OT: NOT what I want to be doing this week...

So sorry to hear about all this. I've been there. Thankfully the doctors are getting things under control. You all are in my prayers. Barbara in SC

Sending lots and lots of good thoughts. Have had several diabetic students in class. Some handle it well, others not so well. Not something that a 16 year old needs to deal with. Enough going on in their life already. Sounds like he is getting going well with everything so far. Routine and consistency will be hard to keep up on. That is the challenge.

Hang in there everyone.

Steven Alaska

Thanks, Steven. I've been through all this before with his dad, and had several students have hypos on me over the years... It's a bugger, but we'll cope. We tend to...

Thanks. We'll cope, but I can't help the grief for him and all his dreams.

Good thoughts coming! You're right, it IS a life sentence, life being the important word. But the worst that could happen isn't going to, and everything else can be dealt with once he gets his head around it. I'm a little upset by your remark that your perfect baby is "broken"

-not so! Just means he's human! There is no such thing as a person without flaws, and in many ways it's very positive if you know where your weak spot is. It's the things you don't know about that will eventually get you. It might be that you are more upset about it than he is? (((Hugs))) Roberta in D

Ah, me. Dear, dear Kate. Discovering that your son must live with diabetes and so soon after losing your Mom. I hold you close in my heart and prayers. There's just so much I don't know about this 'new' lifestyle. I would hope that research has made advances and he won't be limited or limited much. The challenge here I'm thinking will be in getting a 16 year-old to pay attention. You will probably have to follow him around and yell. A lot. Does it help at all that he does enjoy cooking? Polly

Thanks. We'll cope, but I can't help the grief for him and all his dreams.

Yeah, we've been here before with Alan, so we know roughly what to expect. But each case id different as well, no one regime fits all, so there will be adjustments to make.

That was just my initial reaction, and perfectly normal when something mum can't fix happens. I'll adjust. Thing is, he's been disgustingly healthy up to now, and then to have something so serious and permanent happen is a bit of a bugger all round.

There is no such thing as a person

Oh, no. I'm much more able to accept now that it's happened. He's finding it very hard, and very unfair. And there's just WAAAAAY too much for him to take in in the middle of a two month period of public exams.

It's never a good time for this to happen, but right now REALLY sucks.

He will cook (an very well, too!). And he's already making some adjustments. I'm used to some of the regime with Alan, but the extra worry of having two of them, a couple of months of public exams, and the teenage mutant ninja hormones doesn't help.

There are leaps and bounds in understanding almost every year: thi9ngs have moved on enormously since Alan was diagnosed in 1995. And James may be involved in a new study, if he wishes, which may help more understanding of how this condition develops and why.

Your prayers are much appreciated. Thank you.

Hugs and positive thoughts are on their way! Teenage is a tough time to deal with this, and he's going to have to make some major adjustments... BUT it's a much more positive outlook than it might have been. ME-Judy

Definitely praying, and do what it's all about - younger bro. at age 14. Hang in there! It's tough, but not impossible. {{{hugs}}} to all!

Karen, Queen of Squishies

Just know that 1) grief is part of life, unfortunately and 2) he will quickly grasp new dreams to fill his thoughts and life with. Again {{{hugs}}} to all!

Karen, Queen of Squishies

It's a bugger, innit!

Yeah, Alan already copes, so James isn't totally new to the regime, just new to applying it personally...

Thanks. New dreams will come, but they may take a few months to settle in...

Oh wow, Kate. What a difficult diagnosis to get at his young age! Prayers and hugs; in time he WILL learn to manage this new change in his life and not let it get in his way. Blessings to you all.

-Irene

Thank you. Much appreciated.

Difficult at any age, as Himself would say after diagnosis at 42! Spectacularly bad timing for James, though. I feel kinda useless today.

"Cue horrible sinking feeling as a mum realizes that her beautiful, perfect baby is broken... Long term he'll do fine. But the next few months are going to be very hard, and there are all sorts of career choices and school things and stuff like the World Challenge that he may need to rethink."

Ah, the first part, I can identify with...somewhat.....but I don't see it as broken, especially if it is something that runs in the family. I'm praying for you guys like I'm praying for my kids - diabetes runs rampant on both sides of my family, and now we have to worry about kidney disease as Ken is the first in the family to develop it. However, eating and exercise habits can be learned and adjusted as needed. Autism can't be dealt with by such simple means...but I don't see my son as broken....I guess I'm just upset that the term "broken" would be used to describe an inheritable health issue

Feel free to flame away......I don't read this group very often anymore anyway, but had to see what Kate was having to deal with

That's just it: it doesn't! Alan was a sport of some sort... He's the very first we've been able to trace on either side. Doubles the guilt for him.

That's a real bugger. ((((((HUGS)))))) to you and yours.

I see it as my reaction, not the reality. No, he's not really nroken, just a bit different. But after everything else we've been through this last year (bro's inoperable hernia [three mended, one left as too dangerous to operate! All congenital, but typically manifesting in middle age]), Mum's death, Big Sis's deterioration on the athsma front and diganosis of polymiagia, the unexpected grandchild for Little Sis (who we are all really looking forward to now the shock of a teen father has been absorbed!), me starting the new business... One damned thing to many, and the shattering of almost all his hopes and dreams for the future. No army career.

It's been tough, but we'll survive. Luckily the Bionic Granddad is doing well at the moment: no more spare part surgery, and he has a new computer to play with, and is learning to surf the net! Must get him on Skype... And me!

You may not get time to read here often, but you are always looked for, and always in our thoughts. We love to hear the progress the kids are making, and keep you and Ken in our prayers.

Kate - please don't think I don't care what has been happening as I really do, but when I read the bit about "broken" it made me just see red. I've heard that term and others bantered around about children with Autism and it makes my blood boil. So please please understand why I was so upset. I tried to be calm when I posted, but in reading back, I can see where you and other group members would read it and go, "what the hell?? Not even a bit of compassion?? How dare she??!!??"

If Alan was the first and Ken is the first, we are both in the same boat. We are terrified of having the children tested, but have been advised to do so when they reach puberty (not so far for Thomas, which in itself is scary). However, once it is in their medical records, the shit hits the fan and insurance will probably be a nightmare. Why does diabetes preclude military service over there? I have friends that are (still) in the service and have diabetes (both types) and they do fine. I guess it's just one more thing that I don't understand.

As for progress of the children over here....Thomas starts middle school in August, and we got most of what we wanted put in his IEP. Bek will be in 2nd grade in August and finished this school year reading at a 6th grade reading level....and is now part of the gifted and talented program. I have no real concerns for her, but am not sure how Thomas will adjust because, up until this point, the entire homeroom class moved through the school together....it won't be that way in 6th grade. He will be attending summer classes at the Virginia Institute of Autism with the hope that he will be able to learn how to integrate with his peers in a socially acceptable manner (I hate IEP speak, but there it is) and that he will be able to adjust to the different expectations and transitions within the school. If not, we may have to pull him and find a more appropriate school setting for him...such is life....and yet, Mother wants me to bring the children up to "help her move" now that her tenants are out and she is suing them...apparently the false image of me as superwoman has gotten accepted as reality by some people......life goes on and things will eventually get better.....it has to because, seriously, can it get any worse??