Alana's 2nd Diaversary

Today is Alana's 2nd "Diaversary".  I'm so proud of her and how far we have come.

I remember sitting in the ICU with my 6 year old, who was dying before my eyes.  She was weak and not there.  Alana was so brave.  She saw the pain  in my eyes and would tell me that she was going to be Okay. Jen (Alana's first DIAbuddy) and Wendy where the first people I called. I know they came into our lives when they did for a reason.  With out them I may have fallen apart. It seemed like a whirl-wind. Dr.s, nurses, educators.  I felt like I was in a dream land.  There's no way that this was happening to my child. She was perfect.  After four days in the ICU we were left to medically care for someone who's life now relied so heavily on us and insulin.  Alana was thrilled to go home.  I on the other hand was scared to death.  As we drove away from the hospital, I half wanted to turn back.

As I look back at these events, I think about what they have done for me as a parent to a child with T1D.  This nasty disease, in my mind, had taken my daughter's life away from her.   She wasn't herself for a very long time. But as we learned our new normal. Things got better. We found a new passion as a family.   Finding a cure.

As soon as I was home I began searching the web for every bit of research, every support group, every trick, recipe.... I was a mad women. We were living and breathing T1d.  I began blogging and photographing the ins and outs of out daily doings. It was the only thing I knew to do.  But it was that initial "FREAK OUT" that molded us and helped create Alana's Brave Crew.

 It was hard going out in public at first.  We'd get lots of stares. Even the rude person that told me that I needed to take my sick child into the bathroom  "to do that",  Alana cried so hard once that I had to confront two ladies an educate them on the matter.  It happens with any disease.  Alana now does it on her own, which is a sight to see.

Only two weeks after her diagnosis, Alana and I participated in our first fundraiser.  Strike out Diabetes. It was a great way for us as a family to jump right in feet first.  We met amazing people including Alana's hero, Hall of fame bowler, Lynda Barnes. She's an amazing example to us and has a son who us T1d as well.  This was our first event to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.  Also Known as JDRF.   Alana's painting raised nearly $800!   To date we've raised over $10,000 for the cause.

Flash forward two years and Alana has now had an insulin pump for a year and a half.  It's her external pancreas.  We like to call her our little robot.  Just looking at her, you'd never know she has a disease that is so terrible.  Tho the pump and blood sugar checks in public are a dead give away.

Alana has become a mentor of sorts herself.  She  has befriended another girl at school who was recently diagnosed.  These girls are adorable together and  hope to be bunk-mates at The Texas Lions Diabetes Camp this summer.  At her Dr.  Alana talks/teaches the resident Dr.s about insulin pump therapy, continual  blood glucose monitoring and also about what it's like to be a Diabetic. One Dr. said that she can't believe that she was looking up to someone so little. Our Diabetic Educator and Endocrinologist are convinced she will work in Diabetes research or become an Endo herself.  I Think they're  right.

(here's a coloring page for anyone who'd like to use it.)

Happy Second Diaversary Alana!