My Hero
Hero
Pronunciation: [heer-oh]
noun
Definition:
1. remarkably brave person: somebody who commits an act of remarkable bravery or who has shown an admirable quality such as great courage or strength of character.
2. somebody admired: somebody who is admired for outstanding qualities or achievements.
Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, and from all walks of life. My hero is 4 years old, 41-1/2” tall, and weighs 38 lbs. He is a little brother, son, grandson, friend, and cousin. My hero’s name is Bryce. And, he is my son.
Bryce loves riding his bike, playing with his dump trucks, and going to the park. He has a 10 year old sister who he plays with, fights with, and picks on. He is like any other 4 year old.
Bryce appears to be perfectly healthy, on the outside. However, on the inside he fights an everyday battle with Type 1 (Juvenile) Diabetes. He must check his blood glucose level up to 5 times a day. He must also inject insulin 4 or more times a day, with syringes. He depends on insulin to live.
At this point, you may be asking yourself what is Type 1 diabetes. You may also be wondering, how Bryce contracted the disease, if someone you know could contract it, or how his life has been changed by it.
Type 1 is not caused by a high sugar diet, or lack of physical activity.
Here are the facts.
• Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas.
• While the causes of this process are not yet entirely understood, scientists believe that both genetic factors and environmental triggers are involved.
• While insulin allows a person to stay alive, it does not cure diabetes nor does it prevent its eventual and devastating complications. The complications include: kidney failure, blindness, nerve damage, amputations, heart attack and stroke.
• To stay alive, people with type 1 diabetes must take multiple insulin injections daily or continually infuse insulin through a pump, and test their blood sugar by pricking their fingers for blood six or more times per day.
• While trying to balance insulin doses with their food intake and daily activities, people with this form of diabetes must always be prepared for serious hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) and hyperglycemic (high blood sugar) reactions. Both of which can be life-limiting and life threatening.
• Despite rigorous attention to maintaining a meal plan and exercise regimen, and always injecting the correct amount of insulin, many other factors can adversely affect efforts to tightly control blood-sugar levels. Factors include: stress, hormonal changes, periods of growth, physical activity, medications, illness/infection, and fatigue.
• Every year, 15,000 children and young adults are diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. That is 40 children each day! As many as 3 million Americans may have Type 1 diabetes.
In 2007, one of the 15,000 kids was Bryce. He was diagnosed on November 3rd, after a trip to the Emergency Room. On that day, his life, and our entire family’s life changed forever. He spent 3 days in the hospital, where we learned to care for him. Then, we were on our own to battle alone. We became his mathematicians, physicians, personal trainers and dieticians over night. We must be constantly factoring and adjusting, making frequent finger sticks to check blood sugars, and giving him multiple daily insulin injections just to keep him alive.
Bryce tries to understand and help with the constant sugar battle that goes on inside of him. He tries to remind us before he eats that we need to check his blood sugar. He tries to remind us he needs his insulin. But, it is an everyday battle with a disease you can treat, but never control, despite all the hard work. It is a constant balancing act. Sometimes you win and the vigilance has paid off. Other times you don’t…..there are no guarantees.
Juvenile diabetes is a disease he will never out grow. The disease never sleeps, never takes a vacation, it is with him always.
The road ahead of people living with Type 1 diabetes is long and uncertain…..but you can help!
The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) is the world’s largest charitable funder of diabetes research! We are walking to help fund the research!
To donate to, or to join Bryce’s team, Heiden Family – Bryce’s Brigade, go to:
http://walk.jdrf.org/walker.cfm?id=87028344
Bryce’s LIFE depends on insulin and the CURE depends on EVERYONE! Thank you for helping us find a cure FAST!
Video link to follow.
Thank you in advance.
Rob