Nicholas was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in May 2018 when he was 15 months old. His diagnosis changed our family’s world. Although we have come a long way since then, we are constantly forced to face unforeseen challenges and obstacles that come along with this disease. Nick is now three years old and is beginning to understand a little more about type one diabetes and how to manage it. He is able to scan his own sensor, is learning how to use his blood meter, and knows he must ask prior to eating anything because he needs a shot of insulin before any snack or meal. Nick has two brothers, his younger brother, Cameron, is one years old and his older brother, John, is almost 6 years old and is also learning how he can help out with Nick and what signs to be aware of when playing with his brother. We hoped as Nicholas got older and became more verbal he would be aware of his changing glucose levels. Unfortunately as of now Nick cannot feel his highs or lows and let us know, which means we are constantly having to check him.
Nick wears a Freestyle Libre, which is a small sensor we place on the back of his arm every two weeks. We have a monitor which we scan the sensor with and it lets us know Nicks blood sugar level, along with a trend arrow, and his 8 hour blood glucose history. Any continuous glucose meter (CGM) including the freestyle libre measures readings from the interstitial fluid (ISF) which can lag behind a regular blood sugar reading, especially when there is a rapid change in his levels. We are grateful to have this device and it has made managing his diabetes easier, however, it is not always accurate, therefore we are still forced to continually check Nicholas by pricking his finger or toe for blood.
Everything effects Nick’s blood sugar, how active he is, the weather, excitement, and the list goes on and on. Despite only feeding Nicholas a lower carb diet, we still feel like we are on an unpredictable roller coaster with his numbers at times. We wake up every hour during the night to make sure Nicholas is not too low or high, which may seem excessive, but on multiple occasions Nicholas has dropped down into the 30’s and 40’s trending down, if a low like that isn’t caught (day or night) and treated it could lead to a seizure, coma, or worse..
After doing thorough research and debating for over a year now we have decided a Diabetes Alert Dog (DAD) would be beneficial for both Nick and our family. A trained dog is able to sense the chemical change the body has when glucose levels are going low or high before we would be able to detect it ourselves, and then would alert us, which could potentially save Nick’s life. Unfortunately, insurance does not cover a DAD, which can cost anywhere from $20,000-30,000.
Having a DAD would be a true blessing and would provide an extra safety net in Nicks daily life of living with type one diabetes, giving us a little relief during the day and night. Nicholas would be able to have a little more independence and freedom especially as he gets older. He is one of the sweetest and strongest little boys and he deserves to live a life without limitations; having a dog would allow for this. Nick would be permitted to run around the park, or swim in a pool care-free like a child should be able to do without us continually interrupting him to make sure he is in a safe range. (When Nicholas is active he tends to drop low very quickly with no warning signs)
We thank you for taking the time to read about our sweet boy. Any donation big or small towards Nicholas getting a DAD would be greatly appreciated. Type one diabetes is sometimes referred to as a silent disease, many people don’t realize what a diabetic must do day in and out with no breaks to keep themselves alive and how serious consequences can be. Even just sharing Nick’s story would mean a lot to us to bring some awareness to Type One Diabetes. We also ask for prayers not only for Nicholas and our family but for all those who have to live with this disease. Our family is extremely grateful for any type of support we get.
Nick wears a Freestyle Libre, which is a small sensor we place on the back of his arm every two weeks. We have a monitor which we scan the sensor with and it lets us know Nicks blood sugar level, along with a trend arrow, and his 8 hour blood glucose history. Any continuous glucose meter (CGM) including the freestyle libre measures readings from the interstitial fluid (ISF) which can lag behind a regular blood sugar reading, especially when there is a rapid change in his levels. We are grateful to have this device and it has made managing his diabetes easier, however, it is not always accurate, therefore we are still forced to continually check Nicholas by pricking his finger or toe for blood.
Everything effects Nick’s blood sugar, how active he is, the weather, excitement, and the list goes on and on. Despite only feeding Nicholas a lower carb diet, we still feel like we are on an unpredictable roller coaster with his numbers at times. We wake up every hour during the night to make sure Nicholas is not too low or high, which may seem excessive, but on multiple occasions Nicholas has dropped down into the 30’s and 40’s trending down, if a low like that isn’t caught (day or night) and treated it could lead to a seizure, coma, or worse..
After doing thorough research and debating for over a year now we have decided a Diabetes Alert Dog (DAD) would be beneficial for both Nick and our family. A trained dog is able to sense the chemical change the body has when glucose levels are going low or high before we would be able to detect it ourselves, and then would alert us, which could potentially save Nick’s life. Unfortunately, insurance does not cover a DAD, which can cost anywhere from $20,000-30,000.
Having a DAD would be a true blessing and would provide an extra safety net in Nicks daily life of living with type one diabetes, giving us a little relief during the day and night. Nicholas would be able to have a little more independence and freedom especially as he gets older. He is one of the sweetest and strongest little boys and he deserves to live a life without limitations; having a dog would allow for this. Nick would be permitted to run around the park, or swim in a pool care-free like a child should be able to do without us continually interrupting him to make sure he is in a safe range. (When Nicholas is active he tends to drop low very quickly with no warning signs)
We thank you for taking the time to read about our sweet boy. Any donation big or small towards Nicholas getting a DAD would be greatly appreciated. Type one diabetes is sometimes referred to as a silent disease, many people don’t realize what a diabetic must do day in and out with no breaks to keep themselves alive and how serious consequences can be. Even just sharing Nick’s story would mean a lot to us to bring some awareness to Type One Diabetes. We also ask for prayers not only for Nicholas and our family but for all those who have to live with this disease. Our family is extremely grateful for any type of support we get.
Organizer
Steph Jon Krill
Organizer
Stafford, NJ