Thursday, July 23, 2009

Hope for Ayla


Dante and I are writing this on behalf of Ayla,
Ayla was diagnosed with type 1 ( juvenile ) diabetes on January 30th,2008 at the tender age of 19 months. She will be insulin dependent for the rest of her life. So far, in her 3 short years of life she has been subjected to 4,360 finger and toe pricks and been on the receiving end of 3,150 injections of insulin. We are looking into an insulin pump for her, which would mean less injections and better control, but I guess the “selfish” part of me just wanted to see my baby girl enjoy one more summer at the beach , without visible tubing. It’s easier to pretend everything is okay when she looks just like any other kid, isn’t it? We plan to start pump classes this Fall. Ayla is so full of Life, and such a character! I can’t tell you how many times I have cried alone at night, wondering why this would ever happen to such a great little soul.
We have spent the last year and a half just trying to cope and survive this. Ayla had 2 very serious hypoglycemic seizures that shook me to my very core. Both happened while everyone was asleep, and the last was almost a year ago, but only 6 days after the birth of our youngest daughter. That is when I stopped sleeping for more than 2 hours at a time. I remember holding her as she seized, Dante on the phone with a 911 operator, begging for her life and the seizure to stop. Thank God, it did. It has taken a toll. I feel ALL the kids have been robbed of a part of their childhoods. Seeing my other children crying hysterically as their little sister is rushed away, dying in an ambulance. A part of their innocence and belief that Mom and Dad can make everything better is gone. I started eating to try to dull the pain and fill my aching heart up somehow, and gained a lot of weight. Dante started smoking again. Ayla can’t have a simple overnight at Grandma’s house, because Grandma and Grandpa are afraid to take care of her without us.
We chose to lay it all out for you, and not sugar coat anything. We need you to understand why we need a cure for diabetes NOW. We can’t wait. Ayla can’t wait.
The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation is the number 1 funder of juvenile diabetes research. One of their largest fund raising events is the “ Walk to cure Diabetes”. This year we have formed a team called Hope for Ayla. This years walk will be held on Saturday September 13th, 2009 in Portland ME.

If you are interested there are 3 ways you can help us to provide Hope for Ayla.
• You can join our team, Hope for Ayla, which consists of family and friends and collect pledges and walk with us.
• Send a donation and contact your friends and family to send a donation as well. Contact us and we will send you a pledge form. You can also forward this letter to as many people as you like.
• You can send a tax deductible donation in ANY amount made payable to JDRF. We will deliver any donations, in Ayla’s name, the morning of the walk. You can also donate online by going to www.walk.jdrf.org We are team Hope for Ayla.
Thank You for helping us meet and hopefully exceed our family goal of raising $1000 for diabetes research. Hope to see you at the Walk!

Here's a link to Ayla's Diabetes Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kI1JFUV1OY

7 comments:

  1. I love this post! Thank you for sharing with us about how we can help.

    I have suffered with type II diabetes for ten years, and now suffer vascular/ heart damage. Diabetes takes a serious toll on our bodies. Mine was self induced by improper eating. I was a lacto - vegetarian for over 12 years and had children during this time. I lost many children, and had severe protein deficiencies. I was eventually diagnosed with diabetes, controlled it with diet, and was able to have more children. As I get older, my previous diabetic induced cardiovascular damage is showing and affecting my health.

    Anyway, I do understand how uncontrolled diabetes can cause immediate life threatening reactions. Too high/ too low = not good at all. That you are there throughout the crisis and take care of Ayla also breaks my heart. How I wish for GOD's mercy on your family.

    I am hoping that we can continue to donate to JDRF in Ayla's name until a cure is found. I trust too that GOD will have mercy on Ayla's life with this disease. Perhaps GOD will shake the heads of some medical genius and a cure will be found.

    Thank you again for sharing Ayl'a story. May GOD have mercy on you too as you walk beside her and teach her to care for herself.

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  2. Thank you for sharing your story Theresa! I appreciate your support and well wishes for Ayla!

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  3. I have donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund for many years now since my father died of a diabetes-related comma in 1991. I thought it would be good to donate to a fund that could help the more helpless, the children. I will forward the letter about Ayla to as many people as I have in my address book and see what happens. By the way, your children are all so adorable!!! Ayla looks like Dante's mom and Dante combined.

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  4. Thank you so much! We really appreciate it, I'm very sorry about your Dad.

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  5. Hi Jessika,

    I visited the site to donate to Hope for Ayla and it does not yet list the total amount you have donated. Maybe it needs to catch up.

    Anyway, good luck the walk!!!

    For some reason I can't figure out how to post with my name.
    LaJuana

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  6. Lajuana,
    The site only lists online donations and when we send in donations periodically it catches up. I have one more check that I know of coming in the mail and then I'll send in more contributions!

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  7. I think I just spelled your name wrong too!

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