We were in the middle of a busy and hot summer. My 2 1/2 year old daughter, who had been potty trained early, started wetting the bed at night. I realized she had been drinking more, and chalked it up to the heat. Soon, she was constantly asking for water and gulping it down. I remember joking with her and asking if she had been lost in the desert for days. When I mentioned it to the daycare providers, they said they noticed she would sometimes lay down during the middle of play time.
As the week went on, the drinking and urination became more extreme. I decided to call the pediatrician to get her checked out for a UTI. In the back of my mind I thought about diabetes and mentioned it to my husband. But I really didn't think it was possible. I called our pediatrician's office and waited patiently but didn't receive a call back. Frustrated by the end of the day, I called a different office and since it was 4:45 p.m., they had me come in first thing the next morning.
After doing a urinalysis, they physician came in and said there was glucose in her urine. He was very solemn and said we needed to confirm with a blood test. Serenity's blood sugar was 483. I started to cry knowing at that moment, my sweet baby's life would be changed forever. All the doctors and diabetic educators told us we had caught it early but I was still upset that I had waited so long to get her checked.
Serenity has done so well and made it easy for us. She knows what she can or can not eat. When others offer her candy or desserts, she turns it down or asks if she can bring it home to her brother. She never gets upset at school when others are snacking. She knows she has a schedule and sticks to it. She will be turning five soon. Everyday we are amazed and proud of how wonderful she handles diabetes.
Charleston, SC
