Continuing Journey

We had to continue learning about diabetes and its care--and, frankly, I suspect we will be learning for the rest of our lives on this earth! But the attitudes of some of the people who were supposed to be teaching us were less than desirable. They treated me like I was unintelligent. The doctor even went so far as to write in his report that I didn't have the intellectual capability to learn to care for my daughter!

One day, toward the end of February (barely 6 weeks after diagnosis!), the public health nurse showed up at my house with the local social worker--making all kinds of false accusations. They showed up in the middle of our school day, right when I was getting ready to fix lunch. I suffer from hypoglycemia sometimes; if I get too hungry, my head hurts, and feel somewhat fuzzy-brained. The stress of their arrival exaggerated my symptoms, and they certainly were not being sympathetic or understanding at all.

They seemed to think we had missed three days of insulin!! They kept saying things like, "You know, she can die without her insulin--and in just a few days!" First of all, if she really had missed three days worth of insulin, would she be acting as in good health as she was?????? They kept making these accusations, but never told me what they were based on!--And, believe me, she never went three days without her insulin. She missed maybe one or two doses--because she flat out refused to take it! But never three days!

They finally left, with threats to be back, and saying they would remove the children from my home if "things didn't improve"! Talk about a nightmare! Talk about increasing the stress I was already under!

Well, a few days later, Steven got sick. He was vomiting, not able to keep anything down. It reminded me too much of when Jennifer was in ketoacidosis; so we checked his blood sugar--and it was high. So, I called the doctor's office, to see what they thought I should do; could this be onset of diabetes?

They told me to bring him in. Well, I couldn't, because my husband had the car. So I called a friend, to see if she could take us. About the time she arrived, the nurse and social worker showed up. We all went to the doctor's office. The general practitioner (who didn't really have much experience with Type 1 diabetes anyway) called another physician with more experience. They didn't think it was diabetes, really, but wanted him to stay in the hospital overnight for observation.

My husband wasn't home that night, so I had to send the other kids home with a friend. The next morning she brought them in. We waited and waited and waited for Steven to be discharged. A little background on Steven, he has some developmental delays--and at that time, a lady was coming to our home weekly to do therapy with him. She was scheduled to come that day.--But here I am, at the hospital still with my children.

Finally, I ran home, to let her know where I was. She went back to the hospital with me. And we waited some more.

Suddenly, I saw the doctor, the nurse, the social worker and a police officer coming down the hall!! My heart stopped!!! The police officer stayed just outside the door, while the women came in--and told me they were taking all four of the children away!!

I screamed, "NO!!!" The police officer stepped into the room then. The therapist stood there beside me, her jaw fallen to the floor. I grabbed my kids, squeezed them, told them I loved them, cried. I clung to Steven (he wasn't even two years old yet--and was still nursing!!). I told them they couldn't possibly take him! He was still nursing, and needed me!!!

They insisted. But I refused to hand him over to them!! I gave him to Timothy, my oldest, and told him to take good care of him, and his other siblings. Poor Timothy! He was only 12 1/2 at the time! What a heavy burden for him to bear!

After they walked out, I fell on Kathy's shoulders and sobbed my heart out! I felt like I was going to die! I couldn't breathe!!

And I can't write any more right now. I will have to write more later; my heart is still bruised and sore........

Our Journey Began
The Emotions at the Beginning
The Nightmare

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