In September 2019, our family was camping at Lake Dillon when our son Reid started vomiting every few hours. It seemed strange, but he would always rally after it happened, so we thought it was related to altitude sickness. Over the next 24 hours, things got progressively worse. That night he would get up every hour to vomit and go to the bathroom. He kept saying “Mom, you don’t have to help me… I don’t want you to catch this.” Reid is seriously the sweetest kid you will ever meet. The next morning, we went home early and barely recognized him. He was miserable. We took him to Children’s Hospital in Broomfield, still thinking he had a virus or altitude sickness, and they looked at him and quickly recognized that he had T1D! We were shocked. We have no family history and had no idea what symptoms came along with this awful diagnosis. He was quickly shuttled via an ambulance to Children’s Hospital officially in Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA). The next week was a whirlwind of recovery, learning, and so many tears. We quickly realized that his life and our family would never be the same.
We were so grateful for the team at Children’s Hospital, the Barbara Davis Center, and our family and friends who truly rallied around us during this difficult and uncertain time. T1D is a constant journey that so often feels out of your control, and for two parents who love to keep life in control, this was soul-crushing! We didn’t feel like we could get it right; it was scary and emotional. The only thing we knew to do was get involved in the T1D Community and fight to find a cure. Within two weeks of diagnosis, we attended the One Walk and recognized how powerful and supportive the T1D community is! Reid received his Bag of Hope and Rufus, who still means the world to him now. Within four weeks we empowered Reid to present about diabetes to his third-grade class, PowerPoint and all. He talked about his pancreas, blood sugars, and answered questions about if he was contagious. Proud mama over here! He did that all the way through elementary school – we took the view that education mitigates negativity and gossip. He now is confident enough to share his story with anyone who asks! We continue to be engaged with JDRF through the Board of Directors, One Walk, Gala, and more. Based on the technology advancements we have seen since Reid’s diagnosis we know that an investment in JDRF is a worthy one. Thanks to his closed-loop system he is no longer woken up nightly by alarms, his numbers are regulated, and we all have more confidence about his care. We are hopeful that a cure is next and will continue our support until that day comes!
I still get emotional when I think about what Reid has been through and will continue to face. No one should carry the burden of T1D. While this diagnosis truly takes a village, a shout-out is required to the mamas of children with T1D who fight like mad to ensure their kids have the quality of life they deserve. Every time I meet another mom of a kiddo with T1D there is an immediate bond based upon our shared experience, mama bear attitude, and willingness to sacrifice everything to help our kids.