Not even in sickness.
Type 1 Diabetes is a pretty rare disease (although Diabetes gets a lot of news coverage) and accounts for about 10% of all types of Diabetics. Rarer still is to develop the disease before you reach your adolescent/teenage years.
Alec was diagnosed on his 3rd birthday.
Hypothyroidism (under active Thyroid) is known to be associated with Type 1 diabetes, as it falls under the umbrella of autoimmune diseases. It's a condition that Diabetics are screened for every year after diagnosis.
Hyperthyroidism (over-active Thyroid) is mostly seen in women in their 30's and 40's. It is not common to see in children, much less young boys.
Alec was diagnosed with Grave's Disease (over-active Thyroid) just before his 6th birthday.
We were told he had about a 20% chance to go into remission from Grave's disease if we tried the anti-thyroid drugs for 3 years. We prayed that he'd fall into that small percentage, but that was not God's plan.
Alec remained off the medication for a total of 8 weeks last summer before the symptoms returned. We knew it was only a matter of time before we'd have to take the radio-iodine route....as his chances for remission were cut to less than 5% after his relapse.
The treatment (drinking a radio active iodine solution) was simple and painless. Alec didn't even gag! We went about our business as usual, assured that there were no side effects (and certainly not in children with the small dose he received).
Alec woke up vomiting violently the next morning.
His blood sugars went through the roof.
He lost his appetite, yet still had high blood sugars.....something was NOT okay.
After pestering the doctors with several phone calls (close to 30), it was finally decided that Alec's Thyroid was acting in a very unusual fashion and producing way too much of its hormone. His Grave's disease symptoms were coming back in full force, and he needed to be put back on his anti-thyroid medication.
If you haven't guessed by now, nothing about Alec's health history is 'normal'. I think (as strange as this sounds) that I would never again complain about the extra care needed for his health needs if only he would follow a 'typical' path.....one that didn't surprise Doctors.
After his Thyroid is dealt with, Alec will be getting a full work-up to find out why he is losing weight. Doctors suspect it is another auto-immune disease that may be rearing its ugly head. As worrisome as that makes me, I am relieved that I am finally being heard by his Doctors. They are beginning to agree that Alec is paving his own path, and they need to keep an eye on it.
I will continue to have faith that God's plan is to prosper Alec (and our family), not to harm us. One day I will see clearly through these trials, and have a deeper understanding of the Strength that only God can give to those who are weak.
Please keep Alec in your prayers.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Train of Thoughts
When you read about the Swine Flu (H1N1) or hear about it on the news....do you sometimes feel a twinge of relief when it's stated that the person who is suffering or has died of it had underlying health issues?
Do you feel somehow less vulnerable because you don't have an issue that puts you at greater risk?
I know that initially I felt these things. That is until they specified the health concerns that complicated the recovery of this particular type of flu. Diabetes.
Chances are that you know of someone with this disease, or have it yourself. Whether it be Type1 or Type 2, the flu doesn't discriminate. It's an awful disease when it's not managed properly...and can be awful even if you do everything in your power to get it under control.
My little bubble of perceived immunity was burst as I gazed over at my son, Alec, who has lived with Diabetes for the past 6.5 years. It was in that moment, when I realized he was at greater risk than the general population, that I made up my mind to never again feel less sad over the death of someone who had underlying health concerns.
The people who love and care for these individuals feel just as much pain and anguish, even if they were aware of the extra health complications. A death is a death. Hearts are broken whether the person was sick or well before passing. Whether they are young or old, they were loved and will be missed.
You can never truly prepare yourself for saying good-bye.
My Mom just came out of surgery about an hour ago. She had a horrible gall bladder attack, and was admitted yesterday. They removed the offending organ, and she's recovering well.
My son Alec received his radio-iodine treatment on Friday afternoon. He has been experiencing some of the uglier side-effects (vomiting, headaches, general fatigue), and the doctors are keeping a close eye on his symptoms. The most difficult part of caring for him has been making sure his younger sisters stayed far enough away from him that they didn't get any radiation exposure (he'll be radio-active for about 5 days).
When his scan was done before the treatment, it measured that the Thyroid was absorbing the iodine at a rate of 50% (they were hoping to see between 5-15%, so it was definitely over-active!). As strange as this sounds, I felt it was a sign from God that we had made the right decision at this point....and my heart was at Peace.
My oldest son has been in a cast for the last 2 weeks. He tore a tendon on the top of his foot during a soccer game, and was put in a cast for stability and protection.
I think the past month has been the busiest month for hospital visits in my life! I do hope the trend is over!
Do you feel somehow less vulnerable because you don't have an issue that puts you at greater risk?
I know that initially I felt these things. That is until they specified the health concerns that complicated the recovery of this particular type of flu. Diabetes.
Chances are that you know of someone with this disease, or have it yourself. Whether it be Type1 or Type 2, the flu doesn't discriminate. It's an awful disease when it's not managed properly...and can be awful even if you do everything in your power to get it under control.
My little bubble of perceived immunity was burst as I gazed over at my son, Alec, who has lived with Diabetes for the past 6.5 years. It was in that moment, when I realized he was at greater risk than the general population, that I made up my mind to never again feel less sad over the death of someone who had underlying health concerns.
The people who love and care for these individuals feel just as much pain and anguish, even if they were aware of the extra health complications. A death is a death. Hearts are broken whether the person was sick or well before passing. Whether they are young or old, they were loved and will be missed.
You can never truly prepare yourself for saying good-bye.
My Mom just came out of surgery about an hour ago. She had a horrible gall bladder attack, and was admitted yesterday. They removed the offending organ, and she's recovering well.
My son Alec received his radio-iodine treatment on Friday afternoon. He has been experiencing some of the uglier side-effects (vomiting, headaches, general fatigue), and the doctors are keeping a close eye on his symptoms. The most difficult part of caring for him has been making sure his younger sisters stayed far enough away from him that they didn't get any radiation exposure (he'll be radio-active for about 5 days).
When his scan was done before the treatment, it measured that the Thyroid was absorbing the iodine at a rate of 50% (they were hoping to see between 5-15%, so it was definitely over-active!). As strange as this sounds, I felt it was a sign from God that we had made the right decision at this point....and my heart was at Peace.
My oldest son has been in a cast for the last 2 weeks. He tore a tendon on the top of his foot during a soccer game, and was put in a cast for stability and protection.
I think the past month has been the busiest month for hospital visits in my life! I do hope the trend is over!
Friday, June 26, 2009
Black and White
God sees things in Black and White. We like to add in 'grey areas' to justify our actions....but really, God sees right through that.
In every circumstance, there is a right and there is a wrong. We look for the 'grey' because it's easier to excuse behaviours (that we ourselves are guilty of) rather than admit to wrongdoing.
How does one reconcile a God of Black and White as loving when we want to see grey?
The love part comes with His forgiveness. He turns the Black in our lives to White with His light of Hope. In order to reach that transforming light, we first need to rid ourselves of the grey to see the Black in our lives....then repent to open up to the light.
Are you wondering what made me get so hooked on this theme? Well, I've been taking black and white pictures of my kids, of course!
In every circumstance, there is a right and there is a wrong. We look for the 'grey' because it's easier to excuse behaviours (that we ourselves are guilty of) rather than admit to wrongdoing.
How does one reconcile a God of Black and White as loving when we want to see grey?
The love part comes with His forgiveness. He turns the Black in our lives to White with His light of Hope. In order to reach that transforming light, we first need to rid ourselves of the grey to see the Black in our lives....then repent to open up to the light.
Are you wondering what made me get so hooked on this theme? Well, I've been taking black and white pictures of my kids, of course!
Saturday, June 13, 2009
On my mind
The test results for Alec's Thyroid came back normal, as did the test for Celiac's disease. We are no closer to understanding his issues than we were a couple weeks ago.
The next step is seeing an Opthamologist, and we have an appointment on the 19th to have his eyes checked out. We are also on a waiting list for the RAI (radio-active iodine) treatment. I'm praying that we can get his health in check before school starts in September!
On a brighter note, the school year is coming to an end and all three children have been getting excellent grades on their tests and projects! Each of their teachers have commented on what a joy they are to teach--which completely warms my heart.
Annlise's cast is finally off her leg, with one more follow-up appointment scheduled in one month to make sure her heel bone is getting more solid. She mentioned today that she misses her cast. Why does that give me a sinking feeling in my stomach?
Today is a beautiful sunny day out. It's amazing what a little sunshine can do for me.
The next step is seeing an Opthamologist, and we have an appointment on the 19th to have his eyes checked out. We are also on a waiting list for the RAI (radio-active iodine) treatment. I'm praying that we can get his health in check before school starts in September!
On a brighter note, the school year is coming to an end and all three children have been getting excellent grades on their tests and projects! Each of their teachers have commented on what a joy they are to teach--which completely warms my heart.
Annlise's cast is finally off her leg, with one more follow-up appointment scheduled in one month to make sure her heel bone is getting more solid. She mentioned today that she misses her cast. Why does that give me a sinking feeling in my stomach?
Last day with the cast:
Getting the cast sawed off:
Today is a beautiful sunny day out. It's amazing what a little sunshine can do for me.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Pain is not Punishment
I have already come to the realization that my children do not belong to me but have been entrusted to my care for as many days as God has written for them in His book. I don't get to decide when He calls them home, but I do get to love them each and every day I am allowed to be their Mom.
With the recent worries over Alec's health, I have been praying that Jesus would take away his discomforts and pain. I have been agonizing over decisions to be made, and lamenting about how unfair it is for my child to be going through so many struggles.
In short, I have been having a pity party....
In the midst of my prayers and petitions for mercy, God revealed to me that pain in life is not punishment. It is one aspect of human life that is shared universally....whether it be emotional, physical or mental pain, we all experience it at some point in our lives. What you do with that pain is the difference between being defeated or being lifted above your circumstances.
The temptation for me to curl up in a ball and stay in my valley of despair is strong. It's an effort on my part each day to choose to be hopeful and content and to share my burdens with those who keep my eyes on Christ's promise of comfort.
My job is not to ensure my children live a life void of pain. That would be an impossible task! No, my role is to teach them where to turn to for healing and comfort. I must walk with them through the hurts, not around them.
With the recent worries over Alec's health, I have been praying that Jesus would take away his discomforts and pain. I have been agonizing over decisions to be made, and lamenting about how unfair it is for my child to be going through so many struggles.
In short, I have been having a pity party....
In the midst of my prayers and petitions for mercy, God revealed to me that pain in life is not punishment. It is one aspect of human life that is shared universally....whether it be emotional, physical or mental pain, we all experience it at some point in our lives. What you do with that pain is the difference between being defeated or being lifted above your circumstances.
The temptation for me to curl up in a ball and stay in my valley of despair is strong. It's an effort on my part each day to choose to be hopeful and content and to share my burdens with those who keep my eyes on Christ's promise of comfort.
My job is not to ensure my children live a life void of pain. That would be an impossible task! No, my role is to teach them where to turn to for healing and comfort. I must walk with them through the hurts, not around them.
I am awaiting a phone call from Alec's doctors with blood test results. He is being screened for a condition called Celiac's disease. I will continue to give Thanks to God for going ahead of us on this path and providing us with direction, even though my heart is heavy.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
My walls have colour!!
Here are the promised pictures of the work I've been doing for the past week or so. Both my husband and I survived painting together (even though the red took 6 layers to get right!!). It was a good time spent together, and we are very happy with what we accomplished.
It is agreed, however, that any more painting will be done by professionals because of the time it requires.
Our 'before' shot (we didn't take proper before shots, so I found some in my old pictures)
You can see the walls are a very light (almost no colour) shade of beige.
And our after shots:
Monday, June 1, 2009
Beep.
From a low point on the weekend, to a renewed strength in the Lord....what a wonderful feeling to rise out of the valley and experience even a moment of pure joy and laughter!
Alec, my son whom I have been praying for and crying out for Mercy for, was used by God to touch my heart this evening.
Preparing for bed, he suddenly remembered a homework assignment that was over due that he hadn't completed yet. I told him he could do it early in the morning, as it was already late and he needed rest.
Without my knowledge, Alec snuck out of bed and found the duo-tang for his homework. It was his reading log, where he records all the reading he has done for the month, then reflects on his effort in a letter to his teacher.
As I sat down to drink my tea and watch a movie, I notice this strategically placed duo-tang next to the love seat. I didn't look through it until the movie had finished (by the way, "Taken" with Liam Neeson is an AWESOME movie!).
When I flipped to the back to check his spelling, this is what I found:
"Dear Mme. (teacher),
This month I read a Pokemon Poster 4 times and read a Lego magazine 1 time. The Lego Magazine I think is adventure. The Pokemon Poster was just boring. Whoops...almost forgot I also read "Oh the thinks you can think" and it was fiction. I finished all the books and posters. My favorite book this month was the Lego magazine because I like Lego. I feel like I did good this month and I'll try to read more next month then I did this month. My goal for next month is to read a little bit more. Bye.
Please leave after this beep.
beeeeeeeeeeeeepppp.
Your buddy, Alec.
I have not laughed so hard in such a long time....and tonight's tears were of joy and complete love for a beautiful blessing from God.
Beeeeep.
Alec, my son whom I have been praying for and crying out for Mercy for, was used by God to touch my heart this evening.
Preparing for bed, he suddenly remembered a homework assignment that was over due that he hadn't completed yet. I told him he could do it early in the morning, as it was already late and he needed rest.
Without my knowledge, Alec snuck out of bed and found the duo-tang for his homework. It was his reading log, where he records all the reading he has done for the month, then reflects on his effort in a letter to his teacher.
As I sat down to drink my tea and watch a movie, I notice this strategically placed duo-tang next to the love seat. I didn't look through it until the movie had finished (by the way, "Taken" with Liam Neeson is an AWESOME movie!).
When I flipped to the back to check his spelling, this is what I found:
"Dear Mme. (teacher),
This month I read a Pokemon Poster 4 times and read a Lego magazine 1 time. The Lego Magazine I think is adventure. The Pokemon Poster was just boring. Whoops...almost forgot I also read "Oh the thinks you can think" and it was fiction. I finished all the books and posters. My favorite book this month was the Lego magazine because I like Lego. I feel like I did good this month and I'll try to read more next month then I did this month. My goal for next month is to read a little bit more. Bye.
Please leave after this beep.
beeeeeeeeeeeeepppp.
Your buddy, Alec.
I have not laughed so hard in such a long time....and tonight's tears were of joy and complete love for a beautiful blessing from God.
Beeeeep.
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