A Newtown Mother's Plea To Help Diabetic Daughter Get Service Dog

My name is Shannon and my beautiful DD (dear daughter), Scarlett, was diagnosed June 5, 2016 with Type One Diabetes. She had just turned 8 years old.

My husband has had Type One Diabetes since the age of 20 and had always feared passing it along to an off-spring. He noticed she seemed awfully skinny at which I replied, "she just needs to eat more." He noticed she was drinking a lot of water, to which my response was "isn't it great she is staying well hydrated?"

On June 4th my husband wanted to check her blood sugar with his monitor and I was furious. "Why would you put her through that???" She was screaming and crying that she didn't want to get her finger stuck. I reluctantly agreed to have my baby's precious little innocent finger pricked with a lancet to prove that he was being paranoid.

The monitor read "HI" - meaning her blood sugar was over 500! (normal is 70-165) Again, in denial, I said "she just had a sugary drink...that is why it is so high." At the time, I didn't realize how ridiculous this statement actually was. She drank some water and we checked it again....480. Now it was clear to both of us that she had developed the same terrible disease that my husband has had for 32 years.

I've witnessed his ups and downs, his highs and lows and the emotional frustrations but now my baby will have to go through the same? After the denial, came the tears, then the "can do" attitude, then some more tears, then the "we got this" attitude, then more tears......etc. (and that was just from me!)

Scarlett has been amazing during this whole process. Her father and I, on the other hand, not so much. However, we have made it to the nine-month point without killing each other, still married and in love, setting a (to the best of our ability) positive role model for our children.

She has done a beautiful job checking her numbers, understanding the need to count carbs, and knowing she has to finish her food if she has taken insulin for it. She even started self-administering her insulin a few days after being home! She is truly an amazing little girl who makes me so proud every day.

She doesn't let anything stop her from succeeding. She also is deaf in one ear and has not let it stop her from learning the piano and playing in a rock and roll band (School of Rock). She is determined (and I have no doubt will succeed) in not allowing diabetes to stop her from living a full life. She is now determined to get a diabetic alert dog!

We agree with her and want her to have an alert dog for a few reasons:

1. Night time: If you know anything about Type 1, you'll know that the idea your child can have hypoglycemia and go into a diabetic coma while you are snoozing in the room next door is enough to make you never want to sleep again. Her diabetic dog would sleep with her in her bed and be trained to not only wake her up in the event of a low, but also wake us up.

2. Sporting Events: Scarlett loves to participate in all the regular fun activities that many other children do. Especially swimming and soccer. If she is home and playing her iPad, she knows when she is low. My fear during a physical activity is that she will also have adrenaline or excitement or whatever and not feel her low.
Her dog would accompany us to all such activities.

3. Emotional support: Scarlett is a spirited almost 9 year old (May 2017) who is sweet, kind but also very head strong. My fear is the tween-teen years and possible rebellion. I can see her rebelling against her mom and dad and perhaps (God Forbid) against managing her diabetes. But, how can she rebel against the wishes of her beloved diabetic alert dog? Her dog's number one priority will be to monitor her blood sugar and I know she wouldn't let him/her down! I feel like if she has an soft and fuzzy animal that wants nothing more than for her to have good blood sugars she will have a better chance at getting through those possible rebellious years.

We have done some research and know that diabetic alert dogs can be quite pricey. Scarlett has agreed to do some fundraising this summer to off-set the costs. Anything you can donate will be greatly appreciated by our entire family, but especially Scarlett. Thank you for taking the time to read our story!

Shannon Stucky

Click here to visit the GoFundMe page.