Hi Lindsay, sorry to hear of your daughter’s diagnosis.
What you are feeling now is absolutely normal and natural. It won’t seem likely now, but I promise it will get easier and you will worry less. As parents, we never stop worrying about our children, but this is increased with type 1. Over time, you learn to relax and realise that it is unlikely anything bad will happen. Now is the hardest time, everything is confusing and complicated, not to mention the new lifestyle you are all adapting to. I promise it will become easier. Every day, you will be a bit more experienced and knowledgeable than the day before, even if you don’t realise it. Eventually, everything that is difficult in some way now will be routine to the point where you don’t really notice you are doing it.
I totally understand that you are worried about the siblings. If you are looking for a positive spin on the situation, it is this; if one of your other daughters does get type 1, you will probably spot it coming a mile off, just like we did with our son, so it will be diagnosed early. I won’t deny it is tougher with two, of course it is, but, just like with one type 1 in the family, it all becomes a routine part of everyday life. I sometimes think it has helped both of mine to have another in the house with type 1. It means that there is someone who ‘gets it’. They know what a hypo feels like, what it’s like to do blood tests several times a day etc.
My two were diagnosed at a similar age. My daughter was 6 and my son had recently turned 5. As they started getting older, we adopted the approach of trying to include them in the decision making etc to help them know what to do when they are away from us. Naturally, there won’t be too much of this for perhaps a couple of years, but I’m sure you appreciate the importance of increasing their independence. Mine are now 16 and 14. My daughter smashed her GCSE’s this year and has swum for her local swimming club, and my son has just gone up another belt in taekwon-do. I’m not telling you this to show off (honest, guv!) but to show you that your daughter will still be able to do anything she wants. Yes, diabetes will be something that has to be considered in everything she does, but it won’t stop her doing anything. Anything is possible with a bit of thought and planning.
Please feel free to ask any questions, there’s no such thing as a silly question.
Good luck.
