Expressions 20: My brave girl

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This is GG, aged 9 and 3 quarters. On Tuesday she was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. This is her 24 hours later, in hospital, having already learned to prick her own fingers for blood sugar testing, and inject herself with insulin. I am proud, and humbled by her bravery. She is the most amazing person I know.

This is her 48 hours after diagnosis. She will not let this change her:

Learning to surf on the Flowrider at Thorpe Park

I will not be sharing posts this week; we have just so much to get to grips with right now, and I need to focus on my family for a while. But I couldn’t not show you this incredible, brave girl.

48 thoughts on “Expressions 20: My brave girl”

  1. Aww! Massive hugs to you all!
    What an amazing girl……It sounds like she’s taking everything so well! So very brave x

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  2. How utterly amazing and brave is your big girl? Hugs to you all at this life changing time. My best friend has diabetes and while we all aware of it growing up, and her injecting and not being able to eat certain things, but other than that it just became a part of her. We barely noticed. I hope you all are ok and sending lots of love to GG. Xx

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    • Katie it is stories like this that give us hope. The thing which worries her above all is that her friends will treat her differently because of this. Knowing that they will accept it and carry on as normal is such a boost. x

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  3. I am so sorry that you are all going through this, but I know that you are a strong family and will get through this and GG will deal with this. She is a trooper. Still doesn’t mean it is OK and I want you to know that I am thinking of you all

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  4. Thinking of you and your family!! That first diagnosis is a life changing moment and she sounds like such a brave girl that she’s not going to let this change her, it’s tough though. Hugs to you all xx

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  5. So sorry to read this, but brilliant to hear she is already learning to cope with it. She really is a very brave girl. That photo of her in the water is so happy.

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  6. She’s amazing, Helen – just like her mummy and I absolutely admire her spirit of not letting Diabetes get in her way. You can be so proud of her and of yourself for reading the systems correctly and so early x

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  7. You know where she gets that steely determination and focus form don’t you? You 🙂
    So sad to have heard about this Helen, much love heading to you all x

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  8. Oh gosh sorry to hear about the diabetes but you have an amazing girl there for certain and she sounds like she is already prepRing to handle it 🙂 my parents and all my aunts have type 2 so it feels like we’ve been surrounded with it all our lives. It does become a new normal and I hope yours comes quickly xx

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  9. ((Hugs the Actually Family very hard))

    So sorry to hear this news Helen. Big love to you and your amazing brave girl. I hope you get loads of support as you adjust, but from the looks of it, the diagnosis isn’t going to hold GG back for a minute xxx

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  10. I am so sorry to hear about this Helen. GG seems like a determined little soul and she has a great example in you as her Mum. I have no doubt that this will only strengthen her resolve. Thinking of you all x

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  11. So sorry to hear about GG’s diagnosis Helen. She’s being incredibly brave but it must be a shock to all of you. She seems to have great such great strength and I’m sure over time it will be come the norm. It’s the adjusting that’s hard but it will get easier over time. Sending lots of hugs and thinking of you all xx

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  12. Gosh – what an amazingly brave girl she really is xx must get her awesomeness from her mother I say 😉 Seriously – Hope you are all ok though xxx *hugs* xxx

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  13. We’re thinking of you and so sorry you have to face this scary and unsettling time but know you and your amazing family will come through this stronger and determined than you already are!
    Emily xx

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  14. I am sorry to hear about the diabetes but wow she is doing so well and is so brave! She really is an inspiration for young girls x hugs x

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  15. Sorry to hear this, but what spirit GG has! All the best to you all, her friends will probably be impressed at her courage rather than anything else. X

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  16. Helen I just read this – I’m so sorry that she has to deal with this at such a young age. What a brave girl! Don’t they often surprise us with their fortitude and resilience? Good for you for taking the time to let this sink in and be there for her x

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  17. Helen, look at what you’ve achieved here – your daughter is amazing! I have no doubt that such a fabulous young lady will conquer this disease and handle it with maturity. What a girl. Thinking of you all x x

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  18. I’m so sorry that you’re going through tough times. I know two diabetics well: an ex, and a good friend who now lives in Brussels. They’ve both managed to live fulfilling lives, but I can see from their different ways of approaching the routine of blood testing etc, that support from family and friends makes a real difference to how they manage it. There are all sorts of support groups around for people with diabetes (and their parents) – I’m sure they could really help. Thinking of you xxx

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  19. Sorry I’ve been a bit behind with catching up but just seen this and thinking of you. She looks like she has taken it in her stride, definitely amazing. Hope you’re taking a break from finding out about it and lots of information gathering. Am sure her friends will not think twice about it, children are fab like that! xx

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  20. It will be a rough ride at first but more for you Helen and your husband. Not being able to make the diabetes go away, and watching your daughter have some bad days is always more difficult for the parents. I’m sure GG will five you strength from the sounds of it. Hugs to all of you.

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  21. I love her t-shirt and GG, no ALL of you are amazing!! From someone who knows what it’s like, there will be ups and down, tears and tantrums but you are an amazing family and will rally when it’s needed. For now I’m sending ((hugs)) and so much love xxx

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  22. Hi Helen I have just notice your post on twitter, Hi I am Sarah my Son was diagnosed 3 years ago now, I remember the feeling of devastation, not being in control but 3 years later we are very much in control and living with type 1, we are lucky to have a great team behind us and like you a very brave and strong child. It hasn’t stopped Jack one bit. Please as a Mum that has been through it feel free to email me any questions. I know you will have nurses specialists etc, if they are any bit like our diabetes team they will be amazing but any questions from a mum angle please ask, its such a learning curve but every day gets easier xxx

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    • Thank you so much Sarah, these are exactly the words I need to hear daily to keep me going. I’m sorry Jack has diabetes, but I’m so pleased to hear he handles it so well. I’m hoping for the same for my girl x

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  23. What a beautiful brave girl you have there. My Evie has just turned 8 and was diagnosed nearly a year ago. What a rollercoaster ride it has been.. It is amazing how diabetes turns your world upside down and you learn things you wish you never needed to know. Although being more aware of foods, exercise, etc has made us all ‘healthier’. Evie said recently the good thing from being diagnosed is all the new people in our lives (our specialist nurse, consultant, etc)… Stay positive, it will all get easier to handle and get your head around and manage. X

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    • Becky I’ve just realised I never replied to your lovely comment. I think I went offline on this post for a while. Diabetes completely took over my life. It still is a huge part of my day, every day, but you are right, experience really does help, although you need a heck of a lot of it, and I’m only a quarter of the way there even after a year!.

      Thank you for commenting all those months ago.

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  24. Hi, just saw this on the JDRF website & took me back to my son’s diagnosis, such a shock…..’My’ Diabetic is now 20 years old & well & healthy & socialising & driving 🙂 He was diagnosed at 12 & yes we did go through difficult times, especially during teenage years, but the health professionals and other parents of diabetic children were there to teach, help & support. Apart from reading everything I could get my hands on, joining a local parent support group was one of the biggest helps, more for me, than for my child. It is a steep learning curve in the beginning, but you will do it because it is for your precious child. The diet is just what we should all be eating! Give yourself a big hug & know there is nothing you could have done to prevent this. Best of luck xx

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  25. Your daughter is just a little older than mine now, just that we are 3 years+ down this diabetes road now. It’s tough, especially at the start, I really feel for you and all other families newly diagnosed. It is very very traumatic on the whole family but especially Mums I think, and there is not enough support. Too many well meaning comments from friends about how “lucky” you are it’s not cancer, and at least it’s not “life threatening” (just friendship threatening!).
    Read, assimilate information, do the best you can, it won’t always be perfect. There will be days, as your picture already shows, where living a full life is more important than tight diabetes management…….and definitely lots of ice cream, (not the diabetic stuff!)

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