3 years ago May 31, 2008

Seven years after our middle son Ethan was diagnosed, our baby, Caleb was also diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Caleb was seven years old on May 31, 2005 when we were given the dreadful news. We'd suspected the sad possibility, but were holding out for good news. It was in the Wendy's parking lot, after getting Chicken Nuggets and french fries, (Caleb's favorite) that I remember reaching out for Mark's arms. I broke down sobbing, "Why? Why another?" Then in silence, we held each other for what seemed like forever...

Caleb? He was a trooper! He always thought he'd have diabetes too, after he was old enough to realize what was going on with Ethan. Sadly enough, he was right. However, he didn't have to stay in the hospital as Ethan did. The Endocrinologist, didn't feel there was a need since we had seven years of taking care of Ethan under our belts. Looking back now, I feel it would've been better if he had. Caleb didn't transition as well as Ethan. Checking his blood sugar and the shots were a bit frightening in the beginning, but not for long, as he'd seen big brother do it for years. The diet on the other hand, that was a whole different story. I blame this partly on the age difference between Ethan and Caleb when they were diagnosed. Ethan was four and Caleb was seven. It's amazing what a difference three years can make.

You see, Ethan has never known life without diabetes. When you ask him, he cannot tell you a time when he didn't have it. I hate that for him, yet because of this, his diabetes is second nature to him now. Somewhat like brushing your teeth if you will. This is a little boy who at the age of 10 had never had a 3 Musketeers bite-size candy bar. On the other hand, Caleb, at age seven, had already experienced many of the things Ethan had not. He unfortunately knew what he was missing out on and so it was harder for him to not want the things he had required a taste for.

I also blame us, his parents, for not helping to make Caleb's transition smoother. One of my sister's hit the nail on the head, when she said, "You haven't been as proactive with Caleb as you were with Ethan." Sad enough but true, this has been a huge factor in dealing with his diabetes for all of us.

As a parent, we do the best we can with what we have and what we know at the time. Yet, in our boys' case, we can't afford to "slack off." If you are a parent reading this and your child has a special health concern, I ask that you stop and consider, "What can I do to make sure my child's health is a top priority in my daily life?" None of us mean to harm our children, yet many of us get caught up in this thing we call "life" and forget that the little things are what add up in the end. Please comment below with any ideas, thoughts, or suggestions, you and your family have dealt with in your journey with diabetes or any other child-related disorder or disease. You may remain anonymous if you wish. God bless.