IOH - Personal stories of children with type 1 diabetes



		Islets of Hope real people - stories from others living with type 1 diabetes

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In addition to sharing her daughter's story, Alyssa's mom, DeAnn, also wrote an amazing poem about her daughter's diagnosis.

Read DeAnn's poem about diabetes.

Alyssa received a quilt through QD Quilts for Children with Diabetes. If your child is newly diagnosed with diabetes, visit the Quilting-Dee today.

Child's Biography: Alyssa is 5 Years old and was diagnosed with Type 1 last month. It was a very hard and difficult experience. We are learning each and every day. She is a very determined, brave and strong willed child; she is dealing with the situation very well and has even started giving herself her own shots. I am very grateful for the people we have been able to talk with that has an understanding of what we have and are going through. I believe people go through things for a reason although I don't understand why. I believe God is here and will help us and the children with what they have to face.

DeAnn, Paducah, KY, USA

Real people
Stories of children living with type 1 diabetes

Alyssa, diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 5 years old
Paducah, Kentucky, USA

Alyssa immediately took charge of her diabetes care and wanted to share her story

My daughter, Alyssa was only five years olf when she was diagnosed September 19, 2006 with type 1 diabetes. A couple weeks prior she had gotten the flu and after almost two weeks she still wasn’t quite herself. I called her pediatrician who had us to come in to the office. He checked her over, did a urine sample and blood work. When he came in the room I immediately knew something wasn't right. He told me her blood sugar was over 580 and he had gotten us an appointment for the following morning at Vanderbilt. He thoroughly checked her over to make sure she would be okay to travel and wait till the morning and I believed at that time she was.

Alyssa, age 5

Alyssa, age 5, type 1 diabetes

I catch her reading labels to find out the carbohydrates. I find it heartbreaking that she has to do it but yet at the same time it give me a little peace of mind because I know she is going to help take care of herself.

When we got home I started packing our bags for the following day and hour or so passed and Alyssa seemed to be getting worse. All she wanted to do was lay in the floor -- she didn't care if it was on the couch or on the middle of the bathroom floor. We ended up driving to Vanderbilt that night and went straight to the emergency room. When we arrived Alyssa was in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). We spent two days in the ICU and were moved to a regular room for an additional two days. All of her levels were out of range and it was two days before she could eat.

This has truly been an experience for us all and still is. Her little body is like a roller coaster going from highs to lows in a matter of an hour. I have often wondered why she was so head strong, strong willed and determined. I now know my little girl is that because she is a fighter. She had schigilla at 6 weeks old and whooping cough at 3 months and has been through so much during her young life already even before diabetes. It’s been hard for me to understand how much my child has to go through.

Alyssa & her sister Alonna
Alyssa not only does her own sugar checks she also started giving her own shots only a month after diagnosis!

Alyssa amazes me how, for the most part, she is doing. She has done sugar checks by herself since the first week we were out of the hospital and has started giving herself her own shots barely one month after her diagnosis! I catch her reading labels to find out the carbohydrates. I find it heartbreaking that she has to do it but yet at the same time it give me a little peace of mind because I know she is going to help take care of herself.

Alyssa is getting four shots daily but her doctors have told us they may look at a pump for her after February. I pray for a cure, for my daughter as well as your children. As I mentioned above I find it hard to understand "why," but I know God is with them and I pray that He keeps His hand over them at all time and fills us as parents with the strength we need to cope.

Submitted by DeAnn, Alyssa's proud mom

DeAnn also wrote an amazing poem about her daughter's diagnosis. Read DeAnn's poem about diabetes.

Editors note: Alyssa told her mother she would like her story to appear in People at Islets of Hope. She said the other children whose stories appear on our site are here "diabetes friends." Alyssa is right. Diabetes connects people for reasons we wish did not exist and it always warms my heart when I see members of the diabetic community reaching out to help one another -- especially when it comes from such a young, sweet child, still newly diagnosed, like Alyssa.

Alyssa, thank you for having your mom send us your story. You are a very brave and special little girl! All your diabetes friends wish you all the best in life.

Lahle Wolfe



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