cameron was just like any typical five year old. Then over night everything had changed. He was so moody and always just wanted to sleep, he didnt even want to play with his brother. which was very unusual. I had thought maybe it was just a phase he was going through. He then became very sick and abusive. I had noticed he was losing weight and was sleeping all day. then we thought he had a uti and took him into the doctors. She was asking us very odd questions. she asked is he always thirsty and does it have to be a certain temperature, which it had to be ice cold water. she checked his urine for ketones and came back into the room with another doctor. Calmly she told me cameron has large ketones in his urine. i started bawling. she said she had already called the hospital and they were waiting on us. i tried my hardest to stay calm in front of cameron on the ride over. we got there and they immediatley took him to get an iv. it took me and six nurses and a blanket wrapped around him to get his iv in. the nurse looked at me and said hes in dka. my heart literally fell to the floor. the only time i had heard of dka is when someone had died from it. they gave him fluids and insulin and told me what cameron was going through. he is a juvenile diabetic and his blood glucose was above 800. i had to learn and teach everything about diabetes in two days. it was so hard for cameron, i had to explain to him that hed have it for the rest of his life and we both cried together. its been a year since hes been diagnosed. he is doing so great with it. he has the one touch ping insulin pump and lives life like theres nothing wrong with him. he explains to people what juvenile diabetes is and how he has to manage it. i am so proud of him!

kim
martins ferry, OH