When I was first diagnosed at the age of 11 I was in 6th grade. The principal and staff at the time were very understanding and helped with anything my parents or I needed. My dad could come in anytime he wanted to check my levels or give me insulin or just check in on me. I was able to bring my insulin and syringes and had no problems with peers or teachers with what I was doing. All in all, it was a very pleasant school experience from that time on until I graduated.

That was 23 years ago. I know times have changed. But to deny a student to come to school because of type 1, is outrageous.

I’ll post the link here about a boy from Utah who was told he couldn’t come to school because he had Type 1 diabetes. Because of the school districts policy, he couldn’t carry his own insulin. He did attend school his Kindergarten and First Grade years but there were concerns with the nurse and her inability to help her son. I was shocked at what the nurse did or didn’t do.

Her son’s situation is also a little bit more of a concern because he has a sensitivity to insulin. This is where the mom battled with the school and maybe this is why the nurse had a hard time delivering his insulin.

K.W., for instance, is sensitive to the medicine. And his body needs a 20% reduced version to process correctly. So his parents get a wholesale version of insulin and dilute it.

I can’t imagine having type 1 and then on top of it being sensitive to the insulin that is used to keep you alive.

I hope the school  district and others can learn from this and that the mom will find the answers she is looking for and her son will be able to attend 3rd grade at a public school.

Have any of you had any experiences with this or know of someone who did? How did they handle it and what was the outcome?

We need to spread the word. Let’s get educated about Type 1.

 

 

 

 

 

Subway. Lemonade. ECLAIRS!! This was the last meal I had before my journey with type 1 diabetes began.

My brother and I were spending the weekend with my grandparents while my parents were spending their time at a hotel in downtown Salt Lake City to celebrate my mom’s birthday.

It was Saturday morning and my grandma was taking me shopping to go find beads to make my mom a bracelet for her birthday. I loved making things. Especially bracelets. We had some luck, found some beads, and we were on our way to lunch. During our car ride I remember my grandma telling me that my skin was pale and dry and asked if I was feeling ok. I was feeling tired but nothing out of the ordinary and I remember asking for lotion so I could take that “dry” look away from my hands.

Out of all the places I could pick, I chose Subway. I don’t know what I was thinking. SUBWAY!? She would have taken me to the most expensive restaurant and I chose subway. Insert eye-roll. Seriously.

I chose my coveted turkey sandwich and grabbed my chips and filled my cup with delicious lemonade. We ate our sandwiches and my grandma told me that for our dessert she would take me to the bakery to pick up some eclairs. YES!!! I LOVE eclairs!! BEST DAY EVERRRRRR!!!!

After going to the bakery and picking up the eclairs we headed back to grandmas and I got started on the bracelet. I don’t remember much about how I was feeling that day but I know that after lunch and the bakery my body felt tired and I had a stomach ache but nothing that was alarming.

Around dinner time I wasn’t hungry at all and I didn’t eat. That was normal. I hadn’t been eating much for a long time. My mom’s bracelet was finished and it was neatly placed in a box and tied with a ribbon. A homemade card at its side.

The next 24 hours was a whirlwind. I remember throwing up before bed and I just didn’t feel good. My grandparents were worried and so they gave my parents a call. My parents asked if it could wait till morning and I remember my grandma saying it couldn’t wait. That something was wrong. She said I needed to go to the hospital. So, on my mom’s birthday, they left their hotel, and met my grandma and me at the hospital. Grandpa stayed home with my brother.

I remember trying to sleep on my dad’s lap in the ER. And I remember waiting for what seemed like a freaking ETERNITY!! They finally took us back and I remember them giving me a horrible chalky drink and telling my parents that they were going to put me in the helicopter to transfer me to Primary Children’s Hospital. I remember asking why and them telling me that my blood sugars were 752 and they should have been around 100. I didn’t understand what they were telling me but after that I remember everything moving at a remarkably fast pace.

*I know that even now kids are being misdiagnosed with strep and flu when in all actuality it is type 1 diabetes. It makes me so angry. I wish I could find out who was treating me in the ER that night so I can go back and thank them for doing what they did. They new. They saved my life.*

Life Flight was responding to another call so into the ambulance I went and we were lights and sirens from there. I remember using the restroom before we left the hospital and desperately needing to use it again when we arrived at the other hospital. It was like 10 minutes. Haha! Story of my life!

I spent a week at Primary Children’s Hospital and it was one of the worst most grateful times of my life. I cried. I remember watching my mom cry. (It makes me cry right now thinking of it) We learned so much. We learned how to carb count. What bolusing meant. What an A1c is. What would happen if I didn’t take care of myself. I learned to love diet soda. (Give me all the diet coke and diet mtn dew!! YES PLEASE!!! HaHa!!) We learned how important exercise was. I ran the halls of the hospital with my Aunt. I learned that Potassium pills are the WORST!! They are freaking HUGE! We also learned that I almost died. My body was shutting down, it was going into DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis). If we would have waited until the morning to figure out what was going on, I wouldn’t be here.

My grandma knew something bad was happening to my body. She made that decision to call my parents. To ruin my mom’s birthday. She was adamant about getting me to the hospital. My parents knew to listen to her. They were wondering for a long time what was going on with my body. They left the hotel and the fun they were having to take care of me. The didn’t need to be told twice. They knew.

Now, Every November 15th, We celebrate a birthday, eat some Subway and celebrate with some eclairs. With some insulin, of course 🙂

xoxo

Cassie

 

Hey!

Welcome to My Useless Pancreas!! Haha! My pancreas went out-of-order about 22 years ago this November. I was 11. It was my mom’s birthday. (Happy Birthday, Mom!!) My glucose reading was 752 and I spent about a week at Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. My physician told my parents that I was so close to DKA and if I would have waited till the next morning to come in, It would have not turned out so good. So, a big shout out to my parents for taking me to the hospital that night! (insert clapping!!)

It’s been 22 years of tears and struggles but for the most part, happiness. I have experienced a lot and I am excited to share those experiences with you. Some are happy and some are not so happy. But, I am alive and well (minus a few organs-not important ones and a vertebrae. We’ll talk more about this later!) and for the most part, a well controlled type 1 diabetic.

I have been married for 10 years and I have 3 beautiful girls. I love my family! I hope that through sharing these experiences I can help my fellow type 1’s and show you that as hard and crappy this diabetes stuff is, it’s worth it. It’s worth all those late nights, and finger pokes, and juice (lots and lots of juice), and tears. Oh, and MONEY. ugh.

I promise you won’t be disappointed. So, hang with me and let’s talk some DIABETES!! And other stuff. Cause, let’s be real. Sometimes, I get really sick of diabetes. So, we’ll talk about food (yay!) too, and other stuff! (Insert more clapping and maybe a yeehaw!)

xoxo

Cassie

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton