Addysen’s Type 1 story starts off like many other Type 1 stories.  It was Christmas time 2011.  Addysen was 4 years old.  I had noticed some behavior changes in Addy, but I guess I just thought it was a phase.  She just seemed really whiny and tired.  She was tired enough that she would actually nap, which was unusual for her.  Addysen was also drinking large quantities of water, which to me was very out of the ordinary because she usually preferred milk or juice.  She was complaining of a stomach ache quite often, but she still had a rather large appetite so I just thought she was eating too many Christmas treats.

After the holidays, Addy returned to preschool.  One day, when I picked her up from school, one of her teachers pulled me aside and told me she was just not acting like herself.  I agreed with her teacher and said I had noticed some changes in her as well.  I called her pediatrician and made an appointment for the following Monday.

It was Monday January 9, 2012.  I took Addysen to the pediatrician.  The nurse weighed her and she was down 3 pounds from her previous visit a month before.  When I told the doctor what had been going on, she wanted a urine sample from Addy.  As Addy and I walked back to the exam room the nurse ran up to me and said there was glucose in her urine.  I think at that point I knew exactly what was going on, but it felt like a dream, like it wasn’t really happening.  When they pricked Addysen’s finger, I will never forget seeing the number on the glucometer.  503.  Her doctor came in shortly.  She had already called the pediatric endocrinologist.  She said we had to spend a few nights in the hospital, but we could go home and pack a bag first.

We arrived at the hospital around lunch time.  We registered and they walked us to Addysen’s room.  I was so proud of how brave she was.  We were not there very long at all before we met Addy’s endocrinologist.  While I talked with him the nurses took Addy down to put in her IV.  We spent the next few days in the hospital watching and learning how to take care of Addysen’s diabetes.  We learned how to administer shots of insulin, test her blood sugar, how to correct her blood sugar and so much more.  We also met with a dietician to teach us how to count carbohydrates.  Addy was such a trooper; she actually enjoyed her hospital stay.  When she wasn’t being poked, she got to do crafts and play air hockey in the kid’s playroom at Toledo Children’s Hospital.

Today, Addysen is 6 years old.  She now has an insulin pump, which she absolutely loves!  She can test her own blood sugars and knows how to work her pump.  She still needs help with food portions and carb counting, but she asks lots of questions and shows lots of interest.  She loves to answer questions people ask her about diabetes and talks openly about it.

We walked in our first Breakthrough T1D Walk to Cure Diabetes in the fall of 2012.  Our family had such an amazing time dancing to Radio Disney and getting our faces painted.  We walked to raise money again in 2013 and hope to continue that tradition for many years to come!