Sisters should not have to share diabetes...

FACT.

I'm sure this will ramble a bit but I have a lot on my mind I need to get off my chest.  Lets start this story off at last week.

FRIDAY:

My 2 year old Amelia was showing a few signs of T1D.  The most important being that she was going to the bathroom a lot.  So I checked her blood sugar and it was 134. Mind you, to this point we have checked her sugars were always under 100.  So we decided we'd call the Dr. and take her in.  A urinalysis was done and everything checked out with no sugar spilling into her urine  The Dr. wanted to do a blood panel on her as well but it had to be fasting.  Plans were to go in on Monday for LAB work.

SATURDAY:

Morning blood sugar on Amelia 119.

SUNDAY:

Amelia's morning blood sugar 94. Normal. 

We went to church and I started to notice something strange going on with Ariana (our soon to be 5 year old).  She was very sleepy in her primary class and even fell asleep during our Sacrament meeting. Odd.  She NEVER does this.  We came home from church and she feel asleep on the couch.  WHAT THE HECK?!?! 

Suddenly I'm having flash backs to 11 months ago.  Yes,  it was a Sunday. and Alana feel asleep at church...continued to sleep and got worse... ICU... Type 1 Diabetes.

My mind was racing.  Praying it's not true.

MONDAY (switching focus): 

Checked Amelia's Blood Sugar 108.

Checked Ariana's Blood Sugar... Fasting... 133.

Today was the day Amelia was go get her blood work done.  While Alana was in school I took Ariana and Amelia to the lab.  Amelia was a champ.  She filled several vials of blood with our a flinch   SHE'S 2!!!  Mad props.

After talking to my husband we decided it might be a good idea to have Ariana checked out as well.  So I took her next door to our Dr. and talked to the nurse about our new problem with Ariana.  She took one look at her and said... "Hold on... let me go talk to Dr. Sim."  She came back and told me to go check her in at the front desk.  She was concerned with the her complication.   She looked pail.  Just like Alana did when we took her in. We were quickly pulled into a room, weighed, vitals, full physical.  Dr. Sim saw it too. My little "Rooster" (one of her many names) was pail and lethargic. She asked how long it had been since she had eaten and it was a little over three hours.  So we checked her blood sugar again.

160.

Dr. Sim looked worried. She was no longer worried about Amelia, who had been there last week.  She was now worried about Ariana. What was causing her blood sugar to flux?  Is she a Type 1 Diabetic too?

Urinalysis. (came back with no sugar just like Amelia)

BLLLLOOOODDDD PANNNNNNEEELLLL!!!!!!!!!

She was freaking out. And I must admit I was a bit as well. There's no way I can handle having TWO T1Ds.  No.  Not this soon.  I'm just getting used to this life.  Now you want to throw a wrench in my gears? 

I called Chris while waiting for out turn.  I could tell he was freaking too.  Ariana was called back and it was hard.  She screamed and fought us. Myself and another nurse held her down while the lab tech took several vials of blood. While she was screaming her bloody head of.... (I felt bad for all the other patients there.)... a comforting face walked into the room.  My husband walked (I think he had to have ran) from work to the office.

On both girls they ran:

Comprehensive met. Panel: a panel of 14 blood tests which serves as an initial broad medical screening tool. The CMP provides a rough check of kidney function, liver function, and electrolyte and fluid balance

Insulin antibodies: checks to see if your body has produced antibodies against insulin.

Insulin c-peptide:  test that measures the amount of C-peptide, a byproduct created when the hormone insulin is produced.

Hgb. A1c:  test that shows the average level of blood sugar (glucose) over the previous 3 months. It shows how well you are controlling your diabetes. 

And CBC: used to detect or monitor many different health conditions. It may be used to:

• Diagnose infections or allergies
• Detect blood clotting problems or blood disorders, including anemia
• Evaluate red blood cell production or destruction

After running some errands and picking Alana up from school, I noticed a message on our answering machine.  It was from our nurse, Rosie.  I called her back and she said that the urinalysis came back normal.  Just like Amelia. CBC came back. NORMAL. They did detect an infection, they think it's a UTI but would have to wait for lab results to come back.  For the time being we're to treat the "infection" with antibiotics, which might change as results come back. So what's the explanation for the Blood sugar?  We have none.  For now.

After getting off the phone with Rosie, I received a second call from the referrals office.  They were calling us to let me know that  they were giving Ariana a referral to see Dr. Riley, Alana's Endocrinologist. 

I was puzzled.  Why was she getting this referral?  The office manager had to leave a message for Rosie because she had left for the day.  I was fine with that.  I'd talk to her in the morning.  A few minutes later... another call.  It's Dr. Sim.  (She's the best)  She saw the note and cleared up my worries. Because of the elevated blood sugar, she wanted to be sure to get us covered encase we had to go that route.  Blood work should come back later this week, giving us a better understanding of what is going on in Ariana's little body. 

(I understand that some times infections can make blood sugar flux in Diabetics.  Not as common in non T1Ds.)

So now what?  Well... For now we're checking both Ariana and Amelia's blood sugar every morning.  Just keeping an eye on things.  We're kind of up in the air till results come back.  Right now we're not sure.  We could have a second T1D on our hands.  Maybe 3.  What are the possibilities?  A part of me is lost in all of this craziness   Another is trying to not think about it and keep busy. I don't want to get overly worked up, but also prepare myself for the worst. Chris and I both understand that the possibilities go up. I guess it's a reality we're face when and if the time comes.

Updates soon.