Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Needles upon Needles

 

 


I was cleaning out underneath our kitchen sink the other day and took these pictures. Upon first glance, it looks like we're stockpiling formula for a major disaster. Grant would be full for days with this much formula on hand. However, open the lids and the picture changes quite a bit. These three Similac containers are full of used syringes. Each container has dozens of used syringes that I used to inject insulin into my child. Each needle there has actually pierced my baby's skin. I usually throw each container away once it's full. For some reason I didn't...and accumulated three of these. It almost took my breath away to see this harsh visual picture of what I do to keep my baby alive every day. Harsh reality.

While my other three kids have no medical issues at all, Abby takes several daily injections to stay alive. Those words are hard to type. Hard to read. Hard to swallow. Every once in a while it hits me hard. The day I cleaned out the cabinet was one of those. There were probably 200 needles under my kitchen sink that day. That's alot of shots. Alot of injections. Alot of pain.

I do pray that a cure will be found in Abby's lifetime. She deserves it.
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3 comments:

Sarah said...

That breaks my heart...I think I've my kids and the amount of anxiety/pain/effort it takes just to have them get a round of vaccinations and here you are doing the same every day to your precious daughter. I hope and pray for a cure too.

Unknown said...

Wow!
I can't imagine how hard it must be on a mom to go through something like that with one of your children.

Thank god she has something that medicine can control, but that can't make it easier every day you are going through it.

All four of your children look beautiful!

3 Sweet Teas and Me said...

Just came across your blog via Clover Lane. I have been diabetic since the 3rd grade--I'm 35 now. I have 2 kids-ages 6 and 4. Each year at their well visits (and sometimes in between doing tests at home with my blood machine) I'm praying that they will avoid this disease. Now that I'm a mom, I think of how my mom had to monitor/care for/regulate my life. Your photo makes me think of all the shots, finger pricks, and now infusion set changes (with my pump) that I've gone through over the years. You know...I've never really thought of it like that. I think that since it's been my way of life since I was young...it's just part of life. So...as a mom I can't imagine it, but know that your daughter will be healthy... happy...and one day have great kids of her own because you are setting the foundation of good control for her! I pray for a cure so that others will not know this disease.