“It’ll become as normal to you as breathing” – a father and son dealing with a new diagnosis

A sudden diagnosis

Aadil: Before I was diagnosed, I felt really ill. I was revising for my 11 plus exam and I was finding it really hard to concentrate and I just kept waking up in the middle of the night feeling really hungry or thirsty or needing to go to the bathroom. My parents took me to the GP. They discovered my blood sugar was really high, which led us to the hospital. It was scary at first, but being in the hospital was actually quite fun. The nurses were kind, checking my blood pressure and sugar levels. I was given a Rufus too and he was a nice little companion.

Sheraz: The day we learned Aadil had type 1 diabetes felt like our world shifted. I was in shock and it felt like the whole world had just come crumbling down. I came home and my wife and I just hugged each other. We were both in tears. It took us several months to get over that. We went through a grieving process in a way, almost grieving the life we thought Aadil would have had. He was the most happy-go-lucky, carefree child, and knowing that he’d have to take on these responsibilities was hard.

Adjusting to life with type 1

Aadil: Living with type 1 diabetes is something I never imagined. When they first told me, I didn’t feel as sad because I thought, oh, it won’t have that many consequences. But then as I started living with it, I started to see that I had to think more about eating and exercise and just everything really. It just became sort of inconvenient and there was a period where I just felt really irritated by it.

Sheraz: The first thing that went through my mind after Aadil’s diagnosis was, how on earth, as an experienced physician, did I miss this? And as a parent, you just have that immediate feeling that you failed because your child is sick. I remember when the diabetes nurse came to see us in hospital and I asked, holding the tears back, is this because of something we did or didn’t do? The diabetes nurse said, you are a doctor, you know there is nothing that you did or could have done! Deep down I knew that, but somehow I still felt guilty that this was happening to my child who I am supposed to protect from all harm.

I think one of the reasons I struggled with it quite a lot was because, as a cardiologist, I see the worst end of the condition. It made me really sad, almost depressed, to know Aadil may face those complications later in life. But over time I realised that the technology we have now could help us manage the condition and he may well not have any of those complications. So I became more optimistic and positive, having seen that this is something we can manage.

Getting used to type 1 tech

Aadil: I used the Dexcom G6 from as soon as I came out of the hospital. I was on injections with the pens for a bit, then I went on to the Omnipod Dash. Then I went onto the Omnipod5, which I’m still using now. Sometimes it stings, but I think it’s much more convenient than having to inject. So I definitely do like it. With the pump, managing my condition is easier.

Managing diabetes together

Sheraz: I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes when I was 32. I was taking tablets for it and had resisted going onto insulin, but Aadil inspired me to do it. I thought, if my 10-year-old can be the bravest boy that I’ve ever seen, inject himself and not complain, then I can too. He said to me, don’t worry Daddy, as long as you’re positive about it, we’ll be fine.

Aadil: When Daddy started insulin, it felt like I wasn’t alone. So now when my daddy is low, I can say to him, I understand, and he can say to me, I understand too.

A year on from diagnosis

Aadil: Last year I felt sad around my birthday because I was thinking, oh, when I eat my birthday cake, I’m going to go high. That thought just made me a bit sad. But now I think I’m dealing with it just generally a lot better. Because when you get used to it, it becomes like a habit. So if I hear the alarm, I just automatically pick up my pod controller. I think it just took time for me to sort of accept it.

For anyone newly diagnosed with type 1, if you’re feeling annoyed about it, just wait. I know it seems like a stupid thing to say because whenever I’m feeling like that and someone says that to me, I’m like, oh you don’t understand. But to be honest, you just have to wait and it will become less annoying because you’ll get used to it. It’ll become as normal to you as breathing.

Sheraz: I remain hopeful for the future, optimistic about medical advancements that could ease this burden. We are proactive in ensuring Aadil lives a full, vibrant life. To other parents navigating a similar path, I’d say embrace the support systems around you. Allow yourself to grieve privately but be a source of strength for your child.