Life is Like a Box of Chocolates!: In Your Honor

October 21, 2010

In Your Honor

For Eilish
This virtual candle is lit in your honor.

I have been staring at my computer for hours...not even sure that I have the words in me to express my deep sympathy to the family of a sweet 13 year old girl, Eilish, who was taken from them all too soon. Eilish had Type 1 Diabetes. She passed away in the night. She is not the first sweet child with Type 1 Diabetes to go to sleep and never awake in the morning. No one really has a good explanation for why this happens. (To read about "Dead in Bed Syndrome" click HERE.)

I did not know Eilish or her family personally. Although, Type 1 Diabetes is personal for me...And maybe that is why I am so heartbroken for this family.

This is why we don't sleep through the night EVER! This is why we Walk for a Cure. This is why I get so frustrated when people say things like "...at least her diabetes is controlled." Type 1 Diabetes is not "controlled." I loved the way that Reyna at Beta Buddies put it. It was exactly what I wanted to say, but in better words, so I asked her if it was ok to quote her.

"Type 1 diabetes is difficult, at best, to manage. It is not a beast to be "controlled". It can kill. The medication used to treat type 1 Diabetes is insulin. Insulin is a hormone. Insulin is deadly if too large of a dose is given. Insulin can cause seizures, coma, and even death. Insulin is the only treatment for type 1 diabetes. Without insulin, persons with type 1 diabetes would die.

Diabetes affects EVERY organ system in a persons body. These people look totally "normal" from the outside, while this disease wreaks havoc on their vasculature and organs."

Yesterday, after I learned of this tragedy, I was kind of like a zombie walking around my house. Was it because I'm tired? Partly. Because I'm in shock or denial? Mostly. Ally was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes a year and eight months ago. Sometimes I think that it is possible that I am still in shock. When I hear about the death of another child because of T1 diabetes, it really shakes me up! Could this be my reality? Do I have to worry every day and night that this could happen to my precious little girl? That I could not bear. I am definitely in denial...and today I am shaken!

So, this morning, when Ally came back in for that second hug, I didn't say "Hurry up, you'll miss the bus!" And when she hugged me and said, "I want to stay here and snuggle you all day," I almost caved and let her!

Hug all of your precious children a little bit tighter today....God Bless the family of Eilish.