I have stated it before and will state it again as long as there is breath in me; when Kycie, Reegan, and David passed away from undiagnosed T1D while in DKA (there is a link at the end of this story defining DKA)–they were not the first, and unfortunately they will not be the last. This is not a topic that I enjoy writing about, but as many know—-it’s a driving force in any spare time I have.
David Irby was a teenager and I am going to copy and paste the exact opening from reports from the station that broke the news from KOLO News, the ABC affiliate in Reno, Nevada.
RENO, NV – The symptoms were just like the flu: sore throat, body aches, and nausea. But when Damonte Ranch High School senior Tyson Irby got sick a few weeks ago, he never got better. Within days he died of a disease no one knew he had. This wasn’t some mysterious disease, it was undiagnosed Type I Diabetes.
“He was just a great kid. High on life, just happy,” said Anthony Irby, Tyson’s father. “He was just full of life. He was happy, he was athletic. He just never seemed like he had bad days. Not a complainer.”
Tyson Irby was a relatively healthy kid. He’d have your normal flu or cold every year, but who doesn’t? That’s why when he came down with flu-like symptoms last month, his parents thought nothing of it.
There are some fact-checking I still need to do in the story, and am checking on it presently. But the result is the same. Another child is gone because we did not know. For those working on this subject matter, pass this story on to whoever you are working with…..there will be a swell of activity surrounding this story and it will slow down again.
I remind all of us, for as long as I have been working on this trying to make something happen, it will not be the last time and unless we all do something about it, the tide will not change. DO NOT let this flurry of pain and anguish go without trying to do something.
<SIGH> This truly has to stop.
There are some people who are now doing things, if you are friends with them ask them what they are doing; they will share…..they are doing GREAT things to change this and you can too. There is no monopoly on advocating this…..ask, get out there and do something with whomever you want. If we do not do it, who on earth will. If you need ideas, send me a message.
This is MORE THAN so sad, THIS IS SO AVOIDABLE. People need to BE SURE they do not have T1D……..get involved, PLEASE.
I am a diabetes dad.
Please visit my Diabetes Dad FB Page and hit ‘like’.