Highs and Lows Of Life

When It Rains It Pours

Nick was woken by the feeling of someone touching his hand. His eyes slowly opened his head was pounding and felt like he needs to go to the bathroom. The nurse had a big bag of some sort of IV fluids he didn't fully understand why he had to bag already up as another nurse was on his left side with a long needle in hand.

He let out a groan he didn't want to have another IV in his arm he heard watch the doctor come in quickly. Something told him something was up did they fully knew what was wrong with him. His mom sat up in her chair looking around she must have fallen asleep as well she grabs his hand in worry looking up at the doctor.

" Did you find out what wrong with my son," Denise spoke her voice cracked quickly clearing it. " Does my son have Diabetes." Her eye watches the two nurses prepare another IV catheter now to Nick's left arm.

The Doctor Brown slowly nodded " Yes we can confirm your son indeed has Type 1 diabetes." It was never easy to have to share that type of diagnosis to family. He slowly sat down on a chair so he wasn't towering over the family. They were brought out of there thoughts when Nick let outcry of pain one of the nurses had tried to put the IV in his arm.

" I'm so sorry honey his veins are small." She looks up at the doctor " his so dehydration." The doctor nodded in understanding. " sorry honey all try again." Trying to be nice about the whole thing but all she got was tired scowl from the teen." Just look at your mom ok." The teen turned his head away she slowly tries to get the needle in as this time she was able to side it in and out perfectly. The kid flinches little but didn't cry out so she thought that was a win. " you're doing awesome Nick." she smiled down at the kid.

" So why is he getting another IV," Denise spoke up not pleased the nurse hurt her child.

" Well, your son's blood glucose level is very high." Slowly explain best he can. The teen cocked his head to the side trying to understand. Best his tired mind would allow." Normal blood sugar is 70 to 120 give or take. We do allow little flexibility but your son's blood sugar was over 800." Brown allowed the information to slowly sink in.

Nick looked up at his mom so it was confirmed he had type 1 diabetes and theses glucose levels where high " I'm I going to die." He didn't know why that slip out of his mouth the second time today.

Brown smiled down at the teen " You will not die Nick. We will get insulin into and you will start to feel better in the next couple of hours."

" But what does this all mean for his future." Denise still wasn't fully understanding any of this. " If he didn't get insulin would he have died. She bit her lip the doctor look right in her face. His face changed to a serious look on his face.

" Yes, your son will die without Insulin." He spoke with no hint of weariness to his voice. He wanted to make this very clear. He has had parents deny treatment and the child died a couple of days after leaving the hospital. He never has seen those types of numbers before "We need to run tests to make sure the child's organs are not shutting down." He spoke to the two nurses in the room to let them know he wanted blood drawn.

" What." Denise gasp out in shock she felt horrible. How could she have been such horrible parents that she didn't see the signs? Her baby could have died and would have been all her fault.

" We have insulin now hook up so everything all uphill from here." Doctor Brown spoke softly smiling at the teen. The poor kid looks terrified and the mom looks like she was having an inner battle with herself.
Nick look at the IV that was in his left hand his eyes slowly going up to the bag hanging. It was clear and he looks at the other bag on his right arm the bag look the same. He did remember when they started the first IV he felt the light taste of salt in his mouth. Nurse Mary did tell him it was normal.

He was broken out of his thought as he realizes he forgot about the fact that he had to go to the washroom. But he wasn't sure if he would be able to make it without help.

" Mom." His hand played with the blanket in his hands " I have to go to the washroom."

" Oh, ok honey." She rested her hand on her son's shoulder looking at the equipment. She wasn't sure how he was going to go to the washroom.
" Oh will get him bedpan its ok." Nurse Mary spoke up " It better if he stays in bed. Trying to make it sound normal she could see the embarrassment that creeps into the kid's pale cheeks giving him little colour for the first time in a while.

" Will be moving him to the ICU in a couple of mins." Doctor brown spoke up. " That will give you and me to have small talk. While the nurse gets Nick settled for the day and night.

" Wait I have to stay overnight," Nick spoke up. " He thought he gets some meds and feel better and go home. Denise hushes him shaking her heading him know now was not the time to argue. He sunk back in the bed putting on a sulking face. If he could cross his arm he would have but his arms were preoccupied with IVs "I was looking forward to steak for dinner." He mumbled

" Steak?" Denise let out a little laugh " why did u think you were getting steak tonight."

" Because I been craving it since I woke up." He snapped back now he was really in a bad mood.

Doctor Brown hummed listening to the conversation. " It very common to have craving when you have high blood sugar."

" You didn't tell me what does this all mean for his future." Denise quickly spoke up "I know he been thirsty and moody and peeing a lot we already know that is a family doctor told us this."

Doctor brown raised his hand letting her know he understood her. " for his future he should be able to do everything that normal kid can do." "Type 1 diabetes, which was formerly known as Juvenile Diabetes, is a chronic autoimmune condition that makes the body unable to produce insulin, which is the hormone that regulates blood sugar. Without insulin, our bodies cannot use the sugar in our bloodstream as energy, causing people to experience Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)." He sat back allowing the information to slowly sink in.

" Our family doctor said he was going to have to take insulin shot," Denise spoke up making sure she heard her family doctor right.

" He will have to take multiple daily injections or MDI for short" doctor brown corrected he will be on long-acting insulin which he will take at night and in the morning. That will run in his body in the back around."
" Wait why do I have to take multiple." Nick sat back up surprised " Thought take one and done." He could feel his heart start to pound again. Yet again he slowly started to break down his mom crawled into the bed holding him she too let out phew tears.

" you will have to take fast-acting insulin for when your blood sugar too high and whenever you eat any carbs." He slowly explained as best he could there was going to be a Diabetes educator coming to there room tomorrow to help them learn all they need to learn.

Nick was trying to understand the information that the doctor was trying to tell him but he just wasn't understanding anything anymore.

Doctor brown waited as the family in front of him slowly calmed down If you want we can set your son up in the ICU allow you to have a couple of hours of rest and then we can start his diabetes treatment plan tomorrow." He grabs a Kleenex giving it to them.

" Thanks." Nick blows his nose as the realization struck him that he didn't feel like need to pee anymore. He slowly made the horrific connection that he peed himself when it rains it pours.