American Diabetes Association: Por Dani (For Dani)

Por Dani (For Dani)
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
By: Kathia Belmarez

Por Dani (For Dani)

Dani is my child, he is twelve years old. He loves his family and he loves reptiles. Dani has been battling diabetes since July, 2004. He is so courageous and everyday teaches me a lesson of strength and hope.

Before I sent Dani to Panama, our native country, we both went to Disney World to experience for the first time (for him) the magic of Disney. He was very excited about the trip, for an 11 year old, it was still exciting to know that we were going to the World of Mickey.

I guess, I should have know that he was not feeling well, he was constantly using the bathroom and complaining of headaches, but he managed it, running around and enjoying our little vacation. My son was so brave! I later learned that the symptons of high blood sugar are extremely weakening and during our time in Disney, Dani showed no signs of letting the illness stop him from having fun.

For me, diabetes was a foreign concept. I guess, I knew a little about it, not as much as I know now, it was not a threat in my family, it does not run in it, so why worry? But that did change, my son was diagnosed by a lab technician who, seeing how high this test result was, could not believe that the child was awake, he even called the ER of a hospital to be prepared to receive this patient, whose blood sugar was so high, that he should have been in a comma.

We do not know how it went from bad to worse, but Dani spent 4 days in the hospital and from then, our lives changed forever.

How do you tell a child that pizza is no good? That diet sodas are the only option? That there is no more snacking without testing, that there is a monitor that must be used EVERYTIME you want to put food in your mouth, that going to bed without giving yourself that last shot is not possible? All those questions, and we are still struggling to find answers.

As his mother, I have my own fears, I would not even address them here because this is not a sad story, this is a story of hope and hope is all we have, hope that one day, there will be a cure for this and all the other conditions that affect our lives.

I am riding for Dani, for the grandmother of five, abandoned by their parents kids, who does not have insurance to help with her granchild's diabetes, for the 4 year old boy who bravely gives himself shots of insulin on his belly and for the millions of people affected by this condition!