Raylan's Journey

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My son Raylan Bray was diagnosed June 19, 2018. He would constantly wake up in the middle of the night and complained of being thirsty constantly, then we began to have frequent accidents. Once I noticed this happening I quickly made him an appointment because I work in healthcare so I was aware of the signs for diabetics. Other than Raylan at the time I only knew of one other child that was diagnosed in the county. 

When we arrived at the doctors off in Owensboro, I told them my suspicion and the first question was and always is, “Does it run in your family?” The answer is no it doesn’t. They got a urine sample and then did a finger stick for a glucose meter. He had large ketones and his sugar was too high for the meter to read. The doctor came in and told us that we had to go to the emergency room immediately. I drove there to Owensboro hospital, at the time I just assumed that they would treat him there, however, we got there they confirmed and contacted Norton Children’s Hospital. We were transferred to Louisville via ambulance and had a three day stay. 

We all had to learn how to dose with a shape sheet, how to check for sugar and ketones. This was a new way of life that has become a new normal way for us. We had to use the old way of pricking the finger to check his sugar for 3 months and then we were able to purchase the Dexcom that monitors his glucose level constantly, and I am able to see as well while he is away from me. In December of 2018, we purchased the Tslim pump! These has been an amazing for the type 1 community to have. His Dexcom and the pump talk to each other so the pump already knows his sugar and can give a dose based on that and his carb intake. 

Fast forward to November 2022, Raylan had been high so we took the pump off and changed the site, and went back to using the insulin pen to dose with. His brother had tested positive for the flu and strep, he was negative; however, he started vomiting that morning. We went home and he continued to vomit and couldn’t stop. Back to the ER we went, Raylan was in DKA with glucose level around 200 and large amount of ketones. His bicarb was at 13 and eventually would drop to 6. So Norton Children’s decided they would send their own team of transport to get Raylan, only this time it was his first helicopter ride. After getting to Children’s they gave him 3 levels of fluids and he was able to flush his ketones out and eventually his appetite came back to eat. After a 2 day stay we were back home living life like our normal day. Had we not went back to the ER things could have ended on a different note for us. 

Type one diabetes is not a hereditary disease it is an autoimmune disease that can attack the system of someone big or small. Raylan is still capable of doing all things like any other kid. At first people, teachers usually are very panic mode driven when it comes to having a diabetic in their class, getting sugar free candy and such for any rewards. Just because it says sugar free doesn’t mean it’s better for our kiddos, we are looking at the total carbohydrates not the sugar alone. We have attended two camps, CCK, and Camp Hendon. Both were amazing and I encourage all families to participate. I learn something new every time we go. Raylan and our whole family have all learned so much more the google would ever tell you because the families there live everyday with it like we do. It’s a great support system as well as I have found in this community to have for a great group of kids!