Knox

From his mom, Paulina:

It will be 10 years this coming April 15th, for my 12 year old son, Knox. Who at the time had just turned 2 years old. This is a day that a parent will never forget, because this one single day had changed everything for our whole family. I remember it as though it was a few days ago. I remember sitting and playing with my 2 year old son, and just observing him. He was on the mend from a few nasty viruses the month before, but he just didn’t seem “better”. He started to show symptoms of Type 1, guzzling down sippy cups, peeing through his diapers within a half hour, agitation, constant hunger, dark sunken eyes. No one in our family has Type 1 diabetes, but I vaguely remember learning about the symptoms in college. I remember telling my husband and mom that I needed to take him into immediate care (it was the weekend so we couldn’t make a visit to his pediatrician), and they just sorta thought I was overreacting but understood. My husband was working weekends at that time, so it was just Knox and I! I took him in on a Sunday afternoon. The nurse and doctor were very standoffish with me, when I explained his symptoms and my concerns about him having Type 1, they told me that most likely he has a UTI (they often misdiagnose it at a UTI or a flu) and that I’m a first time mother and might be overreacting, that type 1 diabetes isn’t that common, especially in children under 5 (boy, were they misinformed!) I INSISTED they check his blood sugar with a finger poke. I wasn’t going to leave the clinic unless they did. And they did. 20 or so minutes after the finger poke, alone in the room….waiting for the results. The young pregnant doctor and nurse BOTH came into the room, tears filled in their eyes. They told me my son has Type 1 diabetes (blood sugar close to 500). And that, through my persistence , I had saved my sons life that day. They said they learned a valuable lesson, to never underestimate the power of a mothers intuition. They apologized for their disrespectful behavior and sent me on our way to the ER. That very room became SO small and I couldn’t breath. I just held Knox and cried, because I knew from that moment on, I had to say goodbye to the life I thought my son would have. I remember having to call my husband and tell him the news, I don’t know how I did it. With time, you find the strength to fight every day for your son. Knox is growing up to be a very smart and independent kiddo. He doesn’t let Type 1 Diabetes slow him down, and we support him in whatever dreams he may have. Can’t believe it’s been 10 years! We are a strong family and are immensely proud of our son, and continue to have faith and hope for our cure. Thank you.