A Mother's Perspective: Polishing Off Juvenile Diabetes

My Son Deserves a Cure

When independent Silpada Designs Representative, Jennifer Oswald, heard the doctor diagnose her son with juvenile diabetes, she, like most parents, stood in confusion. She waited for the doctor to hand her a prescription and to explain the estimated timeframe it would take for him to bounce back. But, the doctor did neither. A few hours later, Jennifer found herself in the intensive care unit at her son’s bedside. Realizing he wasn’t going to outgrow this disease, Jennifer held her six-year-old son’s hand and began to prepare for her family’s new reality.

As a stay-at-home mother of two children, Nathan (now 9) and Hannah (now 6), Jennifer had a busy life. Between Nathan’s soccer and baseball games and Hannah’s dance classes, she noticed Nathan always seemed to be really thirsty. But, he was a growing, active young boy, so Jennifer didn’t think much about it—until she walked into his bedroom one early morning. A strong, somewhat fruity aroma filled the room. Noticing Nathan’s ash-colored skin and dark circles underneath his eyes, Jennifer immediately got Nathan ready for the doctor. What Jennifer didn’t know at the time was that Nathan was experiencing ketoacidosis, an extremely serious condition that can lead to a diabetic coma. Jennifer carried her son into the doctor’s office that morning, and since that unforgettable day, her busy life has never been the same.

“When Nathan was first diagnosed, he had to stay in the hospital for a few days,” said Jennifer. “I remember how afraid I was to take him home. I didn’t know if I could do it. I just kept thinking, ‘What if I make a mistake?’ I wasn’t ready to face this disease. We have supportive friends and family, but I felt all alone. Oddly enough, the person that gave me the strength to keep going was Nathan. He wasn’t mad at the world, and I didn’t understand why. The more I started to think about it, I realized that it was because he quickly came to terms with the disease. And, I had to do the same.”

After four and a half years, Nathan still struggles with the management of his diabetes at times. Nathan gets consumed with all his activities and forgets that he needs to test his blood sugar or sometimes he even forgets to give himself insulin after eating. So, Jennifer and her family need to be on top of him at all times…that's just his personality, and they call him the ”nutty professor”. His doctor said it's typical with kids, but Jennifer keeps stressing to Nathan the harm he will do to his body if he doesn't stay on top of things. The funny thing is that the school nurse raves about how mature and responsible Nathan is at school and how he knows so much about his disease. So, Jennifer thinks maybe he's too comfortable at home and relies on family for reminders. Luckily Jennifer said there´s still plenty of time with him at home before he goes off to college and he won’t need to rely on family to remind him constantly.

“My husband, Mike, and I are blessed that Nathan understands the importance of monitoring his disease, but he shouldn’t have to,” said Jennifer. “His biggest worry should be if his football game is rained out, not if he’s had enough insulin. Like most kids with this disease, Nathan was only six years old when he was diagnosed. He doesn’t remember what life was like before blood glucose testing and carbohydrate counting. These activities are as much a part of his daily routine as brushing his teeth. But, that doesn’t make it okay. Nathan is so much more than a child with juvenile diabetes. He’s a son, a brother, a great little athlete, a friend who loves to laugh, and a little boy who deserves to experience what life is like without juvenile diabetes. My son, and all of the children affected with this disease, deserves nothing less than everything we can do to find a cure.”