My 8 year old daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 2 weeks ago.
She wasn't (and hasn't been) ill at all, but I took her to see my GP because she had suddenly started bed wetting and it happened almost every night for 2 weeks and her bed would be soaked each time. I only took her to my GP at the advice of my health visitor, because she suggested 'ruling out' any medical reason and expected that it would probably be a stress related issue, perhaps due to the fact that I am expecting our third child in the summer.
So I took her to the GP, along with a urine sample and after he tested that and then did a quick blood test ( the pin prick type on her finger) he just told me straight out - she is diabetic. I was in total shock, there is no history of diabetes in my family or my partners family and it just seemed so out of the blue.
She was admitted to hospital that evening and was kept in over night while they did various tests on her and gave her her first insulin injection. She was so brave, she didn't complain once and took it all in her stride. They let us go home the following day, after I had been 'educated' and learnt a bit about diabetes and how to manage it and all the other factors that need to be taken into account. I also injected her for the first time. In all honesty, it wasn't as bad as I expected, straight away I developed the view that giving her injections keep her healthy and alive, and for all those people who say "I don't know how you can do it" well, how could I not do it?
Within 48 hours of the diagnosis, my daughter was doing her own blood tests and also occasionally will give herself her insulin jab. She has become very 'sugar aware' and questions everything I give her to eat. The other day she asked me if she would have diabetes forever. I told her that it was a possibility but we never know what those clever doctors will find out and what might be around the corner.
I have always been proud of her, as any mother would be, but these last couple of weeks, as difficult as they've been, has made me the proudest mum on earth and made me realise what a star my little girl is.