Rick’s 1-Yr-Old Grandson Fights Diabetes

My lil' buddy Ryder was just diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes today.  Very rare for anyone to be diagnosed at this early age but here it is, slapping us in the face, and I'm watching my daughter Chelsea go through exactly what I went through many years ago when her sister Ireland was 10 and got the diagnosis.

Chelsea and her husband are basically in lockdown now at Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City.  I remember the onslaught of information, the training, the wondering what this means for the child, for the parents, the siblings, friends, and everyone that comes into contact with this little person who's life will always be different than the rest of us.

With Ireland, it's been constant needles, pricking, and prodding and watching how many carbs she takes in and what her blood/sugar level is.  You can't just go to a birthday party and eat cake.  It's always this huge production beforehand and OH let me tell you, the stares you get when some kid pulls out a hypodermic needle and inserts it into their stomach is... well, interesting to say the least.

At least Ryder won't know any different.  He's too young and he'll grow up with this lifestyle.  He'll get the pump because needles just aren't going to work with this little guy.  Ireland still uses needles because she plays college soccer and the pump just gets in the way.

Ryder also has Ireland.  An aunt who loves him like he's her own.  My family's tight.  I'm very blessed.  All my kids and their kids are just one BIG family.  Ryder will have an excellent example trying to navigate this crazy condition.  And the rest of us have lived with Ireland and diabetes so we've all learned a thing or two as well.

As I received this news today I thought to myself about how Everybody Has Something.  We all do whether it's diabetes, work sucks, social issues, financial problems, cancer, a death... I could go on and on.  We all have problems.  Some WAY bigger than others but we all have them and to us, our problems mean something.  They're BIG.  I try to keep this in mind when things are bad.  Things are bad for everyone.  And things are good for everyone.  It's just a matter of how we look at those things.  For me... Ryder's my cute little buddy who only wants Grandpa Rick to hold him when he sees me.  He runs over, arms in the air, and if I don't grab this little guy quick he'll grunt and grunt and grunt until I do.  His aunts and uncles and everyone else will try to snatch him out of my arms but he isn't having it.  He and I have some kind of a bond.  I don't know where it came from but it's there.

Diabetes isn't going to take Ryder from me.  It's simply a roadblock.  A bump in the road that we have to figure out how to get through.  I love this kid with all my heart.  Ryder... I'm thinking of you today buddy and grandpa will be there tomorrow.  I love you!