Bringing Home Dewey
Donation protected
In March of 2014 while out of town for a weekend trip Matthew became very lethargic and would not eat. He complained of a stomach ache and just being very tired. On our way home he began to feel nauseous. I thought he had just contracted a stomach virus. After we arrived home he continued to get worse. Following the advice of a friend I tested his glucose on a home meter and his glucose was 408. Off to the ER we went. It was quickly decided that he was in DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis). He was diagnosed as Type 1 diabetic! In an instant life as he knew was forever changed. There would never be eating a meal without counting carbs, calculating insulin dosages, and fingersticks to check his glucose. It seemed so unfair, why did this happen to my child? Through this whole process I learned so much about my son. He has determination, strength, and discipline beyond what I could have ever imagined. He has quickly become my hero! In the hospital he said to me, “Mom I wish this hadn’t happened to me, but at least it is something that I can treat.” That is the closest to complaining that he has done over these last 10 months.
Type 1 diabetes is not caused by poor eating habits, being over weight, or from lack of exercise. It is caused by the body’s own immune system mistakenly destroying the insulin producing cells in the pancreas. So when there is no insulin to let glucose into the cells, sugar builds up in your bloodstream where it can cause life-threatening complications. It is like having syrup running through your veins. Individuals with T1D have to be their body’s pancreas and take insulin to replace what is not being made by their body. It is something that never goes away!
Matthew loves to be outdoors riding 4-wheelers, working with his dad, hunting, and working with his fire wood business. Many times his glucose gets low when he is doing these types of activities. He gets so engrossed in what he is working on that he sometimes does not feel himself getting low until he is very low. The dangers of hypoglycemia are frightening to me as a mother. Severe hypoglycemic episodes can lead to loss of consciousness. The more “lows” a person has the less aware they become of the “feeling” of being low. This brings me to the point of this fundraiser. Matthew has expressed an interest in obtaining a Diabetic Alert Dog (DAD).
Having a DAD would add an invaluable tool to the management of this disease. DAD’s are able to detect lows up to 30 minutes before a meter and would bring peace of mind to our family. This dog would be a constant companion to Matthew and would ease my fears of him being out working when he is alone. It would also allow us to rest more easily at night. A full night sleep is something that he has not had since the day he was diagnosed because he checks his glucose during the night for fear of getting too low and not waking up. DAD’s are trained to alert when their owners glucose has fallen below or has risen above a certain point. They are trained to retrieve testing supplies, medicines, “sugars” to treat lows, and even notify others in the event that there is loss of consciousness. Matthew will be turning 17 in a few months and the reality of him leaving home in the next few years scares me! Knowing he has the constant companion of a DAD would ease the fears of him living alone.
Having a dog this highly trained takes over 1000 hours of one on one training. With all that training comes quite a price tag. However, no price is too much if it can be life saving!
Asking for help is something that does not come easily for me. I have struggled with the idea of even doing this. However making this dream come true for Matthew is all the motivation that I need. If you feel compelled to help, thank you in advance, if not please consider sharing this page. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about this process!
With much love and appreciation,
Matthew, Kandace, Mark, and Tyler
Type 1 diabetes is not caused by poor eating habits, being over weight, or from lack of exercise. It is caused by the body’s own immune system mistakenly destroying the insulin producing cells in the pancreas. So when there is no insulin to let glucose into the cells, sugar builds up in your bloodstream where it can cause life-threatening complications. It is like having syrup running through your veins. Individuals with T1D have to be their body’s pancreas and take insulin to replace what is not being made by their body. It is something that never goes away!
Matthew loves to be outdoors riding 4-wheelers, working with his dad, hunting, and working with his fire wood business. Many times his glucose gets low when he is doing these types of activities. He gets so engrossed in what he is working on that he sometimes does not feel himself getting low until he is very low. The dangers of hypoglycemia are frightening to me as a mother. Severe hypoglycemic episodes can lead to loss of consciousness. The more “lows” a person has the less aware they become of the “feeling” of being low. This brings me to the point of this fundraiser. Matthew has expressed an interest in obtaining a Diabetic Alert Dog (DAD).
Having a DAD would add an invaluable tool to the management of this disease. DAD’s are able to detect lows up to 30 minutes before a meter and would bring peace of mind to our family. This dog would be a constant companion to Matthew and would ease my fears of him being out working when he is alone. It would also allow us to rest more easily at night. A full night sleep is something that he has not had since the day he was diagnosed because he checks his glucose during the night for fear of getting too low and not waking up. DAD’s are trained to alert when their owners glucose has fallen below or has risen above a certain point. They are trained to retrieve testing supplies, medicines, “sugars” to treat lows, and even notify others in the event that there is loss of consciousness. Matthew will be turning 17 in a few months and the reality of him leaving home in the next few years scares me! Knowing he has the constant companion of a DAD would ease the fears of him living alone.
Having a dog this highly trained takes over 1000 hours of one on one training. With all that training comes quite a price tag. However, no price is too much if it can be life saving!
Asking for help is something that does not come easily for me. I have struggled with the idea of even doing this. However making this dream come true for Matthew is all the motivation that I need. If you feel compelled to help, thank you in advance, if not please consider sharing this page. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about this process!
With much love and appreciation,
Matthew, Kandace, Mark, and Tyler
Organizer
Kandace Bennett Williams
Organizer
Anacoco, LA
