This is a personal story from of member of our ElderCounsel team who lives with a son with diabetes. August 31st 2012 is a date that I will never forget. This is the day my 10 year old son was diagnosed as a Type 1 Diabetic. My son plays youth football and is usually pretty active during both practice time and game days. I started to notice the slowness and lack of energy with both football and school. There was also the excessive drinking and more than usual bathroom trips. I chalked it up to coming off of summer break and getting back into the routine of both School and Football. Finally I had enough and wanted to make sure there wasn’t something more to his behavior change. While describing my son’s symptoms to the Pediatric doctor, he immediately pricked his finger and tested his blood on what I now know was a Glucose monitor. The Doctor said three numbers “563” and at the time I didn’t understand what that meant, and then came the dreaded word Diabetic. I was in complete shock. The only words that came from my mouth were “Are you serious”. I was in total dismay that this was happening to my baby who was also totally clueless as to what Diabetic meant. The Doctor scrambled quickly to get us to our local hospital that specializes in Endocrinology. The drive to the hospital felt like an eternity and in all actuality it was only 30 minutes, I began making phone calls to my family in which I could no longer hold in my emotions. I think I cried my eyes out to everyone I spoke with. My son’s life was changed forever. As my husband, son and myself spoke with the Endocrinologists and went through a short class on how to treat Diabetes it was quite overwhelming, so much to learn in a short period of time. The three of us were shown how to perform a Glucose test and administer insulin and shown what to eat and what not to eat. I know my brain was spinning out of control trying to soak up all what we had been taught. During the class my son was given insulin and it was so amazing at how his attitude became up beat and his energy level increased. He was like a new kid. I was so sad to have this happen but on the other hand I was happy to know that he could be the happy, energetic kid he’s always been. For those who are not familiar with the facts about Diabetes I have shared a bit of information below that I have learned. Diabetes is a disease that affects how the body uses glucose, the main type of sugar in the blood. Glucose comes from the foods we eat and is the major source of energy needed to fuel the body's functions. After you eat a meal, your body breaks down the foods you eat into glucose and other nutrients, which are then absorbed into the bloodstream from the gastrointestinal tract. The glucose level in the blood rises after a meal and triggers the pancreas to make the hormone insulin and release it into the bloodstream. But in people with diabetes, the body either can't make or can't respond to insulin properly. Since our families discovery, I have spent hours researching and learning about diabetes. It has brought more awareness to our life of those that are challenged by health related issues. My position at ElderCounsel as a Member Services Representative has allowed me to work with attorneys who help children and adults with special needs. It has been rewarding to work with a community of professionals that are committed to helping individuals that face special challenges every day.
By 
