Let’s start with the body. Your body is made up of many parts. Each part works with the others to keep you healthy. Sometimes one part of your body may not work as well as it should. When this happens, you might not feel well. Do you know what part of your body makes INSULIN, to digest food? Your PANCREAS! When your pancreas stops making insulin, you have diabetes.
A healthy PANCREAS makes insulin, a hormone which helps the body break down and use sugar turning it into energy. Everyone needs energy to live, otherwise we'd be like a bump on a log, right? Sugar in the blood comes from the food and drink we eat. A person with type 1 diabetes doesn't produce any insulin. Without insulin, the sugar builds up in the blood, causing high blood sugar, or hyperglycemia. Blood sugar levels that are too high and untreated for long periods of time can lead to ketoacidosis, a very serious condition. Very high blood sugars for an extended period of time can eventually lead to coma and even death. Now, the difference between you and my two boys, is that your healthy pancreas keeps a "perfect balance" b
etween how much food you eat and how much insulin it puts out. The boys' pancreases have to have help. How do you think we help their pancreas? The only treatment to replace the missing insulin and help, is by injection. Caleb, our youngest, is currently taking four shots/day at breakfast, lunch, supper, and bedtime. Sometimes he has to take five shots a day. Since being diagnosed on May 31, 2005, Caleb has endured AT LEAST 5,000 shots! Anyone ready to trade places with him? Ethan, our middle son, was diagnosed 11/04/1998. He took shots for several years before he got an insulin pump. We will learn more about pumping in a future post! Right now, it's important to remember that: INSULIN IS NOT A CURE! Think of it as a band-aid covering a great big ouchy!
No comments:
Post a Comment