14-months old at the time, has Type 1 diabetes.
Eric's grandfather was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he was 13 years old and died at the age of 50 due to complications from the disease. During our hospital stay back in Oct., a million thoughts raced through our minds � mostly about the big picture. How long will Eric live?
Now we realize that the day-to-day management of the disease is the most overwhelming part. Trying to regulate Eric�s blood sugar has been a complicated balancing act involving insulin, food and activity. And because Eric is a toddler, these variables are especially tough to control. We need to regulate his blood sugar in order to avoid dangerous highs (which can lead to DKA and hasten complications like kidney failure, blindness, nerve damage and heart attacks) as well as lows (which could cause a seizure or unconsciousness). Some days the highs and lows consume us.
Thankfully, Eric is a real trooper. He doesn�t cry when we prick his fingers to check his blood sugar, usually 10 or more times/day� around the clock. For awhile he was on a regimen of multiple daily insulin injections, which meant we had to give him a shot before every meal and snack and before bed � roughly 8/day. On March 23, 2007, we put Eric on an insulin pump. It�s much better than all the shots, but has its challenges for sure- especially when his pump site is changed every other night- Eric dreads this!
One of the biggest obstacles for us has been food. We have to keep track of every piece of food or sip of drink that Eric puts in his mouth, counting all of his carbohydrates. It�s tough explaining to a toddler that he can�t have a cookie because we know it will make his blood sugar skyrocket or that the milk we�re forcing him to drink at 3am is for his own good.
Even though Eric is a good sport about all the extra stuff we do to keep him going, we hope he doesn�t have to deal with the burden of this disease forever. The JDRF, doctors and scientists believe the quest for a cure is closer to reality than ever. We hope so.
~ Jill & Kevin Drinan
