A Story For Diabetes Awareness Month

By DR. JOSHUA TERRY

What is Kisses for Kycie? Did you see the ‘Kisses for Kycie’ sign on the back of the InVision Eye Center parade entry in the Veteran’s Day Parade?

Before I tell you what ‘Kisses for Kycie’ is, let me first remind you that November is Diabetes Awareness Month. What do you think of when you hear the word, “diabetes”?

I have been an optometrist for over 10 years and am the owner of InVision Eye Center. I live in St. George, Utah with my wife, Jamie. We are the parents of 6 boys and 1 girl. Our only girl, Kycie, was 5 years old when she started to act ill.

It was in January of 2010 and Kycie didn’t want to go to preschool that Monday morning. She said she had a stomach ache. Later that day she threw up and we suspected that Kycie was coming down with the flu. Kycie laid on the couch for most of the day and we kept a cup of water and Sprite nearby to help with her upset stomach.

Kycie missed school again on Tuesday, her stomach ache hadn’t gone away and she was complaining of a headache. She wouldn’t eat anything, and would only drink from her mug.

On Wednesday, January 28, Kycie was seen by her doctor. She was given antibiotics for what they thought was strep throat.

Thursday Kycie was still getting worse. She was tired, would cry that her tummy hurt, had a headache and would not eat, only drink. I had been working in Caliente all day Wednesday and got home late that Thursday night. I had noticed that Kycie had lost a lot of weight and was looking like skin and bones. That night Kycie threw up, mostly dry heaved, 5 or 6 times.

First thing that Friday morning, Jamie got Kycie ready and took her right back to the doctors office. The doctor still was not sure what was bothering Kycie so Jamie then decided to take her to the emergency room.

It was after 1:00 in the afternoon on January 30 that Kycie was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in the ER. She was in severe diabetic ketoacidosis. This is a complication that can occur with a late diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes.

Because of the severity, it was decided that Kycie would be flying via LifeFlight to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City. My daughter was loaded on an ambulance around 5:30 in St. George. I gave her a kiss on the forehead, told her I loved her and that I would see her soon. Her mother accompanied her on the flight while I started the 5 hour drive north.

The plane landed at Salt Lake City International airport around 6:30 pm. The team moved to an ambulance and started the drive to Primary Children’s. Just 10 minutes into the drive, Kycie had what appeared to be a seizure. She was then rushed to the hospital and doctors worked furiously to save her life. By the time I got to the hospital, Kycie was lying in a bed, unconscious with a machine breathing for her.

A few days later, an MRI confirmed the doctor’s worst fear. As a result of her high blood sugars and delayed diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes, Kycie’s brain started to take on water. This swelling caused her brain to herniate into her brain stem resulting in catastrophic brain damage.

Of course this was devastating news. We did the best we could to plan and prepare for the worst case scenario. Doctors warned us that she may not survive this injury.

Using social media, we asked people to pray for Kycie via Facebook and Instagram. Within a few short days, ‘Kisses for Kycie’ was formed. Today the ‘Kisses for Kycie’ Facebook page has over 70,000 followers and the @kisses4kycie Instagram page has over 37,000 followers.

People from around the world followed and watch Kycie defy the odds. She stayed at Primary Children’s Hospital for 111 straight days. Relearning all the simple things she had so quickly lost; like how to swallow, roll over and touch her nose. Not only were we dealing with a severely brain damaged child, but a brain damaged child with Type 1 diabetes. Kycie never spoke again, walked again or was able to eat without a feeding tube.

Kycie returned home in May, 2015. She was only home for 6 weeks when she got a respiratory infection. This earned her another flight to Salt Lake City. She was discharged a few weeks later and returned home on July 8. Three days later, Kycie passed away in my arms before the sun came up that Saturday morning.

My wife and I have created the Kisses for Kycie Foundation. It is a non-profit organization designed to raise awareness for Type 1 Diabetes and the dangers of DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis). There are a few things that are important to know about Type 1 Diabetes (T1D).

1. T1D is an autoimmune disease. There is nothing anyone can do to prevent Type 1.

2. Not just children are diagnosed with T1D. About 50% of new diagnosed Type 1’s are children, and 50% are adults.

3. T1D is a 24/7 disease that requires constant management. Extreme highs and extreme lows with blood sugars can be life threatening.

4. Insulin will keep people with Type 1 diabetes alive, but it is not a cure.

5. Type 1 diabetes is becoming more common. Over the past 10 years there has been a 21% increase in the prevalence of Type 1 diabetes for those under the age of 21. More and more kids are being diagnosed and scientists do not know why.

It is our sincere wish that you learn the signs and symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes. If you recognize these signs in your child, yourself, a friend or family member please get them checked for Type 1 diabetes. It is as simple as a finger stick blood glucose check.