So, you know how you go to sleep every night knowing that tomorrow will come...even planning the next day's events. As a parent and spouse of a Type 1, I never go to sleep like that.
I lay down every night knowing what time I need to wake up to make sure that everyone is ok so that there is a tomorrow. And, I thank God and thank all the researchers who have made it possible for technology to help with alarms for sugar lows and sugar highs with the Continuous Glucose Monitor (that Lucas wears - not my husband). Because of this technology, there is a bit of a backup with a loud sounding alarm if there is a dangerous low or high blood sugar - which, by the way, our son Lucas rarely wakes up to...regardless, I am thankful for this technology.
However, it does not change the way I lay my head down at night or the way I wake myself up in the middle of the night. In my mind, if I miss a night that I don't wake up to check that my husband is breathing normally in his sleep or that my son's monitor is not going off unnoticed, then I wake up completely panicked making sure that the two of them are still alive. Imagine, every night hoping that there is a tomorrow.
As parents, we have so many dreams for our children...my dream is all of those plus the dream of a cure. Not just for my sake, but mostly for Lucas'...my dream is for Lucas...for Lucas to live a life to his fullest (which he will in spite of the diabetes) - but to live it without the additional worries and physical ailments that are a result of the diabetes. And that is why I will exhaust myself in raising money to find a cure and to help educate others and support those who cannot afford their insulin or supplies. And that is why the Lucas Cup is returning this year. Will you help me help others?
Let's make that dream of a cure come true for all the people living with Type 1 Diabetes...not just for them, but for their loved ones too.
For more information, please log on to www.thelucascupfoundation.com or contact me at llye@msn.com or thelucascup@gmail.com.