New nurse's daughter just diagnosed with Type 1

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Specializes in Pulmonary.

Hi all,

I just passed NCLEX on Thursday, 3 days after my 5 year old daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Wow, I have studied diabetes in school, but I never realized how all of the changes affect your life. My daughter is such a trooper and my own personal hero. We were very lucky that we found the disease extremely early. My husband, who has no medical background, asked me she might be diabetic because she kept licking her skin and rubbing her eyes. His boss' son was just diagnosed and had similar symptoms. I told him absolutely not, I would not have believed it in a million years. But as I started thinking more, I realized that she had been peeing and drinking an awful lot. But I had been so busy studying that I didn't really think much of it. So on Monday, I went and bought a glucose monitor and her fasting glucose was 256. At that point I pretty much knew.

We met our Dr. at the ER where he said that she looked great and not like she had diabetes at all. Well, the blood work came back and she did. Luckily, she only had minimal ketones in her urine and was not acidotic. No one could believe that we caught it so fast. They told us that most kids are first diagnosed when they are in DKA and critically ill. She is doing great, physically. Now we are just trying to regulate the glucose levels. Her A1c was 10.1- her endocrinologist said that she has been running in the 400-500 range for the last 3 months.

I got her home from the hospital on Wednesday night and took boards on Thursday morning. I am really amazed that I passed, because I was exhausted from 3 sleepless nights.

I am just so glad that I had the medical knowledge to know that something wasn't right with her and glad that I trusted my gut to check it out. I was worried that I was just being a paranoid mother, as I tend to be usually. Now we are trying to get her in with Dr. Richard Guthrie- who is a well-known endocrinologist who works only about an hour away from our house. I have heard nothing about praise about him and I hope that he can help her. I also hope to find her a friend who is going through what she is, as she is very lonely and sad right now.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

With a caring mum like you I am sure she will do fine and well done on finding it early enough that she wasn't too ill with it

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hmmm has your HUSBAND considered nursing school? only meant half in jest.....

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Specializes in Pulmonary.
hmmm has your HUSBAND considered nursing school? only meant half in jest.....

Too bad has severe needle phobia, lol! :chuckle I thought he was going to hyperventilate the first time her gave her a shot!

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Specializes in PNP, CDE, Integrative Pain Management.

Bandas - congrats on finishing school and taking boards! That's a pretty big load after those 3 sleepless nights and coming to terms with your daughter's diagnosis. I am a peds diabetes educator, teaching families like yours and managing the regimen is my whole job. I certainly know how overwhelming it can be, but hang in there - it gets better! My heart goes out to your sad 5 y/o, I think that is one of the harder ages (developmentally) to begin to cope with the changes. On the other hand, 5 year olds are awesome, and if your educator really focuses on involving her directly at her level, you would be amazed at the things she will be able to do (with supervision of course!). I have kindergarteners who are amazing with their own finger pokes, recognizing lows, even giving (but not preparing) injections themselves. It is incredible to see them learn coping skills when they are included in the process rather than just having things "done" to them. Hang in there for all of you! There will be good days and not so good, but in the long run, its going to get better, I promise!

Not sure which direction you are from Wichita, but Children's Mercy Hospital has outreach clinics in Manhattan and Pittsburg if you need more options.

Good luck to you!

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

Be sure to use the online resources to find out about living with diabetes. And don't neglect a class - most insurances will pay for that. www.diabetes.org

www.cdc.gov

I am Type II and know a little of what you are going thru. God Bless.

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Hi Bandas, my heart goes out to you and your daughter at this time. I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 11, which was 22 years ago. When I read your story, all of the feelings that I remember from that time came right to the surface. I can both sympathize and empathize with you.

I know that this time can be overwhelming.......you have to adjust to the diagnosis, help your daughter cope, learn as much as you possibly can - and within that read books, decide if you want to attend classes, see specialists, and so on. But, I can offer some hope that with time it does become easier.

I will keep you in my thoughts and please let me know if you have any questions. I know I can't give you medical answers, but I'd be happy to offer your my perspective and experience.

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Specializes in Cardiology, Rehab, Education, Diabetes.

Hey, know how you feel. I to am a nurse with a daughter diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. I have been nursing for 12 years and my daughter has been diagnosed 5 years. We to picked it up early and she is doing well, she has become an amazing 9 year old. My only advise is let her own it as unfortunately you will not always be there. These kids are just so amazing how they just run with it and don't let it stop them. The HI's and the LO's are always there and it is a constant adjustment. Like your daughter mine feels very alone as no one completely gets it. I spend about 20 minutes each year talking to her class about diabetes and how it doesn't stop her doing anything. The year after she was diagnosed we had a big birthday party with all the normal foods, activities etc and invited the whole class to show she was normal. All the best with your nursing.;)

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

Wow! Your husband deserves a medal! Great observation. I was diagnosed with insulin resistance (the doc wouldn't actually say Type II diabetes) along with metabolic syndrome a few years ago and bought a copy of Diabetes for Dummies which I liked a lot. It covers every aspect of diabetes you can think of.

So much has changed for diabetics in the recent years. Back in the 70s I remember seeing juvenile diabetics who experienced terrible complications early in their lives because glucose control was so primitive. That is not so today. There are so many websites with information for diabetics as well.

Since my gastric bypass surgery and having lost 180 pounds it looks like my diabetes has gone away although the surgeon's dietician has told me that it can come back if I ever return to old eating habits of chomping down on large amounts of high sugar foods (yes, it is doable even after gastric bypass). One of my cats has diabetes and is on NPH insulin twice a day. I've recently been looking into insulin pens as I have been thinking they might be easier to use on her, but they are a bit expensive.

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I created this blog for a uni project, but maybe you would find some practical use for it; perhaps forwarding it to family members, or something for parents of her friends to follow up on. http://kids-learn-about-type1diabetes.blogspot.com/ It was made for 8 year olds in mind, so that was the language used.

Best wishes for both of you, my heart goes out to both of you. I realised how all-consuming and challenging T1DM care could be when studying it :redpinkhe

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Hi Bandas,

I was diagnosed with Type I diabetes at 9 years old, and now I'm a diabetes educator. I'd like to encourage you to enroll your daughter in diabetes camp--you can search for one in your area on Google. It will help the whole family, and can be especially helpful for your daughter to meet other children with diabetes, especially since those of us with Type I are in the minority.

Secondly, I want to prepare you for what might happen when your daughter becomes older, probably around 10 or 11 years old. That's the age when many diabetic children become rebellious against doing what they're supposed to do (e.g., testing sugars, taking insulin). I speak from personal experience as I had a very hard time with diabetes and it took me years to make peace with it. Another thing to watch for is "diabulimia," where usually girls stop taking their insulin in order to lose weight.

Thanks to carb counting, insulin pumps, and other new advances in diabetes care, it's not such a pain as when I was a kid, but I always tell people that I think diabetes is 5% physiological, and 95% emotional. Accepting one's diagnosis and the responsibility required to control it can be a tough journey, but you sound like the kind of mom your daughter can turn to for the emotional support she'll need.

Best of luck to you and your family!

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Specializes in medical/telemetry/IR.

Hi,

Welcome to my world.

my dd was dx when she was 9-she's 12 now. doing great. has animas pump. Its just a new normal now.

There's a good support group childrenwithdiabetes you might want to check it out.

Hang it there it gets better:)

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