This is my son, Lance.
He was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes 5 years ago today.
Over the past week, he has had a vicious gastro bug, which has left him exhausted and with no energy.
During sick days, Lance is monitored closely for blood sugar fluctations. As a result, he has been having up to 18 fingerpricks a day, and up to 10 injections a day. He has been functioning on very little food-therefore, ketones appeared in his urine three days ago. To clear them from his system, he has had copious amounts of fluid, and extra insulin injections. If ketones are not kept in check, a fatal condition called Diabetic Ketone Acidosis can quickly occur.
Even though each anniversary is a devastating reminder of ”that day”, I tried to make it special for Lance. Lance loves donuts, but only gets to indulge twice a year. Today, I took him to a donut store and bought him the finest donut available.
Lance was at the shopping centre for 15 minutes. He was so weak that he could not walk. He sat down to eat his donut, but simply didn’t have the strength. In this photo, Lance had used up his energy stores and collapsed eith exhaustion on a long bench. He stared into space and his spirit was non-existent. He looked drained and gaunt, a total contradiction to his usual robust and healthy appearance.
His donut remained untouched. I knew he must have felt so terrible to let the opportunity of having his favourite treat slip by.
Today was a bittersweet day-5 years ago, a much smaller version of Lance lay on a hospital bed with the same dull gaze in his eyes, and frozen with fatigue.
I long for the day when Lance can eat a donut without having to worry about insulin or the ramifications to his blood sugar.
Type 1 Diabetes is cruel, cunning and unpredictable. There are vicious circles everywhere you turn. Insulin is not a cure.
