Our daughter, Claire is now
six years old and has Type 1 Diabetes. Claire was
diagnosed on December 29, 2003, at the age of 22
months. She became very ill as Christmas approached
that year…flu symptoms…fever, poor appetite,
extreme thirst, vomiting, and weight loss. After
several trips to the doctor in a matter of a couple
weeks, we found ourselves in the ER with a diagnosis.
From that point on, Claire received daily multiple
injections of insulin along with finger pricks to test
her glucose levels. Many people comment on how well
she handles it all. However, her mom and dad can
well remember the blood-curdling screams those first
few weeks.
Claire is a happy 1st grader today. As she gets
her blood glucose tested every 2 to 3 hours, she
educates those around her. Her classmates are
interested and always ask her if it hurts. She replies
“a little” and goes on with her schoolwork. Claire
is now on an insulin pump which delivers insulin to
her body under the skin through a catheter. It is
changed every three days and the site must be
protected when swimming and bathing. She can be
“unhooked” from the pump for brief periods.
Carbohydrate counting is still very necessary in order
to punch in the correct numbers for the correct doses
of insulin. She is taking on more and more of the
responsibility in managing her diabetes as she grows
older.
The inspiration of my pump gear,
Claire changes her insulin pump packs to compliment
her outfits! Her pump has become a fashion
accessory, instead of a hindrance. We hope we
can continue to offer these functional yet fun packs
at reasonable prices for kids of all ages.