Mickey - The Story
Morning after morning, my little brother awoke with stomach pains. He was taken to the doctor multiple times and sent away multiple times.
“It’s the stomach flu.”
“Sounds like he ate something that didn’t sit right.”
“Doesn’t seem like it’s anything serious.”
This was a long time ago, but I remember we spoke to at least three different doctors, and no one caught anything.
You know who did?
My aunt.
My uncle is a Type 2 diabetic, and when my little brother was still feeling ill one night, my aunt decided to test his glucose level with my uncle’s machine.
The machine didn’t read a number, it directed us to rush him to the ER, now.
None of us slept that night. Michael went through a series of tests, and by morning, the diagnosis was official: Type 1 Diabetes.
We didn’t know what that meant, and while we had family members with Type 2, the injections and the blood testing Type 1 required seemed so daunting. It was a circus for a while until it wasn’t.
All this to reinforce that we need to be our own best advocates in the US healthcare system; we need to be curious, push back, and ask questions. While this story is personal to me, it’s unfortunately not uncommon; I’ve heard many stories of similar delays and misdiagnoses in my circles. So, mini reminder that just because someone is an authority figure, does not mean they will always know best- you know your own body best, and if something feels wrong, pursue it.
A few additional notes to help spread awareness:
Why did they think it was the stomach flu?
His symptoms at the time were predominantly stomach pain & vomiting
Other common symptoms you should look out for?
Stomach pain is a big one, but so are frequent urination, fatigue, and excessive thirst. The Cleveland Clinic website has more symptom information.
How’s Type 1 Diabetes different from Type 2?
Type 2 is definitely more common than Type 1 Diabetes for starters, and while I have perhaps more anecdotal experience with the differences, let me cite the Cleveland Clinic again because they put together such a nice chart:
How’s he doing now?
Honestly, pretty great, that’s why we coordinated this 20th-anniversary shoot! Again, modern medicine makes everything more manageable. I think this is one of those unfortunate childhood events that makes you grow a little earlier than you’re supposed to, but also makes you wiser beyond your years. It’s a shock to the system when you first get your diagnosis- and I’m not saying that every day after X years it becomes easier, but you become familiar with it.
Wrapping Up
I love taking portrait shots. This type of shoot really allows you to focus on one person and tell their story. There was so much about this shoot that was fun and moving. We did a great job showcasing his strength; this location is simply stunning—it’s one of my favorite spots.