Ask WYE – Issue 57 – The Ghost of Wilford Brimley Attacks
There is an old saying that children of paramedics, nurses and doctors often get much sicker before being seen at the hospital and, for the most part, that is true. We can handle quite a bit more that “regular” parents can’t.
And then there is Justin’s last few weeks.
Following a week of HM JrSr (How Justin refers to his oldest daughter) having conditioning for High School Dance Team, she felt horrible. Weakness, fatigue, nausea you name it, she felt it.
After a long night of vomiting, we awoke to a girl less than a shell of herself, profoundly dehydrated and clearly sick. We put her in the car and off to to the Emergency Room we went. Upon arrival, the doctors and nurses struggled to get her significant acidosis under control.
Her body had begun to shut down following a battle with a condition called Diabetic Keto Acidosis, where the body is unable to access sugar in the blood stream and breaks down muscle instead. Her blood sugar was alarming, over 600, and a new diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes was the culprit.
After a few nights of stabilization in the Pediatric Critical Care Unit, Justin’s family is now adjusting to the realities of having multiple daily shots, medication, carb counting…it’s alot.
Here are some Diabetes resources if you or your family want to learn more:
