Raising Resilience: Our Type 1 Diabetes Story
Fareed Qureshi
Learning to Raise a Type 1 Diabetic
By Fareed Qureshi – Medical & Technical Writer
Introduction
When our 5-year-old son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, our lives changed in an instant. We went from being carefree parents to full-time caregivers navigating medical jargon, insulin injections, and emotional upheaval—all overnight.
This is our story of fear, resilience, and the journey toward embracing a new normal.
The Diagnosis
It started with small things—excessive thirst, fatigue, frequent urination. At first, we thought it was a seasonal infection. But then one morning, he collapsed.
We rushed him to the hospital. After several tests, the doctors delivered the verdict: type 1 diabetes. I felt my heart drop. How could someone so young be diagnosed with something so serious?
As an Indian mother, my mind spiraled with worries:
Will he live a normal life?
Will he be able to attend school without difficulties?
How will this affect him emotionally and socially?
Overwhelmed in the ICU
Inside the sterile ICU, surrounded by machines beeping and whirring, we were given a crash course in managing type 1 diabetes—glucose monitoring, insulin injections, carb counting.
I nodded through the instructions, pretending to understand. But internally, I was panicking. We had no idea how to care for our son in this new reality.
That first night at home, I didn’t sleep. I kept checking on him, terrified something would go wrong. The fear was overwhelming.
Adapting to a New Lifestyle
Managing type 1 diabetes is not just medical—it’s a lifestyle overhaul. Every meal, activity, and school plan had to be reconsidered.
I used to pack his lunch without a second thought. Now, I studied nutrition labels and planned every bite. Socially, it was just as hard—our son couldn’t share birthday cake at school or snacks with friends. He was treated differently, and it hurt.
Some relatives even advised us not to talk about his diagnosis—worried it could affect his future, including marriage. But I refused to hide his condition. This is his life, and he deserves to live it proudly, without shame.
Finding Strength
With time, things got better. We found routines that worked. Our son learned how to self-manage his condition with remarkable courage.
He didn’t complain—he adapted. He explained his condition to classmates. He even started helping others understand what type 1 diabetes really is.
As his mother, I learned to focus on what I could control, and trust the process. I now follow the latest research and updates, because every advancement in care gives him a brighter future.
Conclusion
Our journey is ongoing—but now it’s filled with hope, not fear. Type 1 diabetes is part of our lives, but it doesn’t define us.
We’ve built a new normal, rooted in knowledge, support, and strength.
“When my 5-year-old was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, I felt like I fell into a world I knew nothing about – but we found our way through.”
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Posted Mar 2, 2025
A heartfelt blog about a mother’s journey managing her son’s type 1 diabetes, blending emotional insight with practical tips for parents and caregivers.
