On April 8,1996, our daughter Nikki was diagnosed with Type 1 (Juvenile) Diabetes. This
means her body does not produce insulin. A diabetic with Type 1 diabetes is insulin
dependent and must get insulin by means of injections or an insulin pump.
Our lives changed dramatically. While Nikki laid in intensive care for days, we wondered
how she contracted the disease, what was diabetes, how would we care for diabetes and most
importantly, was she going to live?
No one in either my family or my wife's family had ever had diabetes. So, how could Nikki
have it? Days leading up to Nikki's diagnosis, my son Chris, was sick with a
twenty-four hour stomach virus. The next day, I contracted the same virus. It also lasted
twenty-four hours. On the third day, my wife also became ill. (Again, for twenty-four
hours). It was only feasible, that Nikki was to get it next. She did. Twenty-four
hours came and went, and she wasn't getting better. I took her to her pediatrician, and
they said to get her to the hospital as she was extremely dehydrated. By the time I drove
5 miles to the hospital, she was so dehydrated, she didn't even look like my daughter
anymore. The hospital ran tests and put her in intensive care. The doctor told us that she
had diabetes. Her blood sugar was 865!
From that moment on, my wife and I educated ourselves as much as we could about diabetes.
My wife read books about the disease and I searched the internet to gather as much
information as I can find.
One of the issues that keeps coming up in all of my research about diabetes, is the
problem in schools and how diabetic children are not being allowed to do the things they
must do to survive. I want to share with everyone, all the information I have found about
our children's rights in school.
Dedication
This site is dedicated to:
My daughter Nikki, who has to deal with the diabetes "roller coaster."
My son Chris, who helps tremendously with understanding diabetes, (the best he
can).
My wife Debbi, who helps everyone she comes in contact with who has a question or a
concern dealing with diabetes.
I love you all and thank you for all the support in creating this web site.