“mum when I go to heaven will I still have Type1 diabetes?” - 6yo Irelyn.

I still remember the phone call. This must be a mistake, right? We both agreed it was a mistake. You are healthy. You never get sick. What even is Type 1 diabetes? It is definitely a mistake.

But there was no mistake.

Reuben was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when he was 9 yrs old in 2017. He was staying with his grandparents over the school holidays and I remember my mum saying Reuben was drinking a lot and going to the toilet a lot!

When I think back on my son’s diagnosis, I have the same feelings that I imagine most people do when their child is unwell: sadness, worry, even fear. But the overwhelming feelings that I have when I think back to that time is anger.

William turned 2 yrs old in May. Around mid-June he started drinking a lot more than usual, we thought nothing of it because we had at the same time started warming up his drinks in the hope he would drink more, as he was not big on drinking his milk and water beforehand. A couple of weeks later he was urinating a lot more, he would fill and leak a nappy within 2 hrs of changing him.

Prior to the 21/01/19, diabetes was a thing that never really crossed my mind. My husband and I always ate healthy and were bringing our 3 children up the same way. We are both active and our children are following in our footsteps. Diabetes only happened to old people or those that ate too much sugar and were unfit, right?

In my experience being diagnosed later in life can cause a mixture of emotions on the individual, some people are quite matter of fact about the diagnosis and steps that need to be taken to manage their diabetes whilst other's can find the life change quite daunting, inconvenient and challenging. When people have families already, getting Type1 diabetes later in life can often add financial stress to the household expenditure." -Jessica O'Shannassy Diabetes Educator.

As if living with Cystic Fibrosis wasn't enough, when Gabby received the shock news that she also has diabetes..

Our whole world fell apart 14 years ago when our 3rd child, our gorgeous daughter Gabby was diagnosed at just 4 weeks of age with Cystic Fibrosis. The future was and still is a terrifying prospect for our whole family.

Recently we sat down with Noah 17,  to have a chat about what its like to be a teenager at school in Year 12 and living with Type1 Diabetes. Noah was diagnosed at 17 months old, whilst on a family holiday in Spain. 

It was just another busy week juggling kids, work and family life.