This is my submission for the "You Can Do This" Project.
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My whole world stopped on September 6th, 2008.
My 12 month old baby had been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
I stopped living.
I stopped being.
I don't think I left the house by myself with Elise for about a month. I sank so deep into a chasm of despair, I feared I would never emerge.
Then came a revelation.
How I lived with Elise's diabetes would be how SHE would live with her diabetes.
Live.
I wanted her to live well.
So I had to start living again too.
I started small... going back to the story time that she loved so much at the library.
Then, trips to the park.
My big moment came when I took her out to Chick-fil-a to have lunch with my Mom's group... All by myself.
I started believing... I can do this.
If someone had told the post-dx me all we would have done in the last 2.5 years, I would have laughed at them.
We have not only lived.
We have LIVED WELL.
Since 6 months post-dx, we have taken total control of her care, making all changes ourselves. And doing a pretty decent job of it, despite the curves diabetes likes to throw at us.
We have travelled.
We had another baby.
Elise went to pre-school.
We enrolled her in gymnastics.
Ice skating.
She takes ballet and tap lessons.
We bought our dream house.
And we just got back from a 17 day trip to Portugal, where we:
Dealt with a 6 hour time change.
Experienced new foods.
Excitement.
Fun.
Stress.
And all sorts of craziness.
It was HARD. Harder than I could ever put into words for you.
But we did it.
And you can too.
If you are finding yourself in that same pit I was almost three years ago, take solace in the fact that you are not alone. There is a whole community waiting for you.
We are here.
We get it.
We are "same".
You can do this.
Thank you to Kim, from Texting my Pancreas for putting this together. She is just one example of what makes the DOC so great.
Yes we all can do it . We have no choice we have to do it , for ourselves , our kids and our loved ones . Life is hard period but the big d makes it even harder .
ReplyDeleteYes, you can! And you are! And you're showing others that they can, too.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for participating in You Can Do This.
Great post! This line in particular struck a chord in me: "How I lived with Elise's diabetes would be how SHE would live with her diabetes."
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Yes you can and you are doing it. Hugs and kisses from Vancouver :-)
ReplyDeleteWonderfully said Jo!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, I also loved the part about how you lived would influence how she lived. Beautiful, thank you.
ReplyDeleteLovely, Jo!
ReplyDeletebeautiful post my friend!! Just beautiful!
ReplyDeletewelcome home! Glad all went well and you're right we can do this! I love your upbeat tone and how you saw that your child would learn from you in how you dealt with all of it. You rock!
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff - love the positive reflection! I took my son to open gymnastics last week and hadn't been there since shortly after his diagnosis - it felt SO good to see the chance in just a couple of months of how I could handle this outing. The first time I was a nervous wreck... this time I felt in control and thought, Yes, I CAN do this!
ReplyDeleteTook me a while to post a comment because i felt the need to read ALL your posts. I was 17 when i was diagnosed September 2010. 9-10-10 i turned 18 in late november. You inspire me to start my own blog because i am a diabetic butterfly. Trying to keep out of the spider web call bad blood sugar. KEEP IT UP WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
ReplyDeleteHey, my first time posting but thats because i felt the need to go back and read ALL your posts. Very inspiring. Your inspired me to start my own blog.Because i am the Diabetic butterfly trying to keep out of the web called Bad Blood sugars!!! I was diagnosed when i was 17 on 9-10-10 and im now 18.
ReplyDeleteAnother one loving the line, "How I lived with Elise's diabetes would be how SHE would live with her diabetes." I try to be an example for my children as well, knowing their odds of becoming Type 2 too is high. I don't want them to struggle. Trying to keep that positive attitude. Loving this You Can Do This project!!!
ReplyDeleteYes, we can do this. Moreover, we have to do this; no choice. So we may as well make our peace with it. Love how you do that with a smile.
ReplyDeleteThis made me cry, in a good way. You're absolutely right, too. I really appreciate this message. As a person with diabetes but also as a mom. :)
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