Happy DiaBirthday

Three years ago this Shabbat, in 2016, we rushed our daughter Rina to the hospital and discovered that she has Diabetes. It was also a 3 day Yom Tov that year with Shabbat leading into Shavuot. That, of course, was a very scary time. Every year around Shavuot we think of this. We also think of the 1st flood we endured in Houston in 2015 which occurred Motzaei Shavuot. Life is certainly not always easy, but I am always amazed at the strength Hashem grants us when we need it the most.

I want to just share a brief reflection on how far we have come since what is called in the Diabetes community, Rina's DiaBirthday (she actually had her real 9th birthday in the hospital that year as well). Diabetes in some ways takes over your life. It has certainly gotten more routine over time, as we all learn to live with this new reality. Rina now wears a sensor and insulin pump which helps a lot. And she can even change it herself. But for many months we had to wake her up every few hours at night to prick her finger and check her blood sugar. We all adjusted to lack of sleep. Rina has learned how to monitor her sugar and make sure she never lets her blood sugar level get too high or too low. She has to give herself insulin 15 minutes before she eats carbs and cannot eat if she is too high. She still has to inject or prick herself sometimes, but she does so like a pro. We ask Rina her number every night before bed and every time she wants to eat. And if she wants to go to a friend's house or a school trip we have to put in place plans for her safety. We live with this disease 24 hours a day but have learned how to not let it stop Rina from doing everything she wants to do.

This past Sunday we participated, as a family, in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation walk in Washington DC to raise money for Diabetes research. It was truly inspiring to walk with thousands of other people who also have adjusted to a new reality in their lives. Sometimes it can feel like you are the only one and no one else can relate but this reminded us how many other families there are out there like us. We raised over $1000 for research ourselves, and are inspired to keep doing what we can to help find a cure for this disease. 

If you would like to donate you can do so on this link: 

https://www2.jdrf.org/site/TR?fr_id=7617&pg=personal&px=12269760

My wife Elisheva started a facebook page a few years ago called Jewish Parents Of Kids With Diabetes which serves as a forum for parents to share advice and offer chizuk one to another. It now has over 80 members and grows weekly.

Next Shabbat we celebrate Rina's Bat Mitzvah and will do so with all the Hakarat HaTov any parent would feel towards Hashem. But we will also feel extra pride in having a daughter who is so strong and positive. And we will thank Hashem for all the blessings He has given us as well as the strength He gives us to get through life's challenges.