A type 1 diabetes diagnosis came out of the blue and changed four-year-old Ellazae’s life completely – but with a passion for the outdoors and a new way to indulge it, things are looking a little brighter
Three months ago, Ellazae’s life changed in the blink of an eye. Her mum Kimberley took her to the doctor for a routine vaccination and got chatting to the nurse administering the jab. Seven days later, Ellazae was released from hospital.
“We’d started our day looking at tractors, which Ellazae loves, and ended it with her having about 20 jabs for blood tests,” explains Kimberley.
“During Ellazae’s vaccination, I mentioned to the nurse that she’d recently lost weight quickly and was drinking about 6L of water a day. She also had an appetite that she could never satiate. Once the nurse heard that, she did ketone and blood tests and, pretty soon after, Ellazae was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.”
Urgent care needed
Kimberley said tests shows Ellazae was dealing with diabetes for a while before she was diagnosed, which was the reason for the long hospital stay.
“We had to get on top of it quickly and I had to learn how to monitor her glucose levels and administer injections before she could leave. Plus, the doctors wanted to carry out extra checks to make sure she was okay.”
It’s been a bumpy road since then. In a flash, Ellazae’s diet and lifestyle became far more controlled and restricted.
“It’s been a massive mental transition for her and she misses out a lot now. Plus, the number of needles and finger prick tests she had to put up with in the early days have left her a bit traumatised.”
Thankfully, Ellazae is now fitted with a continuous glucose monitor, so she doesn’t need to be woken up at all hours of the night for tests. Another thing that helps to regulate her blood sugar levels is regular exercise.
Outdoors kid
Kimberley says she loves playing outside and doing so means she doesn’t need to take as much insulin throughout the day. So, to give her an extra incentive to get out and exercise, Satan’s Little Helper gifted Ellazae a new bike!
“When she first got it, she kept it in her room and wouldn’t go outside with it in case it got dirty, which kind of defeated the point,” laughs Kimberley. “We’re past that point now, thank goodness!
“She loves to ride it along the river or in the park and, as we live on a farm, she always has the option of taking it out in the paddock. I’ve noticed it’s really helping her control her insulin levels as well.”
Kimberley says there’s been a physical and mental benefit to the bike.
“It was really nice to see her excited and get something good after suffering through the first three months of diabetes. It’s great to see her so happy.”
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