Kay and I had a lot of plans last weekend, none of which involved a hospital stay! On Thursday, June 6th, Kay had a pediatrician appointment. I had scheduled it due to a persistent rash on Kay that over-the-counter creams couldn’t alleviate. Given that she had recently been on medication for an ear infection, a medication I’m allergic to, I wondered if she might be developing an allergy too.
When the pediatrician evaluated Kay, they determined it wasn’t an allergic reaction but a yeast infection. They explained that this could happen when the body is overwhelmed by medications and can’t fend off other issues. The doctor recommended a cream to treat the yeast infection. (I later learned that a yeast infection can also be a sign of diabetes.)
While we were there, I also mentioned Kay’s increased water intake. Though Kay has always been good about drinking water, in the days leading up to our appointment, she had been drinking much more than usual. We hadn’t been outside much or engaged in activities that would make her excessively thirsty. Kay would cry out for more water as if she hadn’t had any in days, and naturally, this led to more frequent bathroom visits. This behavior was unlike her, and I felt it was important to bring it up.
I informed the pediatrician that diabetes runs in our family and, although I wasn’t certain it was the cause, I wanted to have Kay tested just to be sure. The pediatrician agreed. After spending half the day trying to collect the necessary sample, we were instructed to head to the hospital immediately and ask for a specific doctor once we arrived.
At the hospital, we were quickly taken to a room in the ER where they tested Kay’s blood sugar levels twice, both times confirming high glucose levels. One reading was 345, which is very high for a child of Kay’s age and size. After several hours in the ER, it was confirmed that Kay has Type 1 Diabetes, and we were told she needed to be transferred by ambulance to another hospital where an endocrinologist could assist us. We spent hours at the second hospital before finally being admitted to a room.