It all started March 20th 2013. I had just arrived to work at the wound center checking in on everyone. My cell phone rang and it was the High School nurse. She told me that my son was complaining that he was dizzy after athletics this morning. This had been the second time in two weeks. She asked him if she could take his blood sugar. She was expecting it to be a low reading. He agreed and she took his reading. The machine showed HIGH. The machine reads up to 540. I knew this wasn’t good and my RN mind tried to critically think WHY? He had awoken up late and ran out the door with two hot dogs just to have something. (Not a normal happening). “Could it be the hot dogs?” It’s funny how you think when you know the reality. Off on a 25 mile or so drive to the school I went. I prayed all the way there this would be a fluke, rehashing the last few days to weeks over and over. He had informed me a week or so earlier that he had gotten dizzy so I gave him some AdvoCare protein bars to bring up a blood sugar then. Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar runs in the family.
That morning I had thought to myself “He sure has been sleeping a lot lately.” Explained it away with “but he’s 17 you know teenagers do that.” How could I have missed it?
We had been eating healthier and all of us had lost weight. Including my son (who was not overweight be no means of the definition). I had lost 37 pounds and he had lost 10 pounds. Eating right and being athletic that’s what happens, right?
He also told the nurse (you don’t tell your mom these things) that he was getting up several times a night to go to the bathroom. Would I have gotten it if I had known that? I am a nurse that deals with diabetes all the time and love diabetic education. How did I miss it?
Stop it mother! He’s your son and all the pieces weren’t available till now. He’s alive and that is what matters. 1 Peter 5:7 ESV – Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
A few calls to the prayer warriors and a few texts to those that care. Off to the ER with a young man in Diabetic Ketoacidosis. Our journey begins…..