To my sweet, sweet little Logan. I don't think you will remember life without diabetes, which I am so, so grateful for. The day after your fourth birthday, we learned you are a Type 1 diabetic. Here is the beginning of your story...
Ear infection after ear infection... I just couldn't seem to get you "back on track" as I said to myself in my head. Then, you started doing something that you had NEVER done, not even in potty training... you started wetting the bed.
At first, we thought it was some sort of weird reversion. We bought you overnight pull ups and you were like, "DIAPERS! I'm not a baby!" Honestly, we were a little annoyed. Then you started waking up multiple times a night to pee in the toilet, PLUS wetting the bed...
BUT...
You were thirsty. Unusually thirsty. So, you would wake me up to pee and then ask for water (ICE COLD WATER you would demand haha!). I would try to say no, I would try to reason with you, but you were so persistent. I gave in every time of course haha! You're too cute for me to resist, even if I knew you would pee on me :)
While this was going on, I took you to the doctor twice in two weeks because of these gosh dang ear infections! At the first weigh in, you had lost 2 pounds from the last visit. My eyebrows went up at this, but it had been MONTHS since our last doctor visit, plus you had been sick with no appetite.
On our second appointment, a week after the first, you had lost another pound! This alarmed me! You have always been on the small side, so to loose THREE POUNDS?! We received a new antibiotic, and again I was hopeful this would do the trick.
The ear infections went away, but these other weird symptoms did not. Wetting the bed every night. I felt like you looked SKINNY, too skinny to justify my "growth spurt" theory. You were thirsty. You were cranky- VERY much not like you.
Then the night before your birthday you threw up twice, like major, projectile throwing up. I can't describe the mounting panic that immediately erupted inside me. IT WAS NOT MAKING SENSE. I called my Mom at 11:30 pm and said, "Mom, I think Logan is diabetic!"
Why did I think that you ask? Because I friggen googled it haha! When all these symptoms arose, I googled. Among the list of possible ailments, diabetes was suggested with every new search I did. I immediately was like, "NO way! A (then) three year old can't be diabetic!"
In the middle of the night, the night before your fourth birthday, I lay beside you PRAYING TO GOD for you to be ok.
We woke up and sang you "Happy Birthday" at the table, I went to rub your back and all I could feel were your shoulder blades, sharp and jetting out. I pulled out my phone and called the doctor right then. I told them your symptoms and said AGAIN, "I think my son might be diabetic." They fit us in first thing the next day, and told me my doctor would be coming in on her day off to examine him.
The next day we go in, and I was completely calm. I had convinced myself I was crazy and it was probably just a bladder infection (which the nurse had told me it might be the day before). When the nurse took your blood sugar, the number flashed onto the screen and I will always remember the sound she made. She gasped. I looked over and saw the number, 574. I knew right then that this was real.
I tried the hardest I've tried to do anything in my life to not start crying in front of you. But, I did. I absolutely couldn't help it. You were sitting on Daddy's lap next to me, and you reached over, grabbed my hand, and said "It's ok Mommy."
I vowed at that moment to be strong for you. To be positive for you. To do anything in my power as your mother to love and support you no matter what the circumstance. The last thing I wanted was for "you" to take care of "me".
We were told to go immediately to the emergency room at Phoenix's Children's Hospital. You were so brave, my heart could burst for you.
Phoenix Children's Hospital is 100% amazing and everyone who works there is an angel. They did EVERYTHING to cheer Logan up, as well as making sure Mario and I were coping okay. It was hard. You were so scared, and told anyone who would ask you, "How are you doing, Logan?" You would answer in a voice lost from screaming, "I'm scared."
No kid likes to get a shot. This was a biiiiiig wake up call for you buddy- blood sugar pokes 5 times a day, and insulin injections after every time you eat. One time I gave you your shot and didn't push all the insulin in, and I had to stick you again. I'll buy you a car when you're 16 for that, buddy!
Daddy made the hospital fun. He blew up a glove, drew a face on it, and named him Jerry :)
We shot Jerry with missiles from your toy trucks, we punched him, and we snuggled him haha! He came home with us from the hospital and is still inflated somehow, waiting at any moment to make you smile :)
This is our amazing, earth angel nurse, Bri. She was everything to us, and even came in on her day off to continue caring for you.
While in the emergency room, the nurses learned of your love for monster trucks. Every time you got a blood draw, IV, blood sugar poke, or insulin shot you were given a truck :) Even when we were moved to our room your pillow had a "Cars Movie" pillow case on it :)
Along with the toys, every person (even new doctors) that came in your room would talk to you about your ultimate favorite... GRAVE DIGGER!
Proving that hospitals CAN be fun for little boys... you get to pee in things that are NOT the toilet haha! You loved peeing in the "bucket" :)
And side note... his pee was NOT that clear- I had to take a bunch of yellow out of these images, and the pee color suffered haha!
We also LOVED the playroom! We spent as much time as possible there. Every person you see in these photos are volunteers who come in and they PLAY with these kids :) They do art, play fire engines, do puzzles, read books... as a parent you can hang out, or leave the kids there and take a little break :)
We were in the hospital for three days, and your entire team was dedicated to you making it to your birthday party. It felt like this light at the end of the tunnel, and everyone recognized that which we really appreciated. Before we were discharged, we came back from the toy room to see that the nurses had gotten you a special gift :) Absolutely amazing!
We washed up and rolled out!
When you got home, Daddy and Taylor had your Grave Digger power wheel waiting for you :) Which I'm sure you would have gone to the hospital a million times over just to have haha!
Thank you again to Phoenix Children's hospital, Mesa Pediatrics, all the amazing doctors and nurses, and our friends and family for supporting us!