Emergency!
Sometimes you need an angel, sometimes you are the angel
When we had learned that our neighbor’s eldest daughter, Mindy, had been diagnosed with Type I diabetes, I called to see how we could be of help. Mindy’s mom is a nurse, and she asked if my husband and I could be included on their Emergency Phone List. I immediately agreed.
A few months later, Mindy’s younger sister, Tracy, called me in a panic.
“Mindy was babysitting for my brother and me. She fell asleep and now we can’t wake her up!”
“We’ll be right over!” I told her. I grabbed a box of Glucagon from the fridge and my husband, Jordan, and I raced down the street. When Tracy showed us to Mindy’s room, one look told us that she wasn’t sleeping― she was having a low blood sugar reaction. While I gave her a shot of Glucagon, Jordan called 911.
I rode to the hospital in the ambulance with Mindy and the paramedics while Jordan stayed with Tracy and her brother, Kevin. By the time their parents arrived at the hospital, Mindy was feeling better. We all were grateful Jordan and I were home and that Tracy knew what to do in case of an emergency.
Ellen, Jimmy, and their family did eventually settle into a healthy diabetes management routine, one that’s packed with fun, school, sports, and work activities. And Ellen has absolutely no time to stay in her pajamas.