back to the list of essays and poems BACK
This is one of the contributions to:DIABETES ESSAY AND POEM COMPETITION 2009
I am called Freya and I am 10 years old. I’d like to tell you a true story about my 15 year old big brother Luke.
On the 17th of February 2008 we got the shocking news that my brother Luke, (then aged 13 years), had type 1 Diabetes. On that day, I can remember my Mum`s mobile phone ringing while we were out. I had brought my bike with me and my Mum ordered me to cycle home as fast as I could possibly go. I did just that, speeding along as fast as light. When I got home, Mum was on the phone to a doctor at Stirling Royal Infirmary.
I knew something was seriously wrong because Mum was crying all the time. She explained to me that my brother Luke was in hospital and that he was VERY ill. Mum told me that he had Diabetes. I did not exactly know what Diabetes was, but I knew I felt very scared. Luke goes to boarding school in Scotland and he had just returned to school from a skiing trip to Bavaria, with his friends. My Dad was working away and Mum had to phone Daddy to give him the terrible news. Mum and Dad decided to drive straight up to Scotland (we live in England.) While this was going on, I felt lost and so I made Luke a get well card. It made me feel useful and a bit better.
I remember that my parents were telling me that I would have to stay behind with my Grandparents. I was very upset about it because my brother was in hospital and I had to see him. After I had made it clear and insisted that I wanted to come too, Mum and Dad finally agreed! We travelled to Scotland through the night and Dad drove 8 hours without stopping.
We arrived at the Stirling Royal Infirmary at 9.00 am and the Nurse in the children’s ward escorted us straight to my brother. When I saw Luke lying in the hospital bed with drips winding up and out of him and looking VERY thin, I felt as if the whole world had collapsed on top of me. We hugged and kissed Luke and I gave him the card I had made.
We met the Diabetic Team and I can remember sitting there listening to every word, trying to make sense of what I was hearing. None of us could believe that Luke had Diabetes Type 1. The team showed Luke how to inject with Insulin and explained to us what Diabetes actually was. I learnt a lot and Mum said that she felt pleased bringing me along because I was keeping everyone`s spirits up. I do remember feeling a little left out because everyone was ignoring me and Luke was getting all the attention.
I was nervous and sad because Mum and Dad told me that Luke had nearly gone into a coma, but he was getting stronger and that was a relief.
Luke was always sending me off to get him yogurts from the Hospital kitchen because he was hungry all the time!
With Luke's school's permission we brought him home to recover. Mum and Dad were quite cross that the school teachers had not noticed what was wrong with my brother sooner. On the skiing trip he had been continuously thirsty and going to the toilet a lot and he spent all his holiday money on drinks!
When we got back home from Scotland all of our family were ringing up to see how Luke was. He was weak, thin and starving hungry all the time. I remember Luke injecting Insulin into his leg and tummy, also testing his blood with a finger prick. Sometimes Luke got hypos and he felt shaky and dizzy. Daddy made us all laugh by putting the Insulin needle into his own bottom (not injecting Insulin though!)
After one week in hospital and being home for three weeks, the time came when Luke had to go back to school. I could tell Mum and Dad were really worried about how Luke would cope on his own, at boarding school. I was worried about if Luke had a serious hypo and went unconscious. The school nurse helped Mum and Dad by saying everything would be ok and she would look after my brother. Luke gradually became used to injecting insulin and testing his blood, treating it like an everyday habit, like brushing your teeth. We rang Luke up regularly to check on him.
At Luke’s school he does lots of sport and plays the bagpipes in the school pipe band. In August 2008 Luke preformed in The Edinburgh Tattoo. Mum and Dad were worried that Luke would not be strong enough, but Luke was determined to perform. I believed that my brother could do it and he did! We were all really proud of him, especially after what had happened earlier in the year.
When Luke comes home in the school holidays he is always asking me to get his test kit- he’s sooo lazy! (TYPICAL TEENAGER!) I also always have to remind him to test his blood. I think that Luke copes really well with Diabetes type 1 because he is the exactly the same person he has always been and it has not stopped him from doing anything he loves.
Luke has now been diagnosed with Celiac disease which is linked to Diabetes. My mum is also celiac. Luke does not seem to mind that he is too and he manages to have a strict gluten free diet without any problems. I think my brother is very clever playing the bagpipes and not letting Diabetes stop him from enjoying his life. I must admit I do feel sorry for him because it is a lifelong condition as well as celiac. I love my brother very much and I am extremely proud of him. All my friends have been understanding and kind, always asking me how Luke is. No one could wish for a better brother than Luke.
Thank you for reading my story.