This month is very important to me, and to our family. It's hard to believe that just one month ago Laila received her Medtronic Insulin Pump in the mail, and one year ago she was diagnosed with diabetes. September is a very emotionally charged month for me, I can only imagine how Laila feels.
One year ago, Laila was thin, frail, and sick as can be. Spending 4 days at the hospital, I had no idea the changes that were in store for our family. Seeing my precious daughter in the pediatric intensive care unit broke my heart, shattered it into a million tiny pieces. I thought for sure life would never go on, it would never be the same, and our family was forever ruined. Her bright smile and perseverance has proven me wrong from day one, and she will never know how thankful and proud I am to have her as my daughter. We have made it this far, and we will continue to thrive, as long as we have each other.
Laila's Endocrinologist, Dr. Touger, has much more faith in me than I do. She has been pressing the pump issue to me for months, and this past month I finally agreed. I'm not sure if I was more nervous for Laila, or for myself. Diabetes is more than a 24/7 job, it consumes your life. Every breath I take, worry burdens my heart. I do more than just care for my daughter, I live through her.
Now that we are officially pumping, we headed in for our quarterly checkup. I am pleased to report Laila's A1C was 8.5, only up .2 since her last visit. I was told this is common when switching brands or insulin, or means of administration. Her average sugars are much lower than before, which is what we're aiming for. When we first started using the pump, finding placement was difficult, but we agreed her arms are best. Today, Dr. Touger pointed out Laila's arms look "full", which means we need to find alternative placement for her sites. We're going to try her stomach again, and the top of her butt. I know she's nervous, but she will be just fine.
I took a few photos of her today, and it's so hard to believe how much she's grown since last year. She's gained well over 10 pounds since her diagnosis, and a few inches, too.
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| Check out that pump in her back pocket! |
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| She looks so grown up these days! |
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| Waiting at the doctor's office! |
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| Filling out the paperwork. |
Milestones in our lives may have changed, but the love has not. We are so lucky to have each other, life wouldn't be the same if we didn't. Laila is incredibly strong, and her strength is admirable. So much at times, I wonder where she gets it. I'm proud to be her mom, I hope she's just as proud to be mine.
One year ago, Laila was thin, frail, and sick as can be. Spending 4 days at the hospital, I had no idea the changes that were in store for our family. Seeing my precious daughter in the pediatric intensive care unit broke my heart, shattered it into a million tiny pieces. I thought for sure life would never go on, it would never be the same, and our family was forever ruined. Her bright smile and perseverance has proven me wrong from day one, and she will never know how thankful and proud I am to have her as my daughter. We have made it this far, and we will continue to thrive, as long as we have each other.
You say "she will never know how thankful and proud I am to have her as my daughter" - I beg to differ. SHE is thankful and proud to have you as a Mom and I KNOW she KNOWS how thankful you are to have her!
ReplyDeleteWhat an emotional month for you guys. Look how far you've BOTH come, ALL have come! Hearing about the weight she's putting on and seeing that bright smiling face is SO comforting! GO LAILA!