Type 1 service dog for Shelbea

Shelbea was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at 17- she lives with and battles the dangers of this terrible disease every day. Type 1 diabetes is serious. There is no cure, and it requires 24/7 careful self-management and good medical care. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks its own cells—in this case the Beta cells that produce insulin in the pancreas. In type 1 (formerly called juvenile-onset or insulin-dependent) diabetes, the body completely stops producing any insulin, a hormone that enables the body to use glucose found in foods for energy. People with type 1 diabetes must take daily insulin injections to survive. Every time Shelbea eats she has to give her self insulin to live. Keeping a balance is a very tricky thing, and even when a person does everything the right way, blood sugar can rise or drop causing severe life threatening complications. In May of 2016 Shelbea was admitted into the ICU for 8 days due to DKA (Diabetic ketoacidosis) which is a serious complication of diabetes that occurs when your body produces high levels of blood acids called ketones. Other common complications of diabetes include heart attack, stroke, eye conditions, foot problems (sometimes amputations), wound-healing issues, coma, and even death. Luckily theres one thing that can dramatically improve Shelbeas way of life and minimize the dangers and risks of living with this disease- A DOG! Not just any dog but a trained diabetes alert dog. These dogs are absolutely incredible. They alert when blood sugar rises or drops- and they do so before any standard medical test can, even while she sleeps.  They are highly specialized dogs and because of that - they are expensive. Will you help us raise money for a constant companion to keep sweet Shelbea safe? Learn more about these amazing pups at http://www.tattletailscentdogs.com/