a child with diabetes and knew things, they let us come home! I was so grateful because we had just spent 3 days in the PICU there exactly 3 weeks before with Christopher. He had a complication with his insulin pump and wound up in DKA and in the hospital. It was nice to see the nurses again, but none of us could believe that we were back and that it was for Brenden this time. Needless to say, we have not had the best month!

Since Monday...
Brenden has checked his blood sugar approximately 28 times.
He has had 18 shots.
and...
He has told me he is scared that he is going to die once!

This is something no little boy (or girl) should ever have to go through or worry about! No mom should ever have to hear her baby express that fear! The first set of shots he got, the nurse and Rich had to hold him down while I did it...he cried and was so scared, but he tried to be so brave! Each shot has gotten better! Another hard thing for Brenden is that this little boy has no fat on him. He is a gymnast and has abs, thighs and buns of steel. Usually, the stomach is the best place to give shots, but the nurses told us not to touch his stomach because there is absolutely nothing there to pinch. That really limits the surface area we have to work with now. We use his thighs, the top of his bum, and the back of his arms. We will use his legs and bum at home and the nurse will use his arms to give his shots at school. He hasn't gone back to school yet. He will go back on Monday. I think he is pretty nervous about that and I KNOW I am. It is hard to turn my baby's life over to another person. It amazes me that none of the school nurses we have dealt with have ever dealt with a child with diabetes before. There is a learning curve and there will be LOTS of phone calls and emails in the beginning. I appreciated that the nurse was honest and asked if she could call every day before doing anything just to have me double check things. I am so thankful that I literally live 1 minute from the school.
This morning when Brenden came downstairs, he had his meter in his hand and he said, "Don't worry Mom, you don't have to tell me to check my BS, I already did it by myself." I have to admit, it made me cry! I was so proud of him. He is being such a trooper and he is so brave! The strength that my boys have shown me through all of this is simply AMAZING!

We have wonderful friends and family that have been here for us and have helped us get through this. To everyone for everything each of you have done...

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!

We have our emotional ups and downs!
I try to remember the things we have to be grateful for such as:

1. We have already been through this before, so it isn't as scary this time.
2. We have great insurance.
3. We have wonderful hospitals here for my boys.
4. My boys now have each other and will NEVER feel like they are going through this alone.
5. Heavenly Father knows what we are going through.
6. Insulin
7. My boys are AMAZING, STRONG and soooo BRAVE!!
8. Priesthood blessings
9. Prayers offered on behalf of my family
10. Our great endocrinologist~ Dr. Cagle

(just to name a few...)

Well, it is late and I need to go (my thoughts are all jumbled up right now too) so I will finish this tomorrow!
We love each of you and are so thankful for everyone's love and prayers!