Type 1

I'm back! I just wanted to give a little info on Erin's disease for those of you who don't know (like me, about 3 weeks ago!)

Type 2 is what we had been a bit familiar with, as Barry's mom had it. Type 2 usually sets in during adulthood (but is increasing in children) and is linked closely to obesity, diet, lack of exercise, etc. Many people need insulin...but many can control their disease with exercise and diet.

Erin has Type 1, or Juvenile Onset Diabetes. It is hereditary, although we cannot find a link in our families. Her pancreas basically shut down and stopped producing enough insulin on it's own to handle the body's glucose. It's very ironic that Erin got this, as she's the healthiest one in the family!

She does have diet restrictions. But, as I had worked fairly hard to give my kids good nutrition, her basic diet hasn't changed much. It's just that she can't have all of those "extras" that we enjoyed before. Well, she can, but she's only allotted so many carbs...and I'd prefer her to get those carbs in the form of whole wheat or fresh fruit instead of, say, candy. :) So, we now bake cookies with applesause and Splenda instead of butter and sugar.

She must take two shots of insulin every day, and we test her blood sugar before every meal, at bedtime, and, until I can relax a bit, at 3am. Along with researching the best nutritional path to take (I'm not a big fan of dietitions and the whole idea of "white bread is the same as whole wheat") I'll also be researching the best insulin program to use (shots vs. the pump, number of shots per day, etc) As you can imagine, I have a LOT of reading and research to do! Ugh. But this is my new life. My baby's future health is in my hands, and I intend to do my utmost. If not, she faces eye deterioration, kidney failure, nerve damage, and heart disease risks.

Anyway, I hope that gives you a quick overview of Type 1. :)