2009 - We moved from Montana, to Cary, NC. 2 weeks before we moved, DJ was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes (June 11, 2009). The day after school got out and on our way to Utah for my parents to watch the kids so we could fly to NC to look at a house....DJ had wet the bed several nights in a row and Darron picked up on it so quickly...I was in denial but we decided to take him to the Dr on our way out to Utah and sure enough, Darron was right. We quickly learned how to give shots and decided that we would continue our education at Primary Childrens hospital in Utah and Darron would fly to NC by himself and I would stay with DJ. It was a tough, rough day filled with lots of tears, but grateful that it wasn't much worse. This we could control. We cried together everytime we had to give him a shot, but he was so tough. After about a week, he was doing his shots by himself. He learned really quickly how to count carbs and how to take care of himself.
We drove across the country with the 3 kids and boy, what a journey. We stopped at many places and had a great time, but it was a LONG drive and I can't say I would ever do it again! We arrived at our new home and slept on the floor for almost a week before our furniture arrived. It was like camping but with the great convenience of fast food and restaurants to eat. The kids loved running around in an empty house. When we arrived, we went to sign up DJ for 2nd grade to find out that it was a year round school, which we had never done before, AND it started in 2 days. So this year, DJ got a 3 week summer. Poor kid.
DJ had his birthday and turned 7. What a strong, strong boy. A stranger came up to us in the pharmacy one day and gave DJ a stuffed Lion and told him he had a heart of a Lion. She, too, cried with us as we shared what DJ had experienced over the last 2 months.
After starting 2nd grade, DJ was falling behind very quickly. After much discussion with the principal, his teacher and Darron and I, we decided to put DJ back in 1st grade. He was just too far behind to get caught up and we would rather him be on top then constantly struggling, especially with all his was having to deal with already with his Diabetes.
My parents were able to fly out and spend a couple of weeks with us so I could spend time at DJ's new school teaching everyone how to take care of DJ. He was the only one in the entire school with Type 1 Diabetes, so no one knew anything....I spent most of the day there because DJ was so afraid he would die at school because no one knew how to take care of him. So thankful that my parents were able to come out and help.
Well...4 weeks into school, and after moving back to 1st grade, DJ was in the Duke ER with his Diabetes. It was then that I happened to tell the Dr while we were there, that DJ was complaining that his side was hurting. I thought it was due to all the changes and anxiety that he had over the last month, but I was wrong. They checked DJ into the hospital and we had an ultrasound done to check his appendix. When we arrived back at his room, everyone was there ready to take him to have emergency surgery. He had apendicitis. Holy cow. Can this poor kid catch a break? It was a shock to all of us. I laid with him in his bed as they rolled him down to surgery...him crying, I'm trying not to cry....Darron trying not to cry....ugh, what a mess. He pulled through with flying colors and recovered really quickly. This kid is so tough...he is my hero!!!
In December, we were able to finally get DJ on an insulin pump so he didn't have to have so many shots during the day. It was awesome and he was so glad. We first tried the Ping, but with DJ being so active, the wire got in the way so we decided to go with the Omni Pod because it's wireless. DJ has a small contraption on his arm and just carries a "fanny pack" with all his stuff in it and his PDM. It's really cool.
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