Fuddy-Duddy-ish

 

 My grandson Adrian. He was my firstborn grandchild. This baby boy is now 15 years old! He is One of the Loves of my Life!

 There is just for many people, not just me, who has a very special bond with their firstborn grandchild. It is like we can do all the fun and loving things we couldn't do as a parent but at the end of the day, we can give them back to Mommy and Daddy.

 When we were raising our own children, parenting was filled with pressures that we as a parent had to take care of. Providing a roof over their heads, feeding them, clothing them, school, homework, teaching them, and filling the parenting role as well as working full time jobs. Some parents had to work multiple jobs to care for their children and that meant that somethings had to wait. 

 Not that we didn't want to give our precious children another kiss or hug or bedtime story, but somewhere along the line we would run out of time before falling into an exhausted state, (We really can't call sleep) just to wake up and do it all over again. 

 With grandchildren, some of us are lucky enough to be able to help mom and dad by being a grandparent and giving Mom and Dad a much-needed break for a few hours. Mom and Dad can rest assured that their child is in good hands for a few hours and Grandparents get to spend some time with these children and reap love, affection and share a laugh at the antics of those little ones.

 But those precious babies just grow up so fast. One minute they are tiny little Mini Me's and the next, they are preparing for Graduation Day, going out and braving the world.

 As they grow, they encounter many challenges as my grandson Adrian has done.

 When he was 9 years old, he started screaming in the middle of the night, and this is a child that never cried. He could be sick as can be, but he didn't cry. Not even when he had an ear infection, teething, or if he fell and took a hard knock, this child would just deal with it and go on. But when he was 9 years old, he started screaming in the middle of the night and holding his stomach. 

 Mom and Dad naturally took him to the Emergency Room to make sure it wasn't appendicitis, and once that was ruled out and many tests later, they couldn't find a problem. 

 They couldn't find a problem but eventually they careflighted him to a children's hospital in Los Angeles. Once again after almost a week of more tests and managing his pain they released him with no answers.

 Not even a week later they were back to square one. The sobbing, the fact that the meds were not helping him anymore and finally during the middle of the night, he was careflighted out to the Childrens hospital once more.

 They did exploratory surgery and found nothing wrong. They were going to send him home after they referred him to a pediatrician but one of the doctor's wanted to see his X-Rays one more time and boom. He discovered the problem.

 The condition is a birth defect and usually shows up right after birth. Adrian had gone years with this not being a problem and I am sorry that I cannot remember the name of his condition. 

 They found a part of his intestine died and had to remove a large portion, like 3-5 feet. He is doing great since the surgery, but something to always look out for. 

 His latest challenge came to light right after Thanksgiving this year. While I was there, I noticed that every time I looked up, he was drinking a large glass of water. I told Laurie that I was concerned because thirst and frequent urination was often the first sign of diabetes and I noticed he complained a lot about being tired and she was like, "He is alright. He just drinks a lot because he has been doing this or that and is active".

 I remember my doctor in 1991-1992 telling me to watch my boys, they are more at risk because of my diabetes. So, I have always kept an eye out for my kids, but the boys especially.

 I don't know if I posted this about Adrian or not, but last week Adrian did test positive for diabetes. It broke my heart because I never want him or anyone to have to go thru what I have, but it is what it is, and we will support him fully.

 Adrian is young and he for the most part is healthy. Those two things will go a long way on the road he is traveling on this lifelong challenge. I cannot wait to see him sometimes during the holidays and pass on some incredible tips and do's and don'ts. 

 The first thing I want to say to him is that you can turn this around and live a great life. The doctors have found this early and in doing so listen to your doctor. Don't try to self-guess. Work with your dietician and be mindful of the choices you make regarding food and exercise. 

 By taking these steps now it can really help him in the future. 

 It is getting late, and I need to close so everyone stay safe and well. BB