Highs and Lows Of Life

Medical Mobojombo

Denise left the room her whole body was shaking. She felt fully drained the life that she knew this morning was shattered. It felt like this morning was a blur.

" How about you call another family member." Doctor Brown spoke behind her they left the room to give Nick privacy as he got cleaned up and the nurses were going to move him up to the ICU.

" Yes...of course," Denise spoke up she didn't know what she was going to say to her husband. She just wanted him here she wasn't sure if she could do this on her own. Denise felt her self get lowered into chair nurse had to water in front of her. Doctor Brown sat next to her look a little worried.

" Thank u." She spoke slowly taking the plastic cup. Allowing herself to breathe. Drinking down the water she could feel her brain slowly clear. Flipping open her phone she could see her husband contact flash on the screen she had texted him an hour ago and now she was calling to tell him that their son was fighting for his life. Her thumb press the recall button lifting to her ear as it rang 1 2 3

" Hello." The voice sounded worried

She let out a sob. " Paul it is confirmed he has type 1 Diabetes. His lab work came back and it was way higher then it should be." We have to stay over for a couple of nights." The words left her lips. So fast she wasn't sure if she would have to repeat herself. There was silence on the other end of for.

" Paul did you hear me?!" Her voice rose a little in anger.

" Yes, I heard you." Kevin Sr quickly spoke up. " Is there anything important you want me to bring. He was trying to wrap his head around the information. He just wanted to be there for his family.

" Just extra clothing and thing to keep Nick entertained." Denise stumbled over her words. " He being transferred to the ICU."

" Do want the boys to come today or hold off tomorrow." Kevin thought about how stressed the two where and he wasn't if today was a good idea.

" I think you guys can come just for a couple of hours. Nick, and I need some distraction. Might make us feel a little better. Denise quickly spoke. She started to doodle on a small note pad she had on her lap. Trying to get some anxious energy out.

" We will be there in about an hour." Kevin Sr slowly spoke " Thank you honey for keeping me posted. We love you and will be there very soon.

" Bye." Denise's voice quivered. " Love you too." Wiping away tear from her eyes pulling the phone away from her ear quickly hanging up.

" We are about to move your son up to the ICU would you like to say bye," Mary spoke up.

Denise looks up from her lap as she saw Nick was laying in the hospital bed slowly coming out of the curtained room. She got up from her chair coming over making sure she was not in the way of the medical equipment.

" Hey, honey." Leaning over the safety bar giving a soft kiss on the kid's forehead. He looks so small in the bed he was the same colour as the hospital sheets.

" Mom." His voice was weak barely above a whisper. " Are you coming."He didn't want to be left alone. Looking up at the ceiling. The sound of the medical device sounded so loud behind him.

" All be up in 15min they just want to set you up ok," Denise spoke with as much energy as she could. Running her hand through the teen messy hair. Letting smiling slip out trying to be brave for her child.

"You will see your mom soon Nick." Nurse Mary spoke. Looking at them both.

"I love you," Nick spoke giving tearful look before he felt the bed slowly start to move. His mom warm hand left his head. He waved to her he could hear her call back the same message. He slowly shut his eye the bright light hurt his head. The ride up to the ward lulled him to sleep.

" Mrs. Jonas are you willing to have a conversation before you go see your son." Doctor Brown spoke behind her she had forgotten he was even their. She slowly sat down feeling numb. It was such odd feeling it was like she was in a different body different world not her own.

" yes." Even her voice sounded foreign to her. Her eye looks down to see he had drawn something on his note pad. To her, it looks like random doodles but years later it lay in the drawer beside her bed untouched to much pain around it to even open it.

" I what to explain more about your son's new medical condition." Turning towards her resting his hand on his lap. Trying to be as empathetic as possible. But also being clear when giving any medical knowledge. You could easily get lost in complex terminology and anatomy.

"I know this whole thing is scary." He slowly begins. " But is my job and the nurse to make sure you leave here with as much info as possible." Feeling confident in your self that you and your family will be able to do this."

Denise nodded her head slowly taking a deep breath. She felt a little better the doctor in front of her truly wanted to help her through this.

" If you don't fully understand what I'm going to tell you that ok. You can stop me anytime all be happy to explain. He pointed to his drawing it was a rough drawing of a human organ called the pancreas.

He slowly went through telling her about what the job of the pancreas was in the human body. "It produces insulin and enzymes to help with absorbing food in the digestive process. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that allows your body to use sugar or glucose from carbohydrates in the food that you eat for energy or to store glucose for future use. Insulin helps keeps your blood sugar level from getting too high."

"Beta cells (B cells) are a type of cell found in pancreatic secrete insulin and amylin. Beta cells make up 50–70% of the cells in human islets. In patients with type I or type II diabetes, beta-cell mass and function are diminished, leading to insufficient insulin secretion and hyperglycemia."

Denise stop anytime she got confused or didn't understand. It was a lot of information to absorb. Doctor Brown told her many times that she would be sent home with a lot of information and if she forgot things she could go back and read.

" So what you're telling me in my son's body his immune system attack the beta cell in his pancreas which helps make insulin. In turn, his body couldn't convert carbs into energy anymore and his blood sugar raised making him sick." She looks down at the rough drawing in her hand.

" In the short term yes." Doctor brown confirmed her explanation. " But now he on insulin and in a couple of hours it should come down quickly.

"So he will have to be on insulin all his life day and night." Her voice broke as the doctor nodded at her. She felt her hands shake she let out a sob. Her son was now living with a chronic disease that had no cure. She wasn't sure how she was going to deal with this. Her whole life changed in the last two hours.