Toddler’s diabetes diagnosis flips world upside down for local family

Children at age two and a half are just starting to master communication, but there is still a lot of guesswork involved in parenting toddlers. That communication gap became very scary for Jillian and Steven Breneman of Tecumseh, when son Trace was diagnosed this fall with Type 1 diabetes.“It was extremely out of the blue,” Jillian said. “We have no family history of diabetes.”The diagnosis came during a September doctor’s visit for Trace’s flu-like symptoms. With Trace sleeping heavily, only waking to vomit, his parents believed Trace had the stomach flu. During the appointment, Jillian mentioned to the doctor Trace had some symptoms of diabetes.When a test showed his blood sugar level at 350 mg rather than the normal 100 to 180 mg, the doctor arranged for immediate ambulance transport to the University of Michigan Hospital. Jillian, with her 10-month-old daughter Ellie in her arms, watched as Trace was put on oxygen and two IVs then taken away by ambulance. “My world just flipped upside down. There is not a word to describe the feeling,” said Jillian. “It was the worst day of my life.”At the hospital, she and her husband, Steven, a nurse, were told their son had Type 1 diabetes and was experiencing his first diabetic attack. Trace was transferred from the emergency room to the Children’s Intensive Care Unit then to the Children’s General Floor. Jillian and Steven learned how to give an insulin shot and were educated on how to care for Trace.Trace’s return home was both a joyful and terrifying event for the family. In addition to the usual games and play with a toddler, the Brenemans now had to count carbs, watch insulin-to-carb ratios, ketones, hypoglycemia, and hyperglycemia. Besides toys, Trace has glucose monitors, lancets, test strips, and insulin pens.“We definitely have a new normal,” Jillian said. “Trace has made it easier for all of us. Because of how well he’s dealing with it, I can deal with it better.”Since his diagnosis, Trace has had more than 300 finger pokes, a minimum of five per day, and over 250 insulin injections. Blood sugar levels are checked when he wakes up, before bed, before meals, before exercise, and in the middle of the night.The most frightening part for Steven and Jillian is how Trace is unable to communicate when he starts to experience a dangerous episode. The little boy has adapted to pokes and shots, but communication is still a problem.“Trace is so young he doesn’t understand what’s going on,” said Jillian. “Constantly, different factors are affecting our everyday life. Everything affects the blood sugar. We don’t know if Trace’s blood sugar will ever become more stable. There are so many unanswered questions.”One night at 11:50 p.m., Jillian and Steven heard Trace screaming in his room. He was asleep, but starting to experience extreme hypoglycemia. Trace’s eyes were dilated and he was unresponsive.A glass of apple juice helped to bring Trace’s blood sugar back up without the use of a glucagon pen and a call to 911. It was the scare of this night that made Jillian and Steven realize they need more help.One of the best ways to stabilize blood sugar before a reaction occurs is with the help of a diabetic alert dog. The Brenemans learned about diabetic alert dogs from a Lenawee Type 1 Moms friend.The organization distributes a care package when a child is newly diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Jillian and Steven first heard about diabetic alert dogs from one of the mothers active with the group.The change in body chemicals before an attack alerts the dog’s sense of smell, and the dog then alerts the family about the change in blood sugar. A dog would give Jillian and Steven one more way to keep Trace safe.A diabetic alert dog is not inexpensive. The Brenemans must raise $25,000 to reserve their dog, which will be trained specifically to respond to Trace.“We don’t get to meet the dog until delivery,” said Jillian. “We don’t even know the specific breed of the dog until a month before. It’s just what dog alerts the best to Trace’s saliva.”The Brenemans will send the company samples of Trace’s saliva as well as T-shirts he wears at night. Jillian did a lot of research to figure out which company would be the best fit for the family.Currently, dogs in training are between six and eight months of age. To work with patients a dog must be older than 12 months. According to Jillian, it will be close to a year before a dog is ready to work with Trace.To help with the cost, the Brenemans have set up a page on the website Go Fund Me. They are just a little less than halfway to their goal. People can visit www.gofundme.com/g4lvro to make donations.Jillian recommends parents not hesitate if they notice any unusual symptoms with their children. The biggest symptom of diabetes is drinking a lot of water with excessive urination, and the Brenemans noticed both with Trace over the summer.“If your child has any symptoms, you can never be wrong for calling the doctor,” Jillian said. “You have to go with your instinct if something is not right.”