My Story
When I was pregnant with my first baby…
…I failed the glucose test. It was shocking to say the least but I was onboard for taking care of my body in any way that was needed.
As my pregnancy progressed, the diabetes didn’t follow a gestational diabetes trend…it became more difficult to manage.
Eventually I was put on insulin.
My son’s delivery was riddled with difficulties and though I was induced at 37 weeks, I wasn’t able to have an epidural. I’ll spare you the details .
But I should apologize to my sis, who was only trying to help, for when I snapped at her for me spilling the water that she got for me…
I will never forget the nurse saying, “As soon as you deliver the placenta, your blood sugars will return to normal and we can get you off insulin.”
She was wrong.
My blood sugars didn’t return to normal.
At a time when I was recovering from a difficult birth and trying to figure out why my baby was so fussy and what I was doing wrong as a mom, I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.
It was devastating .
I went into denial and discovered very quickly that if I didn’t give myself insulin, I could lose weight really fast.
This was fantastic! Baby weight (plus some) gone!
I started researching my disease and realized I was slowly killing myself. But I didn’t want to accept the fact that I now had a disease that would affect every day of the rest of my life.
That was then…
…Now, almost 13 years later, I am in good control of my diabetes and it doesn’t feel like the burden it once was . I don’t (often) feel frustrated or discouraged that I deal with regulating my blood sugars on a daily basis. However, every time I find out about someone new being diagnosed with diabetes, my heart hurts. I know their pain. When it’s a kid, my heart hurts even more 
.
SO, in honor of National Diabetes Month, I want to spread some awareness AND deliver some snuggles:
“Buddies for Diabetes” Art Contest
All art entries will be added to our National Diabetes Month Highlight on Instagram and our “Buddies for Diabetes” landing page for others to see throughout and after the contest. We hope this can become a meaningful collection of art, support and personal stories related to diabetes awareness. All entries will also receive a unique 15% off discount code to our online store (combinable with other discounts).
If your kid would like to use our HuggaBuddies Diabetes Month Coloring Pages as their entry you can get the PDF here, as well as the link in our Instagram bio.
Some things to know about diabetes…
Diabetes affects children in various ways, including: physical health, emotional well-being, social challenges, educational impact and family dynamics.
- Physical Health: If you know someone who has had diabetes, you might know that extreme weight loss is one of the first signs that families notice. People with diabetes tend to get fatigued quickly and have an insatiable thirst which leads to many trips to the bathroom. When I was in my “denial/weight-loss” stage I could not leave a store without buying a bottle of water. And if you were unlucky enough to sit next to me on an airplane, you were likely irritated with the amount of times I was hopping up to go to the bathroom – thankfully, that was usually my husband . If not managed properly, diabetes can also lead to long-term complications including heart disease, kidney problems, and eye issues.
- Emotional Well-being: Managing diabetes can be overwhelming for children, and it may affect their emotional well-being. They may feel different from their peers or struggle with the responsibilities of monitoring blood sugar levels, taking medications, and adhering to a specific diet. It’s a lot to remember and be accountable for! And, as a society who attaches food to almost all social events, the need to manage diabetes or abstain from enjoying treats with friends can be embarrassing and isolating.
- Social Challenges: Children with diabetes might face social challenges due to the need for regular blood sugar checks, insulin injections, or dietary restrictions. These factors can sometimes lead to feelings of isolation or exclusion from certain activities. Even as an adult, there are times that I become frustrated because my blood sugar is too low to workout, or I feel embarrassed because I need to leave somewhere social to get what I need to manage my sugar levels. I’ve also been on vacation more than once when something important has been forgotten, lost or broken and we spend time running around trying to fix the problem when all I want to do is enjoy my vacation. Just this week I was on a date with my oldest biological son (I have a blended family of 7 kids!) and my blood sugar dipped dangerously low in the middle of a heated game of miniature bowling…and I’m very competitive . Because I didn’t want to ruin the moment, I waited longer than I should have to bring my blood sugar back up which left me exhausted and shaky.
- Educational Impact: Managing diabetes is an all day task and can interfere with a kid’s ability to focus on or fully participate in school activities. The first thing I notice when I am going “low” is a fuzziness in my brain and an inability to concentrate on anything. After a low, I’m so depleted I just want to take a nap – having these experiences at school takes away from class time and learning.
- Family Dynamics: The daily management of diabetes can also impact family dynamics. Parents may experience stress and anxiety related to their child’s health, and siblings may need to adjust to changes in family routines and priorities. Depending on the age of the child, it can become a contentious relationship if a child feels micromanaged or not trusted to manage their own diabetes.
Even if diabetes isn’t directly impacting your life, chances are you know someone who is affected by it.
According to the CDC’s latest information, “37.3 million people have diabetes—that’s 11.3% of the US population. 28.7 million people have been diagnosed with diabetes. 8.5 million people who have diabetes have not been diagnosed and do not know they have it.”
So – grab some paper and colored pencils and help us spread awareness with art! We’d love to hear your personal stories and see your kids getting creative. Life’s better with a Buddie and we’re very excited to gift some comfort and love to the top 3 entries .
