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Tylor is doing well. He turns 13 this April and is currently in the 7th grade, earning all A's and 1 B! A few things about Tylor: He's an active kid. He loves being outside, swimming, running, and playing. He is going to be playing baseball again this year. Tylor takes part in some after school activities and clubs and recently attended his fist dance at school. He's funny, sweet, and a easy going kid. Tylor recently got braces, and was actually looking forward to them. He will be attending diabetes camp again this year and can't wait. |
| From Tylor's Mom: I’m almost the mother of a teenager. Uuggghhh!!! Let the fun begin…hahaha. No, seriously, I am pretty lucky. With Tylor getting older I know I have to start letting go some, and with him having diabetes it just makes it that much harder (for me, not him). He did recently go to a school dance by himself. I was planning on being there “just in case”, and to help out (but of course not speak to him at all unless absolutely necessary). Unfortunately, my grandmother passed away that week and since I didn’t want him to not go and miss out I was forced to let go a little. And yes everything went fine. Even though none of us will ever know what having diabetes is really like, it does affect the entire family in some way. A few months ago Tylor’s 6 yr. old brother, Kamden, asked, “What would happen if Tylor didn’t take his insulin?” All I could say was the truth, “He would die.” Not much more was said but Kamden obviously thinks about Tylor and his diabetes. Even Eden, who is only 3 yrs old, knows about diabetes. She plays with things and will pretend they are a pump, like Tylor’s insulin pump, or give her babies medicine with one of Tylor’s used syringes, of course with the needle out. As far as me, the day to day “work” of managing diabetes has almost become second nature, it’s the worrying and sadness of diabetes that I have a hard time with. Recently I was with a group of my friends with the little ones while Tylor was at an after school club. I still had some time until I had to pick him up. My cell phone rings and I could hear it but couldn’t find it. The only reason I ever got a cell phone was because of Tylor having diabetes and so I could pretty much always be reached. I find it and am frantically trying to get it out of its case before it stops ringing and of course I don’t and miss the call. I see the number is from Tylor’s school but they’re gone for the day in the office when I try to call back. Even though I know everything is probably fine and he maybe just got out of his club early and that was him calling to tell me I still start to panic a bit. If there was a true emergency Tylor’s teacher knows to call 911 and do what is necessary to help him but I can’t get out of my mind that something might have happened and it was his teacher calling me. |
| So my mind starts racing and I am trying to hurry up and get out the door to get to his school but I am fumbling with everything and the kids aren’t getting their shoes on fast enough and I’m probably looking like a crazy person. That is how I felt. Well, everything was fine; he was just getting out early so I told him to make sure to leave me a message if I ever don’t answer the phone again. There is so much that I think about when things don’t go as usual like this day or when Tylor is going to be or wanting to do something that makes me anxious, in regards to his diabetes. |  Tylor & his mom at Go Ape. |
| I think I do a good job for the most part of not letting Tylor see my anxieties. And I don’t believe this is just me. This is probably every parent of a child with type 1 diabetes at some time or another. I can’t even imagine how I’m going to handle him driving or moving out and living on his own when he’s older. Dear Lord, PLEASE let a cure be found before then or I may actually go completely insane. Well, I don’t think a cure will be found in say 5 years but hopefully sooner than later. | |
| Tylor & his diabetes- He recently went to a friends birthday dinner at Chili’s and then to the movies. We also went out to eat just so I could help him figure out his carbs for all the food, however we didn’t sit near him so that he could be just like the other kids and hang out with his friends without any moms around. Remember we still must figure/calculate the carbohydrates for EVERYTHING he eats or drinks and he will have to do that for the rest of his life or until a cure is found. He went off to the movies and came home just fine, aside from his blood sugar being a bit high. I did go over with the friend’s mom what to do if he passed out or anything and she was thankfully very willing and comfortable with it all. |
In the begining- January 6, 2004, we got the news that our son, Tylor, has type 1 diabetes. It is a day we will never forget, yet still to this day sometimes have a hard time believing. Just to help you understand what it was like for Tylor and what we deal with everyday now. Imagine you're 5 year old asking, Mom am I going to die? Or both of you crying as you hold him tight while lying together in his hospital bed. Thank goodness we caught it early though and he didn't end up in a coma like a lot of people. There was so much to learn. We did a lot of reading and crying, I think we all did. We had to figure out a lot of things, like what would happen at school and what having diabetes really meant for his life. We learned a lot and are still learning. That was 7 years ago; we have come a long way. |
 The port on Tylor's arm is where the hook up for his insulin pump is. |
 Tylor at Lake Tobias. |
Find a cure: Even though I think Tylor does really well in dealing with his diabetes and the challenges that come with it, that doesn’t mean it’s just something he is able to live with so we shouldn’t worry about it and that it’s no big deal. There is and always will be in my mind, and probably Tylor’s once he is older, the worry of complications from this disease. Along with the worry of what will happen if his sugar goes too low, passing out, seizures, coma or worse.
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As always, remember insulin is not a cure and until there is one Tylor’s Team will be charging towards it. We appreciate you taking the time to read this and are always grateful for your generous contributions. We thank you, from the bottom of our pancreas. |
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