Many of you do not know my background and I would like to share it with you so you can have a better understanding of me and why Kyli and diabetes is so important in my life.
Think back to the middle school years, some of us shudder while others think of all the good times they had. Most people remember puberty, buying new "cool" clothes, making great friends that you could get into trouble with. You remember getting to be a mouthy teen that was starting to discover who they are as an individual.
That is not what I remember, at all. What most people do not know is that my Mom is a Type 1 Diabetic, that means she is insulin dependent. She was diagnosed at the age of 10 and by the time I was in middle school had had diabetes for about 20 years...and at the 20 year mark, most diabetics start battling some complications from diabetes. My Mom had given birth to my sister about 3 years prior and the stresses on her body from pregnancy had induced more than just one complication from diabetes in my middle school years.
About me, in middle school, each year I was basically in the same awful clothes. Baggy sweats, baggy shirts, and not with the times. I was quiet and reserved. Here is why, in 6th grade, one morning my Mom woke up able to only see from one of her eyes. Within a month she had gone blind. My Mom's eyes were hemorrhaging from the constant blood pressure changes in her eyes due to the highs and lows of her blood sugars for so long. She was already scheduled to have surgery on her the first eye, but they refused to do both eyes in one surgery. My Mom was blind and I had a 3 year old sister that needed to be cared for. My Dad, he was busy providing for the family. Someone had to continue to work while my Mom was unable. At this point, I took up the role as a caretaker for my Mom, Mother to my sister and maid of the house. I was no longer and never again a child or teenager for that matter. We were never told that my Mom would get her vision back, there was no guarantee that they could get the bleeding under control and save the vision she had. For the next three years, we battled with the bleeding in my Mom's eyes. She would have surgery, wait for the healing of 6 weeks, which during that time they encouraged ONLY dark rooms and looking down, we would see her vision slowly come back and then POOF, it would start bleeding again and she would be fully blind AGAIN. This happened so many times, I lost count, and stopped getting my hopes up that she would get her vision back. It was at this time I vividly remember praying to God asking him to give her her vision back so that she could watch my little sister grow up, I did not see myself as a child anymore and she did not need to see me grow anymore. After our long battle, my Mom's vision was finally restored, however the innocence and carefree attitude I had once had was gone. The things I cared for in life different, the importance of just about everything altered. During the time that my Mom lost her vision, there were three other women with diabetes that were going through the same thing, of all of them, my Mom is the only one with her vision.
Around the same time as my Mom's vision leaving, she also had her thyroid quit, this meant she needed to be on medication and with as long as it took to get her on the correct dose, I think she slept the better part of a year...even at work on accident. The other health issue that developed was her kidney's started to fail. This is devastating. There were medications that helped slow the damage, but about 3years ago, my Mom had her first kidney transplant. It was very scary because even with how amazing medicine is nowadays, there was still a chance of rejection. Luckily, her kidney is doing wonderful. However, because it is not her kidney, she is still on medication to prevent rejection and always will be. With the medication, your chances of developing cancer are higher. So we pray.
Where am I going with this?! Well, her it is. Kyli is now getting ready to celebrate her first Diaversary (Diabetes Anniversary- the day we were diagnosed), Sept 21st. I will remember the date forever. Kyli has diabetes, we charge forward courageously. I show no fear. However, deep down I have HUGE fears. Fears that can keep my up for hours on end. What if Kyli ends up battling like my Mom, but maybe she is not as victorious. Now I know there are better medicines for diabetics, I know. I lived the battle with my Mom for the better part of three years, it was scary, it still is. Think as a parent, you do not want your child to have to battle anything. Mine already does, we battle for her life everyday, but it could be so much more and so much worse. Please understand, in one day, if Kyli is not given any insulin she could DIE in DKA. One day, that is all it could take.
I would like everyone to celebrate with us this month, by signing up or donating to us for the American Diabetes Association Step Out for Diabetes Walk. Even $5.00 will help put Kyli closer to never having to worrying about diabetes and the issues that go with it. We are pushing to get towards are goal and this week is Team Week, we have many challenges that we are trying to accomplish. Come walk with us and see how many people you can really touch. This walk is to celebrate people with Type 1, like Kyli, and Type 2 which is generally older people. We had a blast last year and would love to have a larger awesome team this year. If you have any questions, about Type 1 or about the walk please let me know. Here is our web page for the walk: http://main.diabetes.org/goto/heathergochenour
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