The past week has been a whirlwind at our house. I have so many thoughts and emotions I could write about, but this will just be the simplified version. After a month or so of Addie going to the bathroom way more than normal and my "mommy alert" going off, I brought her into the doctor with a high suspicion of what I would find. Hoping it wouldn't be but I guess I did know before I got there, just needed the proof to get her some help. At the doctors office they checked her blood and her urine and found high sugar in both. High blood sugar is typically around 80 and she was over 500. They sent us to the ER. We were blessed to go to St. Rose hospital that has an amazing pediatrics ER and Pediatrics department. They found the high sugars as well and confirmed our suspicion that she had Type 1 Diabetes. They got her on an IV and then she got her first insulin shot and her blood sugar started to come down. Despite her high sugars, they said that we caught it pretty early. Some kids have much higher sugar levels and are more sick. Addie was a bit more mellow and tired but not really sick.
They got the IV in and she had to keep her arm straight for the next couple days we were there. That was really the only part of being at the hospital that she didn't like. The staff there never let her have a dull moment. They have play rooms and so many fun things to do. There were also random people that would stop by and give away pillow cases and other goodies. The nurses came to check in on her every few hours. She had fun ordering her own food and moving her bed up and down. I'm glad they were so positive. She left the hospital thinking it was fun!
Despite not living here very long we feel so blessed with the support and love we have felt from friends here. It just made Addie light up when people came by to visit, especially her sisters that she asked about so much while we were there.
Shaun would come after work each night and let me get out for a little bit.
We don't know what we would have done without our good friends who adopted Rachel and Summer while I was at the hospital with Addie. They came to visit one night and really made Addie so happy.
We are adjusting to a new routine of checking sugar and giving insulin throughout the day. Addie was scared of shots a week ago but you wouldn't know that today. She has been so brave and optimistic about this change. We just try and be as brave as she is! I have never been so grateful for my degree, which is in Health Science, I learned about Diabetes so much and worked with Diabetes Educators for my internship. I still have to live it now but I feel confident going forward. It's not easy but as we are meeting and talking to others we know that life will get back to normal.
A special thank you to all our family and friends that have had us in their prayers throughout this week. We have felt lifted and blessed. We are so happy to see our little Addie feeling better.
