Profiles

I have had Type 1 Diabetes since I was a little baby. I don't even remember not having it. Having Diabetes is special, but it's not special in my heart. I went to preschool last year for about six months, and I had lots of friends. One day, the ambulance had to come because the teachers didn't know why I was just staring at nothing and not talking. When they did my fingerprick, they found that I was really low. They got a really big fright, and when my mum came, I was fine. That has been happening a lot; I feel great, and then I see my mum run for my testing machine. I can't FEEL the hypo as well as I used to, and only my Mum can tell. When The hypo is over, I can't remember it even happening!

I love animals, and I have always had a cat. There is something about a dog though that makes me think that they could be your very best friend, maybe even better than a human. When my Mum told me that she had talked to a lady about how maybe a dog could help me to know when my blood sugar is dropping, I was speechless! I thought she was joking for two whole days. Then she showed me the Paws for Diabetics Website and I couldn't believe it! I will never forget that day when Mum said there was a puppy waiting for me.

Sometimes having Diabetes is great, because you get to have really special things happen in your life. I still can't believe that Chino will be all mine. He will be there for me, and i will be there for him.

 

 

Kate (Demarco's Mum)

Demarco was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes 22 days before his second birthday. He has fought very hard for the past four years to lead a normal life, but his frequent bouts of hypoglycaemia have made life very difficult for both of us.

Demarco has looked death in the face twice from severe hypos with no warnings. The first occasion, he was 3, and was having a morning nap. I went to check on him and he was having a  seizure on his bed. As I spoke to the ambulance, I noticed that the seizure stopped, and so did his breathing. I had to perform CPR on my son and give a glucagon injection whilst I had the emergency operator on speaker phone. The ambulance arrived very quickly, and he was given oxygen and taken straight to hospital for tests. He was discharged that afternoon, and he has never, ever slept without me since.

His second horror experience was after he had a flu injection last year. Two hours after the injection, and just after a perfect carbohydrate rich lunch, he was lying quietly on the bed, with two of his little friends, listening to me read a story. I glanced over and noticed Demarco staring into the mirror. He would not respond to his own name. I rushed for a drink which he sipped in a very robot like manner, and then suddenly began twitching. After putting him in the recovery position, he had a very violent seizure. Again, we were rushed to hospital, and all necessary tests were performed, with one doctor telling me "that I was unfortunate enough to have a very brittle diabetic to look forward to caring for until he could care for himself."

Demarco's hypos caused the staff at his preschool to ask me finding elsewhere for him to attend. I saw them try so hard, but it took one day of miscommunication for Demarco to go unconscious during his lunchtime nap. This living- on- the- edge lifestyle was really causing distress for both of us. Fortunately, after a change of insulin, Demarco has become a different boy. He has so much more energy, I have glucagon kits with faded pharmacy stickers and he feels a lot safer. His hypos are less severe, and less frequent. However, like anything to do with Type 1 Diabetes, it's all unpredictably predictable. Hypos still sneak up on Demarco, and he can't feel a thing. My faith in PFD will hopefully see Demarco be able to attend school next year, as he is currently completing Grade 1 through distance education.  A reminder from a little canine friend that he needs to recharge could be all it takes for Demarco to regain some normality in day to day life. I somehow know that Wonderboy and Wonderdog will be a winning team.