Today marks 2 years since Craigs diagnosis...
http://craigandmadi.blogspot.com/2012/06/day-12.html
That day we could have never known how our lives would change..
It was a heart wrenching few days.. but this past 2 years has gone by quick and Craig has dealt with his diabetes in such a positive way. He has helped his sister through her diagnosis and many site changes (she needs a hand to hold every time!).
He was able to turn a diagnosis into something positive. He has spoken at several assemblies, he advocates for himself and this disease, he has also been able to help so many other kids because of this trial in his life. I am so proud of my boy!! Any child who lives with this disease and takes whatever positive they can from it is inspiring!!
He checks his glucose several times a day.. I get up and check it in the middle of the night.. In the past 2 years he has pricked his finger, squeezed out a drop of blood and applied it to a test strip at least 5,110 times... over 5000 times!! Thats insane to me.. although we live this life every day.. with 2 kids with T1... Sometimes it doesnt even seem real.. sometimes I think, "I cant believe we have 2 kids with T1 diabetes..." I would imagine it feels a lot more REAL to a kid who has to poke themselves that many times...
He wears a medical bracelet 24 hours a day (with the exception of baseball games) .. He is not embarrassed by it. He wears it without argue, which I am so thankful for!! He wears it because in his words, "If I pass out, the ambulance will know that I have diabetes so I wont die" That is the reality of a T1 diabetic. Anything can happen, blood glucose can drop quickly and they could have a seizure..anytime, anywhere. Its a 24 hour a day disease.
He has gotten at least 70 pump sites (small IVs that the insulin slowly pumps into his body through), and 1440 insulin shots in this past year. Can you see why he loves his pump so much.. compare the first 6 months of the past year, 1440 shots...To the second half of the past year when he got his pump, 70 pump sites. Both kids have insulin pumps and it offers so much more freedom, even though they are constantly hooked to this small device. 24 hours a day they are connected to their insulin pump and tubing. It is part of them and keeps them alive!
He has scars from pump sites, small red unhealed sores where his sites were. He has callused fingertips from the constant finger pokes, he goes through highs and lows, bad and good days. Ketones and sickness...
Through all of this, he continues to live his life how he wants to. He hangs out with his friends, plays baseball, does boy scouts and almost has his Eagle Scout award, he gets a 4.33 GPA and is in the top 5% of the Freshman class, he keeps a good attitude and has a great sense of humor. He inspires me so much and shows so much strength! Diabetes is a hard disease, but it doesnt stop him..or slow him down!
