This is a lot to read, so if you just want a few jokes, look at the bottom.  Yeah, we have been making jokes about this to cope… I think it’s healthy.

Luke got sick on Wednesday at a birthday party. He was pukey since then up until Firday.  He was sick for sure but not like seizures or anything and he didn't have a fever.  So Kristin watched him and did what every good mom does for sick kids-- loads them up on sugary soda and carby crackers. This Friday night Luke was pretty sick, but ok.  He just seemed to have a bug.  It was of a minor enough concern to Kristin and me that we went and grabbed dinner downtown without him—leaving him home alone for a few hours. He just  was really tired, and it looked just like a flu bug.  But  in my heart and in Kristin’s we sort of knew something was up.  For the last few weeks Luke has been asking to stop for drinks a lot, and drinking a ton.  He also has been using the bathroom more ferociously and more often. So Kristin and I had passing conversations on if we should get him checked out for diabetes. The first talk was a couple weeks ago when we went to Indy to the children's museum.  

On Friday night Luke said he was feeling better.  I think he would probably tell us that he was lying to us to make us feel better. Kristin and I started getting more worried later on Friday night—Luke looked really bad—he’d lost his color and was just lying around.   That is completely atypical for him.  We thought he most likely had a bad flu but the diabetes thing was still there in the back of our minds. 

Saturday morning happened.  Luke looked terrible.  He was pale as a sheet, and barely talking.  Kristin said “I was going to wait until Monday, but I think I need to get to the doctor today.”   I had had a long week at work and I was going to completely veg out most of the day and play video games.  Kristin took Luke to get checked out.  I played a few games and started to feel guilty about my honey-do list and I was little nervous about diabetes (or whatever other serious illness) and Luke.  It would keep me busy and put the nervous energy to use. I went to the garage and gathered up some carpentry tools. I had a small woodworking/ construction job to do that I thought I would knock out in the morning and then get back to some r and r in the afternoon. I heard my phone vibrating once.  I didn’t think much of it.  I measured some things and then I remembered my phone—I when and checked it.  I had 10 calls from Kristin, and a message saying “Diabetes—600+ blood sugar, pack a bag for Luke we are headed to the hospital.”   I called Kristin and she said “hey – I was at the Doctor, and they gave us a ‘script for some anti-nausea meds.  You know how we have been sort of like ‘is this diabetes?’ – well I asked they check him. I almost didn’t ask.  Anyway it’s not a get a police escort type emergency, but we have to get to the Goshen ER now.”

There are two points in my life where an event hit me hard and I knew everything was different in an instant.  First time I held Luke when he was born, and this.
    

We get to the ER at about 10 AM. They have us for about an hour—they are just pumping liquids and insulin into this guy.  You’re going to have to excuse the brevity of this portion—I just really don’t remember a lot of it. I do remember once arriving at a hospital, and thinking “what did I do on the car ride here?—I completely don’t remember it.” I said a hospital because it was either Goshen or South Bend Memorial--I can’t say for sure. About SB Mem—we got transferred there from Goshen.  They don’t have a pediatric endocrinologist in Goshen so to South Bend we go.  Kristin and Luke went by ambulance and I got Kristin’s packing list and met them there.  At this point they said “you should prepare to spend the night there—just in case they keep him that long.”

I arrived at the hospital.  I was there for maybe 8 hours.  Kristin’s parents were with us from Goshen ER to South Bend.  My parents came in that night – all the way from Akron Ohio.  We also had Lisa (Benner) and Olivia there at some point.  The support was nice.  We were learning a lot already—but this was mostly the day of getting Luke away from comas and dying. I don’t really remember a lot other than that. It’s a blur.  I do remember talking though with people about how Kristin had a T1D little girl last year, while they were doing a lot of the learning of how to deal with this thing and that I had taken care of a T1D at my work—even to the extent of doing his injections and calculations.   I also remember leaving pretty early to go home and let the dog out—but I also needed to be away from it all for a minute to let stuff sink it.  I left the hospital at about probably 8.  I don’t really remember driving home that night.  I do remember not sleeping just rehearsing all the bills and routine changes yet to come while texting Kristin every few minutes to get updates. I also remember Kari – the mom of Kristin’s T1D student adding me as friend on Facebook that night.  That was a huge deal to me.  It was a visible reminder that lots of families deal with this, and can minimize the impact largely. It was just going to be a new way of thinking about things.

Sunday morning I get back to the hospital pretty early.  I met Kathy (our diabetic educator) and we did some classes.  It was crazy—the day Luke was diagnosed he was 1 of 4 T1D kiddos there with initial diagnoses in that wing of the hospital.  They say that 80 new cases are discovered a day of type 1. Having 4 in that hospital was really out of whack for what should have been happening in this part of the world and the area SBMH covers.

 Ok. We had classes.  Kristin and I knew nearly everything that was covered—just from our experiences getting us ready.  The instructor even said that as well as Luke was recovering and as fast as we had mastered all the materials, we’d be out soon. That day Luke had some friends visit- that was huge for him too.  I think he was worried he would get picked on or treated weird because of this.  His buddy was curious for maybe 10 minutes and then they played games and stuff. Luke and I played some video games in the hospital too—it was a chance to return to normal(ish). Kari and her family—Kristin’s IRL friend, and my new FB pal, came to see us too.  This was really cool—they were here in my shoes like a couple years ago and they knew the right things to say and do.  They brought their diabetic service dog—who was FREAKING OUT because Luke was really high and the service dog’s little girl she serves was getting low.  It was actually kind of funny. They also brought some diabetic survival supplies.  This little “welcome to diabetes” gift was really great too- it was like “oh- that makes sense” type stuff. I think all of us were really blessed by this visit—especially when the other daughter—the one Luke’s age asked to pray with us.  I don’t really remember the words she said, but I remember thinking and feeling God is in control. That visit with strangers (former strangers) was probably one of the most impactful things of the weekend in a positive light.

One the way home that night I was thinking about everything.  As I got off the bypass I nearly heard a voice tell me “Hey Joel—diabetes sucks. I hate it. There is a lot I hate about the world, and bad stuff happens to good people, because just sometimes life is messed up.  But I knew this was inevitable, and going to happen, so I had Kristin and you serve diabetic students to get you ready.  I gave you and Kristin the sensitivity to see the diabetes in the flu.  I have you planning to hook Luke up with NMC student ministries because Derry (type 1 diabetic pastor with student min) is there, and I  even had you start counting carbs in the months prior to get ready. (I have been on a ketogenic diet since October, and you have to be militant [diabetic-like even] in counting carbs – also down 50 pounds! WOOT!). I had you work with diabetic people even and gave you an odd curiosity about their condition.  This sucks for Luke badly- but man I love him and all you. I did everything I could to get you ready!"   I went home and I was able to sleep after that.

We came home late Monday and had our first mishap in calculating carb ratios.  Luke and I ended up going on a two hour walk and water drinking contest in the rain.  His sugar got back down to a reasonable number, and he and I had an amazing and memorable bonding experience.  I will remember that walk on my deathbed and the rewards of that bonding wouldn’t have happened otherwise… I mean I would trade the memory for a cure to diabetes, but silver linings right?

Today his sugar is back to about normal – 128 this afternoon and 107 at dinner—which is well within range.

Ok now the jokes I promised.  One this are sort of inside so they may not be funny to everyone. 

At one point the nurse said to Luke she was sorry for having to poke him so many times.  He replied "You shouldn't be sorry-- my pancreas should be!"

During the classes the instructor said it was safe to throw testing strips into regular trash, even in public.  I made the remark to Luke “If kids dig those out and like lick them, they are weird.  I don’t know you should be their friends.”   -- that joke is in here because there is another coming that relates to this.

I love Luke when his sugar is between 250-350.  Its like he can’t turn off his mouth. He chatters like crazy. He vocalizes every thought.  During our walk last night he brought up the kid who licks diabetic strips.  He said “Hey dad, this is Ranger, my friend.  He licks my used strips and gives me a dollar each for them.  Then you would say ‘that kid is weird’.  Then I would say ‘DAD! WHY DO YOU ALWAYS HATE AND JUDGE MY FRIENDS!” and I would run into the bathroom."  This was one of the more normal funny scenarios he talked to me about with that 250-350 blood sugar.  I also have decided if I need him to confess any sins or crimes I will just give him a pudding pop and no insulin...then let him chatter away. (This is a joke--don't call DCS). 

Luke Kristin and I have decided that type 2 diabetes should be no longer called diabetes, but instead  “Oh I understand, my grandma has that / no she doesn’t and no you don’t understand” Syndrome.
  

Yeah—very different.  No, Luke can’t eat whole grains and eat herbal remedies while doing jazzercise to“cure” this.   For real, look at the info graphic I posted last night to better understand if you don’t get it.

Anyway—this should bring everyone up to speed and while I look forward to the new normal we can live, I don’t shy away from questions or whatever—fire away.