Meet cute Sophia. This is her T1D story!! @letycorona_t
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz0LUASuqPg/
Sophia received her diagnosis a couple months before her 10th birthday, in March of 2022, following a trip to San Diego. This trip marked the end of our “normal” life as we knew it.
Throughout the drive to San Diego, Sophia consistently requested restroom stops every forty-five minutes. We knew it was not normal and decided we would schedule a visit with her PCP upon our return to Utah.
Concerned, I began searching the internet and one of those searches was “frequent urination in 9-year-olds”. My heart sank as I came across the T1D symptoms, she had almost every single one. Symptoms I had dismissed earlier, attributing them to her being a preteen, a growth spirt causing her to appear thinner, potential need for glasses, or mere laziness. The MOM guilt immediately rushed through me, leading me to call the doctor’s office to request a T1D test in addition to a UTI test.
Following a urine test and blood prick, the diagnosis was confirmed – Sophia had T1D. D-day was one of the worst days of our lives; however, we were fortunate/blessed to have caught it early and avoid DKA.
Sophia embodies strength, determination, and confidence. Right from the start, she expressed the desire to manage all injections, finger pricks, and pump changes independently. Her amazing personality has not only helped her cope with this diagnosis but also led her to reach out to newly diagnosed kids at her school. When asked what she wants to be when she grows up, she will happily respond, “I am going to be a diabetes educator, like Ben. So, I can help kids with T1D.”
The one recommendation I have for newly diagnosed patients, or their caregivers is to listen to the Juicebox Podcast. This podcast gave me the confidence to make changes, adjust and advocate for my daughter. It gave me information that was never mentioned in the two days of diabetes bootcamp at the hospital. This is the hardest, gut-wrenching journey I have ever been on, but we learn to manage and live a life of joy and happiness.