When Jenna was diagnosed at the tender age of two, one of the first heart-breaking fears that crossed my mind was wondering if she would ever know the profound, life-altering joy of having a child. Of course the health care professionals we worked with assured me at the time that with diligence and the help of the technology available there was a good chance Jenna could indeed have children, if she chose to do so.
Over the past eight months the diabetes online community has had the privilege of sharing the awesome experience of Kerri Sparling's journey as a person with type 1 diabetes through her first pregnancy. It was inspiring and uplifting to read the many joys of her pregnancy--the initial announcement, her growing baby bump, the first kicks felt. But the road she traveled was not without its trials and we all read with compassion in our hearts as Kerri endured emotional fragility and physical pain while juggling type 1 diabetes and the progression of her pregnancy. Preeclampsia reared its frightening head and Kerri spent the last couple weeks of her pregnancy in a hospital room on modified bed rest.
But last Thursday her efforts paid off tenfold with the birth of her precious baby girl, or BSparl as she has come to be known by her online diabetes family.
Thank you Kerri for sharing your personal journey and giving us all hope that women with type 1 diabetes can have healthy pregnancies and babies. You so totally ROCK, sister!
Thank you also for allowing me to fill in for you today while you enjoy the first few days of motherhood. It's an honor to do so. Love and blessings.
Read my post on SUM here!
1 comment:
Hi Sherry - I just read your post on SUM - I love it and I felt exactly the same way as you do when my daughter was/is growing up. I carried her Diabetes bag and helped her test always thinking that she had a lifetime to manage and at 14 - she still does have a lifetime and she carries her own bag. We finally made the hurdle to her responsiblity when she wanted to go on Facebook and I didn't want her to...now she manages mostly on her. Recently at her Endo visit I told her that I don't need to go in with her anymore - she can do it alone and she said no, she still wanted me with her. I just told her I wanted her to know, the door is open for her to go on her own.
Aren't you proud of yourself! Pat yourself on the back - there will be steps backwards but you know you are doing this Diabetes parenting thing the right way! Congrats!
Celeste
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