Hello! Connor's mom here. I'm starting this fund for Connor for lots of reasons, but I'll only name a few to avoid writing a novel.
Connor is an energetic, compassionate, incredibly bright and hopeful 8 year old. He also happens to be Type 1 Diabetic. He was diagnosed when he was 5 years old, while we were still living in North Carolina. Type 1 Diabetes is where your body attacks cells in the pancreas and the pancreas can no longer produce insulin. There is no way to prevent Type 1 and there is no cure.
When Connor was diagnosed, we were incredibly lucky to have a pediatrician that immediately knew something was not right. At 5 years old, Connor had lost a significant amount of weight and weighed only 38 pounds. His blood sugar was so high, that it would not read on the glucose meter at the doctor's office. He was also DKA (Diabetic ketoacidosis), which means that his body was starting to break down fat for energy. DKA is life threatening. We do not know how long he was DKA.
Since Connor was diagnosed, our lives have changed dramatically. We have to be prepared for anything. Diabetes never takes a break. It is relentless. It is absoultely ruthless. There are endless finger sticks. On a normal day, Connor will check his blood sugar between 8 and 10 times. Poking his finger, 8 to 10 times in ONE day. He also has to endure painful site changes. Connor wears an insulin pump. This insulin pump is his life line. Without insulin, he will die. If he has too much insulin, he could die. It is a vicious cycle he lives every single day. A spinning carnival ride he can never get off.
Connor is usually pretty good about telling us when he feels low. Normal blood sugar for Connor is between 90-120. He also wears a Dexcom, which is a continuous glucose monitor that monitors his blood sugar every 5 minutes and sends it to a receiver. The receiver then sends it to our phones while he is at school. While I am incredibly thankful for this piece of technology, it is just that. Technology. Technology fails. In this case, it could mean his life. Connor is usually pretty good about letting us know when he is feeling low. Although lately it seems as if he isn't catching it as quickly. Recently, we were at an outdoor shopping mall and things got pretty scary. He was extremely pale, lethargic, and weak. He told me he felt low, but his Dexcom said he was stable at 130. He checked his blood sugar and he was 59. Anything below 70 is a treatable low. Anything below 60 is dangerous. He stumbled out of the store, nearly tripping over his own feet so that I could dig in my purse for the last pack of skittles that we use for lows. It happened without warning. Without an alert from the Dexcom.
More recently, we had another really scary episode. He was sleeping, if he dips low while he is sleeping, the only way for us to tell is the Dexcom, or if we happen to check him. Chris went in to check him and I heard Chris yell for me. He showed me Connor's meter; 35. Chris shoved the straw of a juice box in his mouth and instructed him to drink. Connor has never been that low. My heart sank when I saw that number. Again, it came without warning. No alerts from the Dexcom.
I'd like to get a Diabetic Alert Dog (DAD) for Connor because I can't make his diabetes go away. I can't take the pain away from his site changes. I can't make the feeling come back in his finger tips. I can't heal the hurt he feels everyday. I can't make the scars riddling his body any lighter. But I surely can attempt to make it better. For him to have a companion. A best friend who will not only provide comfort, but a sense of indepence for him as well. A reassurance for both him and us, as parents, that he will be ok.
We've been in contact with an organization that will extensively train a dog to detect a drop or surge in blood sugar. This is remarkable. Most DADs can sense a change in blood sugar 15 minutes or more prior to his Dexcom. That is HUGE. It would be so very helpful to have a dog that can alert us when something isn't right. To find a tiny bit of solace.
It would mean the world to Connor if he got a DAD. Seeing him happy makes my whole world complete. He deserves this, but we can't do it without everyone's help. Every single penny counts. Your donation will be GREATLY appreciated!
Connor is an energetic, compassionate, incredibly bright and hopeful 8 year old. He also happens to be Type 1 Diabetic. He was diagnosed when he was 5 years old, while we were still living in North Carolina. Type 1 Diabetes is where your body attacks cells in the pancreas and the pancreas can no longer produce insulin. There is no way to prevent Type 1 and there is no cure.
When Connor was diagnosed, we were incredibly lucky to have a pediatrician that immediately knew something was not right. At 5 years old, Connor had lost a significant amount of weight and weighed only 38 pounds. His blood sugar was so high, that it would not read on the glucose meter at the doctor's office. He was also DKA (Diabetic ketoacidosis), which means that his body was starting to break down fat for energy. DKA is life threatening. We do not know how long he was DKA.
Since Connor was diagnosed, our lives have changed dramatically. We have to be prepared for anything. Diabetes never takes a break. It is relentless. It is absoultely ruthless. There are endless finger sticks. On a normal day, Connor will check his blood sugar between 8 and 10 times. Poking his finger, 8 to 10 times in ONE day. He also has to endure painful site changes. Connor wears an insulin pump. This insulin pump is his life line. Without insulin, he will die. If he has too much insulin, he could die. It is a vicious cycle he lives every single day. A spinning carnival ride he can never get off.
Connor is usually pretty good about telling us when he feels low. Normal blood sugar for Connor is between 90-120. He also wears a Dexcom, which is a continuous glucose monitor that monitors his blood sugar every 5 minutes and sends it to a receiver. The receiver then sends it to our phones while he is at school. While I am incredibly thankful for this piece of technology, it is just that. Technology. Technology fails. In this case, it could mean his life. Connor is usually pretty good about letting us know when he is feeling low. Although lately it seems as if he isn't catching it as quickly. Recently, we were at an outdoor shopping mall and things got pretty scary. He was extremely pale, lethargic, and weak. He told me he felt low, but his Dexcom said he was stable at 130. He checked his blood sugar and he was 59. Anything below 70 is a treatable low. Anything below 60 is dangerous. He stumbled out of the store, nearly tripping over his own feet so that I could dig in my purse for the last pack of skittles that we use for lows. It happened without warning. Without an alert from the Dexcom.
More recently, we had another really scary episode. He was sleeping, if he dips low while he is sleeping, the only way for us to tell is the Dexcom, or if we happen to check him. Chris went in to check him and I heard Chris yell for me. He showed me Connor's meter; 35. Chris shoved the straw of a juice box in his mouth and instructed him to drink. Connor has never been that low. My heart sank when I saw that number. Again, it came without warning. No alerts from the Dexcom.
I'd like to get a Diabetic Alert Dog (DAD) for Connor because I can't make his diabetes go away. I can't take the pain away from his site changes. I can't make the feeling come back in his finger tips. I can't heal the hurt he feels everyday. I can't make the scars riddling his body any lighter. But I surely can attempt to make it better. For him to have a companion. A best friend who will not only provide comfort, but a sense of indepence for him as well. A reassurance for both him and us, as parents, that he will be ok.
We've been in contact with an organization that will extensively train a dog to detect a drop or surge in blood sugar. This is remarkable. Most DADs can sense a change in blood sugar 15 minutes or more prior to his Dexcom. That is HUGE. It would be so very helpful to have a dog that can alert us when something isn't right. To find a tiny bit of solace.
It would mean the world to Connor if he got a DAD. Seeing him happy makes my whole world complete. He deserves this, but we can't do it without everyone's help. Every single penny counts. Your donation will be GREATLY appreciated!