Second First Diaversary, August 3

Second First Diaversary, August 3

In February of 2012, my youngest twin son, Aiden, was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes.  Besides stabilizing and caring for him, our next immediate concern was for his identical twin brother, Asa.  If they’re genetically the same person, isn’t he prone to develop this disease?  We were given some low statistics for Asa to also develop T1D. Upon further research, I learned he had a 10% chance of developing T1D within the first year of Aiden’s diagnosis and a 50% chance of developing it over the course of his lifetime.  We crossed our fingers.

(See Aiden's First Diaversary Blog : http://twotoosweet.blogspot.com/2013/02/aidens-one-year-diaversary.html)

From the time Aiden was diagnosed, we periodically checked his brothers’ blood sugars at random times. Asa ALWAYS resisted, moaned, groaned, whined.  He definitely was not the "tough" twin, way more tender! We’d tease him sometimes and pretend we thought he was Aiden when it was shot time!  He quickly confirmed his identity!  “I’m not Aiden, I’m Asa!  I don’t have Diabetes!”

So, on Friday August 3, 2012, I found it quite odd that Asa willingly wanted to check his sugar when we were checking Aiden for a suspected “low”.  He’d NEVER voluntarily held his hand out to be checked before.

After being knocked to my knees after Aiden’s diagnosis, I felt like my damaged heart was mending and my wobbly legs were ready to stand up again.  When his blood sugar read 200+ two hours after his lunch, I felt like the rug was pulled out from under me again!  That wound in my heart was reopened, and I was back on my knees again!

Since it was a Friday, we followed him over the weekend.  Besides the morning glucose level, every reading was over 200.  To that point, Asa had failed to show any other symptoms like Aiden had.  However, his weight was down slightly.  I mourned all weekend long, and got him to the doctor on Monday afternoon.  Hospitalized Monday night.  Home Tuesday night to adjust to another new normal.  Double the work, quadruple the worry.  So much for that 10% chance!  We caught him incredibly early.  If not for that random check, he could have been so much sicker!

Since Asa had watched Aiden for the previous 5 months, he took it all in stride.  He knew what to expect, and knew those shots weren’t too bad (could be better, could be worse).  Through this second first year, I’ve learned so much more, and have a few funny mishaps that can only be had if one is dealing with identical people with the same chronic disease. He has someone who understands him on every level, and they tackle everything together now, including Diabetes!

Asa has gained strength and resolve in this past year.  He’s progressed from being terribly tearful and frightened of his quarterly venipunctures to volunteering to go first (but Mommy still has to hold him and count it out until it’s over).  He’s learning as much as possible about his disease and how to manage it.  He worries more about Aiden, I think, than he does himself.  And, he’s still continues to grow and thrive as a little boy.  He’s a straight-A student, good school behavior, good reader, good at video games, fights with his brothers , loves his dogs, and has one of the silliest senses of humor in this house!  

(They call me…the Pizza Cutter)!

I am so glad medical research has advanced so that there are reasonable treatments for this craptastic disease, and with more research and support, hopefully a cure will come in my boys’ lifetimes!  Because… I don’t know how I could have survived losing not one, but TWO babies to this stupid disease, and I don’t know how I could live without Asa’s silly little heart!  And, I don't want to live to see the day this disease takes either one of them, even if I'm 90!

So, today, we’re going to celebrate.  We’re going to celebrate that Asa has not been re-hospitalized with complications. We’re going to celebrate that he has been so big and brave in accepting his diagnosis. We’re going to celebrate how much we’ve learned.  We’re going to celebrate that it’s not worse (although it could be so much better).  We’re going to celebrate that we live in a day and time where treatment is available and a cure is on the horizon. And, through the tears, we’re going to celebrate that my baby is still alive to live a full life! 

I think we’ll celebrate with some ice cream!

You can help us find a cure today:

www2.jdrf.org/goto/FuseA2Team

Rhonda