Our Claudia is Type 1 Diabetic and has been since she was 3 years old. There is no family history and of course non one knows quite why this disease strikes some and not others. It was such a terrible shock when she was diagnosed and like most new diabetics she was also very ill. We managed though and today it is simply part of our lives. Needles into her tummy 2-3 times per day, blood glucose (finger pricks) every few hours and monitoring of her diet, exercise etc constantly. The long term affects of a poorly managed diabetic are horrific - loss of eyesight, amputations, organ damage etc but managed well, Type 1 Diabetes is not much of a load for Claudia to carry compared to other illnesses. Plus she is just the most gorgeous natured little girl, with such a zest for life that I think diabetes has really met its match!
Part of on-going management is a three monthly test to calculate accurate Blood Glucose Levels (BGLs) via a simple blood test. The test is called a Triple A 1BC. The aim is to have A1BC tests between 6 and 8. In the five years since diagnosis, including living in developing countries we have always managed to get good test results of between 6 and 8. That is until last week when for no known reason she skyrocketed to a very high 10.2 - thus today we had a trip into the city to have a Continuous Monitoring device fitted for three days to try to determine what is going on. She was so brave and so grown up - questioning this and that and really taking ownership of what was happening to her body. It is so sudden how quickly they can start to become independent of you - sad but satisfying that she can.
Claudia also has an added complication of undiagnosed middle of the night fits similar to epilepsy (but its not) and so she will also have to be reassessed by a wonderful paediatric neurologist as well in the next month to see whether that is having any impacts.
Her little brother, Haydn went back to school today and it was rare to just have Claude with Slippery and I for the day. Just lovely to really immerse myself in her ways.
No storm tonight - maybe tomorrow....us farmers are always looking skyward!
All the best, Carolyn.
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