Hi all. Joining here as my son has been poorly and loosing weight for a while. We went to the doc on Wednesday and he was rushed to A&E with DKA. We’ve been discharged now after getting him rehydrated and started on insulin. It’s been a nightmare few days! And A LOT to take in.
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Parent of newly diagnosed 25 year old with type 1.
- Thread starter bcooke
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Proud to be erratic
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Hello @bcooke,
Sorry to hear about your son's rush to A&E. It can all feel frightening as well as confusing at this very early stage. You have hit the right spot in finding this forum, there is a mass of information here and plenty of members with a huge accumulation of experience.
One observation, if I may. Since your son is firmly an adult you may find that despite you being his parent the medical system will want to deal with your son and might thoroughly exclude you - which can be further upsetting and very frustrating. I have a young adult great niece diagnosed T1 some 18 months ago and her mother (my niece) remarked upon how awkward and at times how difficult that could be. Then very recently a close english friend, but living permanently in France, had exactly the same experience - with their adult 26 yr old son seeming to just take his T1 diagnosis in his stride and rather oblivious to his parent's anxiousness as he got on with his work and bachelor lifestyle. So if this should be your coming experience I can only forewarn you that it's a scenario you will need to wrestle with: be supportive where you can and yet allow your 25 yr old adult to make his own decisions without you inadvertently creating a tension in his world. Diabetes, particularly insulin dependent diabetes, is pretty relentless in needing consideration by the patient in terms of eating appropriately and giving due attention to taking the right amount of insulin at optimum times and a myriad of associated necessary things in maintaining a work/life balance in conjunction with diabetes. But these are your son's potential pressures and its difficult for a parent to even understand just how frustrating it can sometimes be for the T1 patient, never mind that with the finest of aspirations these things simply can not be taken on by a parent or any close friend or partner.
Do you think your son would consider registering on this forum, seperate from yourself and ask his own questions - whatever they might be and make his own path?
Wishing you all a steady return to a somewhat new normality. It is manageable and will feel less daunting in due course for both your son and you as a parent.
Sorry to hear about your son's rush to A&E. It can all feel frightening as well as confusing at this very early stage. You have hit the right spot in finding this forum, there is a mass of information here and plenty of members with a huge accumulation of experience.
One observation, if I may. Since your son is firmly an adult you may find that despite you being his parent the medical system will want to deal with your son and might thoroughly exclude you - which can be further upsetting and very frustrating. I have a young adult great niece diagnosed T1 some 18 months ago and her mother (my niece) remarked upon how awkward and at times how difficult that could be. Then very recently a close english friend, but living permanently in France, had exactly the same experience - with their adult 26 yr old son seeming to just take his T1 diagnosis in his stride and rather oblivious to his parent's anxiousness as he got on with his work and bachelor lifestyle. So if this should be your coming experience I can only forewarn you that it's a scenario you will need to wrestle with: be supportive where you can and yet allow your 25 yr old adult to make his own decisions without you inadvertently creating a tension in his world. Diabetes, particularly insulin dependent diabetes, is pretty relentless in needing consideration by the patient in terms of eating appropriately and giving due attention to taking the right amount of insulin at optimum times and a myriad of associated necessary things in maintaining a work/life balance in conjunction with diabetes. But these are your son's potential pressures and its difficult for a parent to even understand just how frustrating it can sometimes be for the T1 patient, never mind that with the finest of aspirations these things simply can not be taken on by a parent or any close friend or partner.
Do you think your son would consider registering on this forum, seperate from yourself and ask his own questions - whatever they might be and make his own path?
Wishing you all a steady return to a somewhat new normality. It is manageable and will feel less daunting in due course for both your son and you as a parent.
Thank you so much. The hospital and diabetic nurses have completely involved me so far. So I’m happy with that. Yes I’m going to suggest he joins here and let him lead on it. I know it’s ‘his’ diabetes (the consultant also told me that). He lives on his own and that’s a worry right now. He’s staying at mine for now, his choice, but I’m sure when he gets more confident that he will go back home. He lives close by so that’s ok. Early days.
Welcome #bcquote
Sorry to read of your son's diagnosis.
The good news is that diabetes technology to allow him to manage his condition has improved hugely in recent years
I was diagnosed 20 years ago and lived alone at the time
I am stubbornly independent so it was important for me to maintain this. I understand your desire as a mother to look after your son but without today's technology, I came nowhere near killing myself when I lived alone. IDiabetes with it:s hypos and long term complications if our levels are left high for too long is scary but most of us can manage it whilst living a very ful and healthy l life.
Sorry to read of your son's diagnosis.
The good news is that diabetes technology to allow him to manage his condition has improved hugely in recent years
I was diagnosed 20 years ago and lived alone at the time
I am stubbornly independent so it was important for me to maintain this. I understand your desire as a mother to look after your son but without today's technology, I came nowhere near killing myself when I lived alone. IDiabetes with it:s hypos and long term complications if our levels are left high for too long is scary but most of us can manage it whilst living a very ful and healthy l life.
- Relationship to Diabetes
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Welcome to the forum @bcooke
Sorry to hear about your son’s diagnosis. Such a worrying time for parents! It’s perfectly natural, but as you’ve said it’s important for him to both have you for support and help, but also to run his own diabetes.
As he lives alone, he and you may want to consider some of the ‘share’ options from different sensor manufacturers if and when he starts to use sensors? That way (with his permission) you’d be able to be alerted if he had a low BG alarm which wasn’t responded to (eg overnight). Might provide you both with some peace of mind?
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