The Diagnosis: Part 1

So many people want to know how we realized something was wrong with Matthew. In hindsight, all the symptoms were clearly evident, but we didn't realize those signs were pieces of the same puzzle.

Puzzle Piece #1: Since late fall, Matthew had been drinking more, especially at night. He was constantly having to get up to go to the bathroom and even having a couple of accidents. (Something that had never been a problem before.) It had become a major battle and we simply thought Matthew was being defiant.

Puzzle Piece #2: Matthew was constantly complaining about being tired. He was happy to go to bed each night and never minded if I put him down early. (Boy has insulin changed that!)

Puzzle Piece #3: Matthew was eating a ton of food. It didn't matter how much I fed him, he wanted more. I don't think Kevin even realized how much Matthew was eating. But....

Puzzle Piece #4: He was losing weight. All his clothes were falling off him.

Our conclusion: It must be a growth spurt. He's eating a lot, but getting thinner because he's getting taller. He's tired because he's growing so much. That must be it. It actually turned into this big joke in our house. Kevin kept teasing me, saying that I had no idea how much teenage boys would eat. Matthew would jump in and play along. I laughed, but kept thinking....he's not a teenager, he's only 9.

Anyway...the symptoms didn't stop. Kevin and I talked about taking him to the doctor, but put it off because Matthew just didn't act like he was sick.

Fastforward to the week Matthew was diagnosed. That was a Friday. On Tuesday of that week, his wonderful English teacher sent me an e-mail. She was concerned because Matthew didn't seem himself. He told her he was tired and she was worried that he might be getting sick.

That was the confirmation that we needed. I called the doctor the next day and got an appointment for Friday.

Thursday morning, I was having my quiet time, really praying for God to watch over Matthew. I knew in my heart that something was really wrong, but I had no idea what it could be. I just prayed and prayed that it wasn't some type of cancer.

Right after praying, the thought "diabetes" popped into my head. Never once had I considered diabetes. It doesn't run in our family and I never had a reason to suspect it. I knew instantly that it was from God. I hopped onto the Mayo Clinic website and looked up diabetes. Matthew had every single symptom.

I am so grateful that God prepared me for the diagnosis. I knew exactly what to expect and that really helped when we were sent from the doctor's office straight to the ER. I already had a bag packed in the car and was ready to take care of our son.

I'll post part 2 of the diagnosis tomorrow.