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It was Leland Jeffrey's fourth birthday, but instead of a day filled with cake and ice cream, Leland was in Huntsville Hospital with a blood sugar level ten times higher than what it should be. Doctors told Leland's parents, Beverly and David, it was astonishing their son was still conscious.

At the time, the Jeffreys couldn't have anticipated the news they'd receive from their doctor. Leland, a perfectly happy and healthy child, was a Type 1 diabetic.

Commonly referred to as Juvenile Diabetes, we now know the condition can affect people of all ages. Actress Mary Tyler Moore was diagnoses when she was in her 20s, and battled the disease until she passed away this year.

As for Leland, his mom said there were signs in recent weeks that suddenly made sense post-diagnosis. Her typically sweet little boy would anger easily, was consuming a tremendous amount of liquid, and had dropped a good ten pounds.

It was in his son's hospital room that David described the "rapid fire" of questions and information being hurled toward him and his wife. Gradually Leland's condition improved. His blood sugar stabilized, and after a hospital stay that included terrifying words like "brain swelling," he was allowed to go home.

For the Jeffreys it was the start of a new way of life.

Six years removed from that day, Beverly said the routine of daily blood testings - approximately six between home and school - have now become commonplace.

Diets were altered and her little boy was given some very grown up instructions regarding his health. He learned to check his own sugars, and ro recognize the signs his sugars were crashing.

Leland is able to run and play like any active 10-year-old. He told WAAY-31 he just needs to be aware if his body starts tingling. That is when he knows to go inside his house, have some juice, then rest for a bit before going outside.

It is those kinds of signs that Pam Glover hopes to educate diabetics and their families about through her work as director of the diabetes management program at Huntsville Hospital.

Her first order of business is to make people understand the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

Type 1 is the result of a virus which attacks the pancreas. Some people have a predisposition, but it is something totally beyond their control. Child, such as Leland, who are diagnosed at a young age must spend their entire life looking for warning signs of an impending crash. Glover said it can quite literally mean the different between life and death.

Type 2 diabetes is usually the result of lifestyle, things like diet or lack of exercise. However, she said that isn't an across the board cause for all Type 2 cases, and that each can vary depending on things like smoking or even family history.

Regardless, Glover said it is crucial for those with both types to be aware of the seriousness of their respective disease and to manage it effectively and carefully.

As for Leland, this little boy learned how to do it. While at first he said he "hated having diabetes," and "wanted to go back to life before," he's learned to manage it and realizes it will be part of his daily routine if he wants to live a happy life.

The Jeffreys have been very active in the Huntsville chapter of the JDRF. Beverly said it was the support system provided by JDRF that helped her and David to cope with the initial diagnosis. They've remained active participants in the annual One Walk, which takes place each spring to raise money to fight - and hopefully one day cure - diabetes.

This year's race is happening on Saturday, April 22, at the Jackson Center in Cummins Research Park. You can register by clicking right here.

Read more here:
Ten-year-old, family, explain life with Type 1 Diabetes - WAAY

This entry was posted on April 16, 2017 at 9:51 pm and is filed under Diabetes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |