A disease that was inherited by the boy

For his mother, Mykola is a beloved and long-awaited child. The woman has type 1 diabetes, but despite everything, Mykola was born a healthy boy, growing and developing normally. At the age of eight, he started practicing karate, attending competitions, winning prizes, and traveling around Ukraine.

But everything changed at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. His mother noticed symptoms that were painfully familiar to her: lethargy, constant thirst, frequent trips to the toilet. The child did not understand what was happening to him, but his mother was already scared. Her worst fear had come true. A glucose meter test showed a result four times higher than normal... And time stopped for the woman.

She called an ambulance, which refused to come because of the pandemic. A trip to the regional hospital by taxi. The emergency room and intensive care. A new life, but now with a diagnosis of "type 1 insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus". Calculating bread units, administering insulin, keeping a diary, weighing food, measuring blood sugar every two hours. Even though his mother had about 27 years of experience with the disease at that time, she could not teach her son the basics. Mykola returned to school and karate with the diagnosis. Life went on: with perception and ridicule, adaptation and breakdowns, sugar spikes and constant round-the-clock monitoring.

The fragile newfound balance was shattered by a full-scale invasion. In conditions of severe shortages and fear of leaving the basement, his mother relinquished her control in favor of her son. Fortunately, the family managed to leave: first abroad, and then to a calmer region of Ukraine. Sensors helped Mykola feel less ashamed of his illness. But buying them regularly is not an easy task: only his stepfather works in the family, as his mother's diabetes has caused complications with her kidneys and eyes. Help protect this resilient family from further suffering and purchase sensors!