# 1262 DKA In Our Town Part 1

July 25, 2024Scott Benner

Brianna recounts her son Kai's diagnosis with type 1 diabetes at nine and a half months old and their family's experience with autoimmune conditions.

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Scott Benner 0:00
Hello friends and welcome to episode 1262 of the Juicebox Podcast

Well, this is a two parter. We don't do this very often, but part one is today I don't usually like date my stuff, but today's Thursday you're getting part one and tomorrow on Friday, you'll get part two. It's with Brianna the mother of a child who has type one diabetes and was diagnosed at nine and a half months old. Not going to ruin the whole thing for you right here. But it's a crazy DK story involves a helicopter mom goes to the hospital for something else. There's a whole lot going on. Please don't forget that nothing you hear on the Juicebox Podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise, always consult a physician before making any changes to your health care plan or becoming bold with insulin. Don't forget, if you use my link drink ag one.com/juice box you'll get a free year supply of vitamin D and five free travel packs with your first order. And if you go to cozy earth.com and use the offer code juice box at checkout, you're gonna save 30% off of your entire order. Subscribing to the Juicebox Podcast newsletter is this easy. You type juicebox podcast.com and do a browser scroll to the bottom put in your email address click sign up. If you're looking for community around type one diabetes, check out the Juicebox Podcast private Facebook group Juicebox Podcast type one diabetes. Did you know if just one person in your family has type one diabetes, you're up to 15 times more likely to get it to so screen it like you mean it. One blood test can spot type one diabetes early tap now talk to a doctor or visit screened for type one.com For more info. Having an easy to use and accurate blood glucose meter is just one click away. Contour next one.com/juice box. That's right Today's episode is sponsored by the contour next gen blood glucose meter. This episode of The Juicebox Podcast is sponsored by ever since the ever since CGM is more convenient requiring only one sensor every six months. It offers more flexibility with its easy on Easy Off smart transmitter and allows you to take a break when needed ever since cgm.com/juicebox.

Brianna 2:27
Hi, I'm Brianna. I am mom to Kai, who is two years old. He just turned two in October. And he was diagnosed at nine and a half months old back in July of 2022.

Scott Benner 2:42
Wow. Okay, so not that long ago.

Brianna 2:45
Yep. Or almost a year and a half, exactly. Nine

Scott Benner 2:48
and a half months old year and a half with diabetes. And do you have any type one in your family?

Brianna 2:58
We do not have type one in our family that you know any anywhere that we're aware of? I do of course have hashey motives. Okay, so of course

Scott Benner 3:07
you listen to the podcast you like obviously I have a problem my thyroid

Brianna 3:12
Yeah, that's always the i It seems to come up a lot. And I found out I guess I found out more about auto immune after he was born or after he was diagnosed. And I have another autoimmune condition that was actually my first autoimmune condition. Geographic Tang

Scott Benner 3:30
Wai

Brianna 3:32
wait so I didn't realize until probably about a month ago that that was actually auto immune. But you know, I always when I was younger, I didn't realize you know that it wasn't normal, but my tongue was just kind of sensitive and I could like my tastebuds you could like they're pronounced and you can kind of like move that like they move.

Scott Benner 3:54
You know, Brianna you've done a thing here. You've said something no one else has ever said before. Or my memory is garbage but I I've never heard the words geographic tongue before hold on geographic tongue results from the loss of tiny hairlike structures on your tongue surface these structures are called puppy Elia All right pile in whatever the loss of these appears a smooth red patch was on different shapes and sizes of different shapes and sizes. Geographic tongue is an inflammatory but harmless condition affecting the surface of the zone seem harmless to you by the way?

Brianna 4:28
Yeah, I mean, it mostly has been but lately like you know, I've been running into you know, kind of my own autoimmune issues just trying to figure things out. And I saw an oral surgeon and he was the one who said You know, it was it was something that was auto immune and can flare you know, I had it since I was like eight or you know, eight or nine years old. You know, just kind of continuing on I just got done getting bloodwork done, you know for an autoimmune panel for myself. So anyways, just learned a lot like I didn't really quite understand you know what autoimmune was until my son was diagnosed with type One and then they started asking all of these questions.

Scott Benner 5:02
Do you think you're gonna come up with other issues you're having? Do you have other symptoms of things?

Brianna 5:07
I do i Yeah, spiraling from his diagnosis, you know, I mean, we're really sleep deprived and, you know, just really stressed out for, you know, the past year and a half and back in June, you know, just started kind of having some like Dizzy sensation and just like feeling off. And, you know, I had bloodwork done, you know, pretty much couldn't find anything and just continued to get worse. You know, we're really pushing into things because of the podcast, thankfully, you know, I asked them to continue because I have like every single symptom of hypothyroidism, and she did bloodwork and my TSH was like a 5.49.

Scott Benner 5:44
Mm hmm. So yeah, I was like, Can we

Brianna 5:48
please treat? And she's like, No, she's like, you know, I don't really feel comfortable. And, you know, it had been three months since my labs were drawn. And I'm, like, you know, can like just like prophylactically, like, see if it helps, you know, if she's not going to treat at that level, you know, she wanted to get additional labs. So I just got my labs back and they were 6.06 for my TSH. So she finally put me on low dose levothyroxine Oh,

Scott Benner 6:12
yeah, big difference from the five nine to the 6.06 really changed. I have to be honest with you, aren't you baffled that a guy with a pod? A guy with a podcast? Yeah. Is the one who asked to tell you something like this. And a doctor is like, Hmm, I see that you figured out what's wrong with you, but let's not do anything about it. Yeah.

Brianna 6:28
It's really frustrating. And, you know, even when I went to my family doctor the other day, she's like, Oh, that should be between two and three. So it's just crazy. And this was my endocrinologist that wouldn't treat me. So it's just crazy. Like, how how fast? It is?

Scott Benner 6:41
Yeah. Yeah. So how long have you been on it? And did you feel a relief? It's

Brianna 6:48
been probably about six days. So I can't really tell yet. But, you know, one of the biggest symptoms is just like low mood, and, you know, just like, like foggy and things like that. And so like, obviously, you know, with taking care of my son who's two, and you know, it's diabetes, and it's like, I want to feel my best. So, anyway, so here we are.

Scott Benner 7:08
I want to tell you that if there was a just if this was a just world, which is not, but if it was, married, men everywhere, would get together and build a marble statue of me. Okay. Just for the hours I've saved them of going, I don't know what's happening. Why is she yelling? And by the way, vice versa, vice versa. Like anybody, I don't care. I'm just saying, my personal experience. I was considering pushing my wife down a cliff when her thyroid was almost I was like, Why is she acting like this? But it's, it's crazy what it can do to you. Today's podcast is sponsored by the ever since CGM. Boasting a six month sensor. The ever sent CGM offers you these key advantages distinct on body vibe alerts when high or low, a consistent and exceptional accuracy over a six month period. And you only need two sensors per year. No longer will you have to carry your CGM supplies with you. You won't have to be concerned about your adhesive not lasting, accidentally knocking off a sensor or wasting a sensor when you have to replace your transmitter. That's right. There's no more weekly or bi weekly hassles of sensor changes. Not with the ever since CGM. It's implantable and it's accurate ever since cgm.com/juicebox. The ever since CGM is the first and only long term CGM ever since sits comfortably right under the skin and your upper arm and it lasts way longer than any other CGM sensor. Never again will you have to worry about your sensor falling off before the end of its life. So if you want an incredibly accurate CGM that can't get knocked off and won't fall off. You're looking for the ever since CGM ever since cgm.com/juicebox. Contour next one.com/juicebox. That's the link you'll use. To find out more about the contour next gen blood glucose meter. When you get there, there's a little bit at the top, you can click right on blood glucose monitoring. I'll do it with you go to meters, click on any of the meters I'll click on the Next Gen and you're gonna get more information. It's easy to use and highly accurate. Smart light provides a simple understanding of your blood glucose levels. And of course was second chance sampling technology you can save money with fewer wasted test strips, as if all that wasn't enough. The contour next gen also has a compatible app for an easy way to share and see your blood glucose results contour next one.com/juicebox And if you scroll down at that link, you're gonna see things like a Buy Now button. You could register your meter after you purchase it or what is this download a coupon? Oh, receive a free Contour Next One blood glucose meter do To tell contour next one.com/juicebox head over there now get the same accurate and reliable meter that we use.

Brianna 10:10
Yeah, and I, you know, Rob is my partner, you know, I've been telling him for, you know, months and he's so you know, I'm sure so tired of like me saying I'm like there's something wrong, there's something wrong. Like you said I maybe he'll feel a lot better whenever this starts to kick in. So I hope Fingers crossed. Oh,

Scott Benner 10:25
I would like a thank you card from your partner. Okay, seriously, I'm being well, I hope it helps you. I'm certain it will give you help. This, by the way, the treatment for the geographic, by the way, people don't understand how I think if you would have just written in your email, I have geographic tongue, I would have been like you're on the podcast, I don't even care about the rest of it. There's no real treatment, but like they tell you, like use a mouthwash with anti anti histamine medication to relieve allergic reaction. So you're having an alert, that's that freak you out a little bit? Or am I the only one freaked out by this sorry, from the very beginning, your kids mean everything to you. That means you do anything for them, especially if they're at risk. So when it comes to type one diabetes, screen it like you mean it. Now up to 90% of type one diagnosis have no family history. But if you have a family history, you are up to 15 times more likely to develop type one, screen it like you mean it because type one diabetes can develop at any age. And once you get results, you can get prepared for your child's future. So screen it like you mean it type one starts long before there are symptoms. But one blood test could help you spot it early, before they need insulin, and could lower the risk of serious complications like diabetic ketoacidosis or DKA. Talk to your doctor about how to screen for type one diabetes, because the more you know, the more you can do. So don't wait, tap now or visit screened for type one.com to learn more. Again, that's screen for type one.com and screen it like you mean it.

Brianna 12:07
It's just been so normal for me. So like I guess I'm not but yeah, the oral surgeon when I went to see him because I was like do I have like cancer on my tongue like, you know, what's going on? Like, why is it so painful? And he's like, Well, there's no pathology, you know, but he's like, I can give you this magic mouthwash. That's what it's called. So and it is it's lidocaine, Maalox Benadryl, I think those are the three ingredients. And they it's like compounded. So it's really hard to get actually Oh,

Scott Benner 12:33
it's for chemotherapy sores. Normally. Magic mouthwash is prescription mouthwash. It's made from a variety of medications. Yeah, I look at that. I literally thought you were making that up and you said it, but that's not real. Okay. Oh, Brianna, what a little love. Little a web URL. untangle. Okay, so are you in your 40s? Or 30s?

Brianna 12:55
And my 30s? I'm 30. Yeah,

Scott Benner 12:58
partner. Are you married too? Yeah. Yeah. So it's such a colloquial thing for people in their 30s.

Brianna 13:05
Yeah, so we are not married. And I just think probably friend sounds so juvenile, I guess like from the start, we've been together for 13 years, have

Scott Benner 13:16
a mortgage stuff like that? 15 years,

Brianna 13:19
15 years and a couple months. So yeah, it just was like something that I'm like, boyfriend, domestic domestic partner,

Scott Benner 13:29
I genuinely don't care. Like, and I'm only gonna spend three minutes on this. But why are you not married?

Brianna 13:35
I mean, we were just, I don't know, we were just together for so long. And it just kind of kept going on. And neither of us. I don't know if really felt.

Scott Benner 13:45
No, I don't. By the way, it's fine. I was just looking for some insight. Like it just not a thing that seems imperative to?

Brianna 13:51
Yeah, yeah. I mean, we were just together for a while, like he, you know, it was a dad already. Not like that has anything to do with you know, marriage, apparently. No, no, no, I mean, we were just kind of like going along. And it's like, you know, just having fun, we got together and, you know, it's like, Okay, five years went by 10 years. And then 13 years went by, and then we decided to have a baby, you know, after 13 years of being together. So it just was like one of those things. We were already like playing the part. I guess.

Scott Benner 14:21
I've been married for a very long time. And I feel like if I went downstairs right now, and I said to my wife, hey, if I waved a magic wand, we weren't married, but everything about our life was exactly the same and I asked you to marry me what would you say? And she'd probably be like, I'd be like, Get out of here. So I was just I didn't know if maybe like you made it past the like, oh my god part and you just got to the like, Can someone please wash my socks

Brianna 14:49
off? Yeah, I don't know. It was like I just was never the type that is like, I don't know, I didn't need like a ring and the wedding and Oh no, we just, you know, here we are. We're just living life and it's like time goes by.

Scott Benner 15:06
Now listen, I'm I'm okay with whatever you're good with. So you decided to make this baby and it pops out. Everything was okay through the pregnancy and the first nine months, it pops up. Did it not pop right out? Was it a bit of a slog?

Brianna 15:19
No. Just talking about the it part. Okay. Okay, so yeah, so I guess I should say that because Kai, you know, could be a boy or girl. Sure. Yeah. Yeah. So, no, we had a really, you know, healthy pregnancy. Like, I that was one thing. You know, we talked about the marriage, like, you know, I didn't necessarily need that, but I always wanted to be a mom. And, you know, he already had a son. You know, when we got together, he was, you know, five or six. You know, so I was kind of there through those years. But, you know, he actually came to me and was like, Do you wanna have a baby? It was his, his, his thoughts. So anyway, but so I was really excited. I always wanted to be a mom. And pregnancy was great. Like, I had a really healthy pregnancy, no major issues. They did have me I did have to see maternal fetal medicine, because some way my family doctor accidentally ordered a lab that she had no idea. She even ordered it and she didn't know what it was. It was called anti cardio Liping. And it was like a blood clotting lab. Okay, and it was positive. And so I had to see maternal fetal medicine because of this. And they actually started a baby aspirin because it was like the potential for miscarriage. So they started baby aspirin. And I also was on levothyroxine, because of my Hashimotos to help prevent miscarriage. So other than that, pregnancy was great. I was induced at the end. And the crazy thing about his arrival, we were actually in three hospitals, the first week he was born. So we really like after a healthy pregnancy, we really didn't have like an easy start, per se. So he was born, had a 99th percentile head. Sorry,

Scott Benner 17:05
I laughed, I was laughing at you another baby.

Brianna 17:09
And actually, like, really scary, like, the next day, they're like, you know, his head's really big to to go and ultrasound of his head, you know, because they were actually concerned about how was that I

Scott Benner 17:21
was shocked they were looking for.

Brianna 17:24
Okay. And so of course, like, I'm a new mom, you know, everything was like, good, you know, I was, you know, we're freaking out. Because, you know, that's really scary. And, you know, came back everything was fine. Send us on our way after two days, we actually had a pediatrician appointment the very next day, because of the head size. They like usually you don't have it for like two or three days after and they weren't even worried about that when we got there. They but his levels for jaundice were really high. So they sent us for bloodwork. And then they ended up sending us straight to the hospital to go for UV therapy, because his levels were so high.

Scott Benner 18:02
So put him under a plant light.

Brianna 18:04
Yeah, you went up under. And like the blue spaceship?

Scott Benner 18:09
Well, you know, at least you get put like an adult hat on him to keep it out of his eyes. Or sad or something would have been amazing. I'm sorry. Also, knowing that he's okay now makes us all like easier to joke about, but

Brianna 18:23
but go ahead. Yeah, exactly. So he had the UV therapy, everything was good. He, you know, recovered from that. We were sent home the next day. And like, I remember on the way home from there, I had a really bad headache. And I was taking, you know, Tylenol in the car on the way home, and we got home and you know, we were finally so glad to be there. And probably like, within a couple hours. I'm like, my head really still hurts. And I started seeing spots. Oh, Jesus. And I went and thankfully my OB had they were really awesome. They they do like a blood pressure cuff. Like when you get pregnant, they send out this kit and it has blood pressure cuff and all of that and you have to like report throughout your pregnancy. Anyway, I had this cough and I went and checked and my blood pressure was 166 over 110 Okay, so I knew what that meant, obviously, and I'm like, I went out and told Rob I'm like, I gotta go like I need to go to the emergency room. He's like, what? And I'm like my blood pressure. It's super high. My head hurts. I'm seeing spots. So you know here we are with our what's like three day old baby and I'm like I gotta go the ER sorry Bye. I gotta go call my mom she was there in like 10 minutes and came and got me and took me to the ER and now this is a different hospital because this is an our town. So this is now the third hospital that I'm at. You know, I explained to them whenever I checked in and like somebody from labor and delivery came down and got me right away and took me upstairs and Within 20 minutes, I was admitted, and within probably like 20 more minutes, I was hooked up to a magnesium sulfate drip. Okay, you know, and this is like during like, it's probably what a year after COVID. So protocols are still kind of in place where like things are pretty strict, and masks and all of that. And actually, so like this was not the hospital that I delivered at. And so, and they actually think had like a no visitor policy, but like, you know, I'm breastfeeding. My three day baby is a three day old babies at home with Rob, he's by himself, you know, with a breastfed baby. So like they had to make an exception and let them in. And so they were able to come in and stay. Brittany,

Scott Benner 20:41
did you have postpartum preeclampsia? Yes. Which is really rare. No kidding. It is. Yeah. Picking off rare things left and right geographic tone. By the way, so far, my I have our town seeing spots and geographic tongue as possible titles for your episode. got them written down on the side. I don't know why our town seemed nice. You're like that's the hospital in our town. I was like, it was not an old play. It never happens. Right? Like, it's very uncommon. It's

Brianna 21:10
super rare, especially because my blood pressure was absolutely on point perfect during my pregnancy. And I'm just really thankful that, you know, I was educated to know what those signs were. I was, I was super thankful that my OBS as advanced as they are, like, you know, being, you know, super prepared and having like every person who gets pregnant have a blood pressure cuff at home. So like, I just like

Scott Benner 21:34
I reveal for you really, that being in the house.

Brianna 21:36
It really is like that, you know, that honestly could have saved my life. You know, they get to the hospital. And you know, they're like kind of explaining things and like this, this, this is going to make you feel like a wet blanket is what they told me this this magnesium sulfate drip good times. Yeah, exactly. I'm like a couple days postpartum. And, you know, oh, and the other thing was, so when we were on our way to the hospital for his jaundice, like my legs were so swollen, way more swollen than during my pregnancy. Like my skin was like about ready to pop like it was it was really bad. So like, when we were at the one day appointment at the pediatrician, I was literally like, in there talking to the doctor with my legs propped up, like, above my waist, like, just like a really crazy time. So then I couldn't I actually couldn't hold Kai for the, for 24 hours then because I was on this. And it was like, basically makes you feel like you're drunk. Like probably way worse than that. I mean, I've I described it as like being in a limbo. Like, I was like, neither here nor there. Like I was just in this space. Like, I could barely talk. Like, my speech was slurred. It was just like, really?

Scott Benner 22:42
Have you ever been on morphine or been really high or something like that? Was that the vibe? You just like? Not quite conscious?

Brianna 22:49
Yeah. I mean, I've never been on morphine, or, but I do. But it was just, it was just a really odd feeling. And it was really hard. Because, you know, again, like I could see Rob sitting across the room holding chi, and it's just like, you know, you want to be able to hold your baby. You know, you're so connected. And it was just Yeah. So anyway, I, you know, the 24 hours went by and that like slowly wore off, I was able to hold him again. But then, you know, I was hospitalized for another three days. So it was four days. For me. That was actually the longest hospitalization for the whole week. So yeah, so he was born on a Saturday, and we finally got back home the following Saturday after those three hospitals.

Scott Benner 23:31
Then nine perfect months later.

Brianna 23:34
Oh my gosh, so yeah, and I mean, this kids like giving us a run for our money or this like entire time because there's been other things like we had to see a couple of specialists for some minor things, you know, just keeping us really busy. So, you know, we go home, you know, I took maternity leave, everything was great. I go back, after about three months, I worked in an ophthalmology office, I worked there for 11 years, I was actually going back in a new position as staff manager, I previously was in charge of the front desk, and, you know, so I'm new mom, you know, going back, it was really hard to leave ky. And, you know, he had issues with gaining weight from the beginning. And you know, I just always kind of questioned my supply. And, you know, we met with lactation consultants and things so like, like I said, that was like, just a really trying time. So I went back to work and it was crazy, because, you know, I was an under producer and I was actually running home at lunch to take Rob milk from my morning pumps, and then going back to work, and then, you know, it was just like the cycle so we're like super busy and you know, all of that and he would go for his checkups and he was gaining weight, but like it was really, really slow and he kind of like plateaued. Six months is when he plateaued like completely, you know, fast forward obviously to you know, he's nine months old. We it was actually the day before For my birthday, so this is, you know, July 27, we were eating dinner and he made like this weird, like, twitching. And I'm like, it looks like he like just had like, kind of like a seizure type twitch. And you know, he did it again. And it's like his body kind of like went stiff. And, you know, obviously we're really concerned. And immediately I'm like, Oh my gosh, like he's, you know, developing like a seizure disorder or something like that. Yeah. And immediately, I'm like, I know, I need to message the doctor right away. And then like, right after that, Rob said to me, he's like, do you notice that he's been breathing heavier, or faster? And without any hesitation? I'm like, Yes. And I had just nursed him like, I would usually do that whenever I got home from work. So before dinner, and I noticed that time, like, whenever I was trying to, like, he was just like, having trouble staying latched. And, you know, it was because of his breathing. And I was like, trying to put these things together. And I'm like, seizure activity, you know, is breathing like, again? Did it make sense to us, obviously. And then, you know, he did, he put them in his playpen, and he did that, like weird Twitch again, in his playpen that night. And so immediately I message the doctor, and you know, it's after hours. So he gets back to me the next morning, and we have a really awesome pediatrician who he calls us, like, right away, like you send a message, usually within like, a half hour hour, he's calling you to talk about it, which I love. You know, so he's like, what's going on? explained, you know, he's like, I'm not really like, overly concerned, like, obviously, like, pay attention to him. Like, if he keeps doing it, like, because it wasn't like, he was having a full blown seizure, it was just like, a weird, like, Twitch, and then he'd stop, you know, he was saying, like, we could schedule an appointment, you know, a certain amount of days out, etc. He's like, unless, you know, he's having like, you know, lethargy, or, you know, his demeanor is different, or his appetite, you know, things like that. And so, that was actually so the next day, it was my birthday. And I went into work late that day. And I was there for about an hour whenever the doctor had called me. And I went and immediately called Rob right away. So I should mention, he actually was stay at home dad. So I was working. We decided really early on that, you know, we wanted one of us home. And at that point, I obviously was at my job for a really long time. It was important for us, for one of us to be home with him. So he was stay at home dad, so I call him he's at home. I said, Hey, doctor said like, we don't need to come in, right away. Unless he's, you know, super tired, or he's just like, not acting like himself, or, you know, things like that. And he goes, Well, he actually just went back to sleep. And my jus, again, I'm only at work for like an hour. Yeah. And, you know, usually he would have like two to three hours in between, like his cycles of sleep. And he goes, and he drank his bottle, and he was still crying. And he's like, so I gave him more. So he had already had than, like, two bottles at that point. And I was like, alright, well, I need to call the doctor back. And obviously, let them know that. So I called him back. And he's like, Okay, you guys need to come in today then. So, I went back out to work and I, you know, sent to the girls, I'm like, Hey, I gotta go. I was only there for an hour. Like there was a birthday cake on my desk and blooms presents. And, you know. I mean, it was just like, such an odd, odd day. So anyway, I left I went home. And we had to wait a couple of hours for the doctor's appointment. So you know, we're just kind of like monitoring him and looking at him. And like, we just noticed that His breathing was, you know, kind of different. Still, it was, it was a little bit worse than it was the night before. And so that was like one of the main things we wanted the doctor to see. Yeah, so we get to the doctor, he on the way there. He was just like inconsolably crying. He never really was a car, baby. And he's sorry. He isn't either. You know, he's

Scott Benner 29:05
about to lose his gig as a stay at home dad.

Brianna 29:08
Yeah, exactly. Yeah. So it was, you know, he's, he hasn't been, you know, a good car, baby. He actually gets carsick which really complicates things sometimes for us, but he just was crying the whole way there. And, you know, it was like a 20 minute drive and it was just almost uncontrollable crying. And, you know, we see the doctor and we told him, you know, his eyes seem a little crusty. His nose is like little crossties. Or, like, you know, he's getting sick, like, obviously, he's upset. And he did like a neurologic check. He's like, you know, I don't really see anything that's like concerning and he checked his ears and all of that. And Kai was crying the whole time. So the doctor actually could not see his breathing because, I mean, he was crying, screaming and so his breathing obviously was fast and you know, Ole Miss heart rate was going a mile a minute because he was crying. And so doctor said, he's like, you know, obviously, like, with what I see, like his ear actually looks a little inflamed, his throat looks a little inflamed. They did a COVID test and a strep swab, everything was negative. So he's like, I think that he has, you know, just like adenovirus, he's like, go home rest, give him you know, lots of fluids, you can do like PD light. And, you know, just kind of get some rest. Also with this, he might start vomiting. So don't be surprised if he does. And we're just like, okay, so we leave, there was no like medications or anything given of course. So we go home. And, you know, things kind of progressed into the evening where he does start vomiting at nine o'clock. And we're like, okay, like, we expect this, because the doctor just told us that could happen. His breathing continued to get heavier. And, you know, he was kind of like, rolling around on the bed. He was like, playing a little bit. And we noticed that he, like one of his toys that was kind of heavy, but like he could, you know, pick it up before, and he like, couldn't pick it up. And that was like something that stuck out in my mind. And then night goes on. We really didn't get a lot of sleep because he was vomiting all night. And, you know, we were trying to get fluids in him, but he really couldn't keep a lot down. He really couldn't nurse, right? Anytime he did, he would, you know, come back up. And by six o'clock the next morning, he was breathing so heavy that He was like, it was like somebody ran a race, but he was sleeping. And I said to Rob, I'm like, We are either going to the emergency room, or we're going back to the doctor. So get ready. So he went and got a shower. And I'm sitting there with Kai, and he's sleeping and in my mind, like, you know, because he had just diagnosed him with a virus. I'm like, does he have RSV, I had remembered a co worker talking about her daughter's getting RSV and like their chest retractions like that it was so deep. Like you can see their ribs. And so I'm sitting here looking up on YouTube like chest retractions. And it was exactly you know, like the video. And Rob got out of the shower. And I'm like, we're going to the emergency room. I'm not even messing around with like trying to go the pediatrician them sending us to the emergency room later. Like we're going good job. Yeah, so we take him to the emergency room. It's about eight o'clock at that point. And, you know, we get there and we're like, explain, we were in the pediatrician yesterday. And that, you know, things have gotten drastically worse overnight. Like he his breathing is obviously our main concern at that point. You know, like, this just doesn't make a lot of sense. And so, you know, they start doing all of his vitals and everything. And they couldn't really find anything. And so we were kind of like going down this list of like, What could this be? And like we said, like, could he have swallowed something that like we didn't see later on, like we so they ended up doing a an x ray to check his lungs and also to check for like a bowel obstruction or something like that. Like if he did swallow something that we just like, didn't know about? Yeah, everything was perfectly clear. And then, you know, we were like, well, he was in this like, Baby Pool, like the week prior. And like, what if, you know, there was like, I mean, it was new pool water. But what if there was like a bacteria, you know, could have gotten a bacterial infection. And, you know, like, they were just kind of perplexed because, you know, and we were seeing like, a, I guess it was a nurse practitioner that was in the RPA. There was in the ER, and she's just like, you know, honestly, like, we really, you know, just aren't finding anything, like, we think you should go home, get some rest, and, you know, kind of go from there. And she left the room. And Rob and I were just talking and I'm like, I am not leaving here until they tell us why he is breathing like this. Like this doesn't make any sense. He just had an x ray wire his lungs clear, but he looks like he ran a race. And, you know, he agreed. And she came back in the room and we said that and she just kind of you know, was silent. And you know, I think understood at that point, our our concern and our frustration with you know how things were going. At that point it had been like two and a half hours that we were there. And also like while we were there like he just kind of started deteriorating. They ended up giving him like Tylenol or ibuprofen, which was bright red, and he ended up that came back up pretty much like right away to they gave him that for pain in case like he was in some type of pain from a bowel obstruction before he had the X ray. It's

Scott Benner 34:42
still no one's checked his blood sugar at this point. No.

Brianna 34:46
Nope. And at that point, you know, she said she's like, well, you know, like very nonchalant, like we can page the pediatrician on call but it's going to take a while for him to get here and You know, kind of like, it kind of seemed to like pushing us away from that.

Scott Benner 35:03
babies dying. babies dying. Get Yeah, yeah, somebody?

Brianna 35:08
Yeah, like something something is wrong, like our instinct at that point was very strong. So we said yes, absolutely doesn't matter how long it takes for him to get here. Oh, wait. And so it took a while, you know, 45 minutes to an hour for him to arrive and he walked in. And within probably like five minutes, like, you know, he was so crazy because I will never forget that moment because he just was like, very soft spoken. He came in, he just like didn't say much. And he just observed chi listened to him with a stethoscope. Chi was actually sleeping at that point, but you could see his his breathing. And right away, like, within five minutes, he like, I will never forget, like, his, like, lock with my eyes. Like he said, DKA and I'm like, what? What's that? And then he's like, diabetic ketoacidosis. And like, I'm just like, no, like, that's that That, to me just didn't make any sense. You know, obviously, like, and he left the room. And you know, we're just like reeling then like after that, because, you know, like, that was just kind of like his like first thought like, is like on his differential list. And, you know, here we are, like, obviously clueless not knowing what that means. And, you know, he kind of came back in and he had talked to the hospital, that was the bigger hospital that he would potentially be transferred to. So like the talk went from like observation, he was going to get some labs drawn, this is what you know, this pediatrician was saying, so we're going to draw some labs, we're going to send them to this hospital for just like observation overnight, we're going to send them by ambulance. So he went and consulted with his hospital and came back had, you know, they collectively decided what labs they were going to do. And they started trying to take his his blood, and they were having a really, really hard time. Obviously, he's only nine months old. So his veins are super, super small to begin with. Obviously, as we now know, he was extremely dehydrated, they had one team that was trying to get the blood at first, and then they brought in a vein finder, and another team that was you know, kind of, like the go to people, once the first girl couldn't get it. And, you know, they're trying and trying to get his blood and couldn't really get it. And after that, eventually somebody came back in with the glucometer. And they're like, we're just going to take a blood sugar, and I'm standing on the left side of the bed there and there was now I think, the third guy in there trying to get a vein on the other side. And she starts, you know, trying to take his blood and like you hear it beep and the number popped up. And I and it just said greater than sign 600 And I said did that just say greater than 600? And she said, uh, yeah, and she literally like ran out of the room. And the guy that was on the other side of the bed trying to get an IV and Tocai his hands just like start shaking. And he's like You could tell he just like got super anxious nervous like he knew like how important it was that he needed to get that line in Yeah, get that line in so it went from okay go home and get some rest through overnight

Scott Benner 38:52
by the way Yeah, yeah,

Brianna 38:56
it went from go home arrest to okay, we're going to ambulance him to literally everybody just started running around like people were flying around us and it went from ambulance to we need to lifeline him and we need to send him right now. They were obviously needed to get an IV and and right away you know, they had consulted with the hospital they said you know you need to get a fluid started with him and you also like venous blood gas they wanted and you know, like the basic DK labs and they finally finally got a line in him. And they said like, okay, Rob, you know, we're gonna have her fly in the helicopter with him so you go you know, you can grab some things at home because we were only a couple minutes away from that hospital and then head up to the other hospital which was about 45 minutes to an hour away from us. And so he left which was like the hardest thing ever I mean, you're going through this like it's chaos like your baby's here like and the his like demeanor from the time that we like came in. To that point was, I mean, he was like slumped over, he was pale, his lips were starting to turn blue, he had just deteriorate. And that's what it actually says in the notes. So like prior to, you know, the recording today, I went back and, you know, was looking at his notes, which I've done before. But you know, you're just reminded, like, whenever you read it, and you know, like, one of the things that they described is like that he deteriorated drastically in the hours that he was there, and that he was like ashen in color. And it's really hard to see things like that. So he left, I'm there by myself with chi and scared out of my mind, obviously, you're here with your nine month old baby. And, you know, your life is just like crashing, you know, in that very moment. And so finally, you know, we're going to the helicopter, supposed to be there in a couple minutes. And then all of a sudden nurse comes in, and she's like, the helicopter won't fly. And I'm like, what, and she's like, Yeah, there's, you know, storms in the area, they don't feel comfortable flying, and we're going to do what we can to try to get another helicopter here, as soon as possible. You know, and so in my mind, I'm like panicking because I knew the severity at this point, with the way that everybody was acting like, you know, and the fact that like, he needs to go now. So, here I am sitting by myself in this room, like waiting for them to come update me on, like, what's happening, and, you know, they finally come back in and they said, there's another helicopter that's kind of going to come. So waiting, they said, it's going to be like another 30 minutes or so for them to get here. So they finally got there. And, you know, they came like busting in like, they were so loud, I guess from being like, up in the air, like, talking super loud. And they were just like, really kind of have like, happy, which was, you know, comforting. You know, these are the people that were going to take your baby, you know, and we were going to fly and they had this stretcher that had basically like it looked like tin foil, like this tin foil stretcher that he was going to be placed in and they went and they put them in, and they turned around, it was three of them. And they're like, Alright, we'll see you at the hospital. And I'm like, wait a second. No, I'm supposed to fly with him with you guys. And they're like, No, we actually don't have room for you. Usually, like, we only have the two of us. But today we have, you know, so and so's training, like there's three, so we can't have any more weight on the helicopter. And Rob's gone already. He's gone already. Okay. And we had to wait for that second helicopter. So like, so much time has gone by, like it's only 45 minutes away to the other hospital like he was already almost there. So again, panicking that, first of all, now I'm stranded at the hospital. And secondly, they're going to take my baby who is barely moving away from me. And so obviously, I had to give him up and, you know, say goodbye, which was the hardest thing ever, you know, watching him be zipped up in this tin foil bag and taken out of the room. And this sweet, sweet respiratory nurse who had came, who had come in, they had started oxygen on him because like, I guess prior to realizing he was in DKA. And so she was like still in the room. She was so sweet and so supportive. She was like hugging me and you know, just kind of like consoling me. I went out and called try to call my dad. He didn't answer. Try to call my sister. She didn't answer for somebody to come pick me up. And finally I called Becky, who is a huge part of our world. So that's actually Rob's son's mom. So shout

Scott Benner 43:39
out to her for answering Yeah, yeah. Because by the way, I have this horrible idea that you're about to tell me how you have to explain all this to an Uber driver.

Brianna 43:49
Yeah, yeah.

Scott Benner 43:49
How was your evening? Well, let me tell you.

Brianna 43:54
I'll reference our town again. Our Town does not have a lot of Hoover's probably none. So, yeah, so she actually I mean, we have a really, really good relationship, you know, which a lot of people don't have. And I'm really thankful for that relationship. And she literally was working from home that day, which she usually works an hour away. So it was just like it aligned. She dropped what she was doing and was there within, you know, 15 minutes to come pick me up and drive me to the hospital, got to the hospital. And I found out actually, you know, in talking about recording today, we you know, kind of just like went back and kind of reminisced on, you know, different things and I actually found out something I didn't know is that Rob did get to hold chi whenever he first got there by helicopter. They took them out of that tinfoil bag and you know, put them in his arms and they were kind of like assessing him, I guess after the flight and so Rob's holding him briefly after they realized then that Kai's IV his vein was blown it It failed some time during the flight And so he was now no longer getting, you know, the IV fluids, they very quickly scooped him up. And, you know, we're like, we've got to, you know, take him and try to get access again. So, you know, I arrived there a couple of minutes after that, and they had him in this procedure room, which was honestly, like, I swear, I think a broom closet. It was so small. And it wasn't like, you know, like, you see, like an LR, I've, you know, been in a bunch with with my job and, you know, having surgery myself, like, I expected this to be like, you know, just, I don't know, a different looking room for procedure room. But anyway, it was it was this little closet and you could barely fit, you know, more than four people in there. And, you know, I just remember this guy being sitting there on this stool. He comes in just like this very jovial, man, he was like, Oh, he's like, do you want to see him? And I was like, Sure, you know, I'm looking at him laying on this table, and Kai's, you know, what I would say is asleep. And I was just kind of like holding his hand and talking to him. And, you know, he, he was asleep. I felt like I was in there for a really, really long time. And like, I said to Robin, like, they just like, I felt like forever. And then all of a sudden, they're like, Okay, you gotta go, like, we got to do this now. And I really think that like time stood still in that moment. Like, I think it was really probably like, two minutes that I was in there to see him, but it felt like forever, but they like quickly pushed us out, and, you know, to the room across the hall. And ironically, that was the same exact room that we were in when he was there for jaundice. So it was like kind of comforting, because we had been there before, it was this familiar place. So that part was like, okay, and we also had a family member, who are a friend of the family who worked there. And she actually was, you know, in the room talking to rob, whenever I got there. You know, we're across the hall, and they're trying to get the IV and time's going by, and time's going by, and like, we're at, like, 20 minutes and 30 minutes, 45 minutes. And, like, he's still not out. And, you know, you can see like, our door was open, and the door was closed for the most part. But people were kept like running out and running back in and running out and running back in and you saw him grab, like the supply cart and take that in. And then like you saw them take this big piece of equipment in there. And it was just like, What is going on? And again, like, we had no idea what DK was at that point. You know, like, we're just like, clueless. And so, you know, we got more anxious as time went on, like, what is happening? Like, is he okay? Is he going to be okay, like, are Is he alive? Like, and then at that point, like, you started to hear that, like, machine, whatever, it was like beeping. And I just kind of spiraled from there. Because I'm like, Oh, my God, they're reviving him, they need to revive him. Like I'm thinking it's like an ad. And they're like doing, you know, like resuscitating we're gonna stuff. Yeah, like, that's what it sounded like. And actually, like, probably too, because like, I had just taken a CPR class like a week or two prior to those that work. And so like, That sound was like, That beeping sound was like, very familiar to me. And I'm like that, that was just the first thing that came to my mind. I'm like, Oh, my God, they're reviving him. And so like, at that point, I'm like hyperventilating in the bathroom. In this room that we're in, and I'm like, feeling like I'm gonna pass out probably like, you need to lay down. So I'm like, laying down on the floor, feet above my head on like, the toilet seat in this bathroom. Like, just couldn't even breathe because I'm like, Oh my God, he's dying. You know, finally Rob comes in. He's like, Briana, he's like, he's, he's back. And so like, I jump up, and, you know, they bring him in. And, you know, he's still asleep. And you know, he's breathing fast. But they finally got the IV and, you know, time goes by finally the doctor. So the intensivist and the endocrinologist on call, came and sat with us, like, I just, again, another moment in time that I'll never forget, because, you know, they kind of like pulled up a stool, like, we're gonna be here for a while feeling. And they just kind of, like laid it all out at that point, like, and explain to us exactly like what happened. Like, and then what, what was happening, like, you know, he's in DKA. He, we think he has type one diabetes, and also the whole IV issue. So the reason he was in there so long is because they just could not get an IV into him.

Scott Benner 49:42
Did they end up putting it in his leg? Or how did they do it?

Brianna 49:45
They Yeah, they did. So they he tried four times, and it was on the fourth attempt that he finally they did a femoral IV on his right leg.

Scott Benner 49:55
By the way. Shout out to Grey's Anatomy for me knowing that

Brianna 49:59
exactly how even kidding.

Scott Benner 50:02
For all your that like sometimes Scott really seems like he knows what he's talking about. I saw that on television.

Brianna 50:09
He actually told us to that he was, he had already called his colleague, and she was on her way, because he couldn't get the IV and and she knew how to do an IV into drill into the leg bone. And that was actually what they were planning on doing. If he didn't get that fourth, try Jesus, they were going to do it's like a shunt in the bone of your leg. Yeah. So, yeah, so she was on her way. And he actually, like, once he got it called her and said, you know, like, I don't need you anymore. You know, they explained, like, the whole process and like, you know, obviously, like, we need to his blood sugar's really high. At that point, I think it was, like 533 was what they had gotten at the hospital, and they, you know, explained about DK like, we have to do this slow, and, you know, it's going to be over, you know, the course of, you know, at least 24 hours, bring it down, you know, obviously, there, we can't do it too fast. There's the risk of, you know, brain swelling and things like that. So, eventually, he ended up opening his eyes. And, you know, he's nine months, so he really can't talk a lot at that point. He's like, Mama, Dada, you know, those, you know, a couple of words here and there, you know, but he was, you know, crying he wanted us he was like, once he got stabilized, he was pretty much like inconsolable, like, he wanted us but we couldn't really like hold him yet. And the other thing, too, is like he had an eat and he had, you know, he was vomiting. So he hadn't eaten at all, you know, he's barely on table food at that point, either. So, you know, over the course of the day, his levels they were going kind of back and forth. At one point, you know, things kind of went too fast where they were his blood sugar is too low gave him glucose, you know, constantly nurses in and out with, you know, bags, like it just was so crazy to me, like seeing all of these, like bags hanging, you know, the magnesium potassium, like the saline, you know, just they were just constantly in and out. And obviously, at that point, you know, he didn't have a CGM on so they were doing like, finger sticks and taking labs, I think he was getting labs, like, every two hours. And, you know, it's just, like, really hard to see. I mean, obviously, he was really upset. And, you know, he couldn't breastfeed at that point. And, you know, that's like, not only food, but comfort. And so it's just like, really hard. And, you know, his mouth like, because he was severely dehydrated, his mouth was his lips were dry, his mouth was dry. So we were like, using one of those little sponges, you know, that they have on the little stick, and, you know, putting, trying to wet his lips, and then he was like, trying to take in his mouth and like, drink the water, which was just like, it's just, like, heartbreaking. To see your baby like that. And things, you know, progressed, and obviously, you know, things went well. And the next day like he resolved, his DKA was resolved. And it was just like really hard hearing though to that, like the doctors like you would hear the one doctor who met us the first time. He had said, he's like, I couldn't sleep last night. He's like, you know, I was up constantly checking his labs that were being drawn every two hours. So like hearing that in hindsight, like you just know how severe it was. And looking back on his records, like it's, he had noted he's like, given his age and severe de DKA. He's at super high risk for complications. So from there the next day, you know, we're like, okay, he started like perking up he was he started smiling. You know, he was saying a couple words and things like that. And

Scott Benner 53:35
I did okay with you and Rob splitting up. Because I had to do that when Arden was diagnosed when she was two like I had to leave Kelly and Arden at the hospital to go get we took art into the hospital in the middle of the night. And my wife was in a bikini and a sarong, Kylie, she had sand and grass, you know what I mean? Like it was and and so we got there like, it feels like three in the morning if I'm remembering correctly. And then they put us in the crying room when they took her away, which is just this little like cubicle with a plastic sofa where you saw because you think your baby's gonna die. And then we passed out woke up. They brought her into the I guess the PICU where Arden had like 1000 tubes and all those bags like you're saying I made it through all this. Okay, I had to leave Kelly holding Arden in that little plastic chair in her bikini with a sarong on and drive an hour and a half back to this beach house we were at because we were on vacation, right to grab supplies to come back again. Like the longest ride of my life kind of thing. Right? I did okay with that when you were talking about that. And I did okay with all the other stuff that I've lived through. And then you said the sponge on the stick and my mom had cancer and she's passed now and I remember doing that for with the little sponge thing because it feels so it doesn't feel humane. It's like a plastic stick with this little hunk of sponge and you're dipping in A water and touching their lips and almost the way the way my mom went after it was she, she just didn't even look like a person. Like she was so like, you know what I mean? Like it was right, the whole thing's horrifying. Anyway, I did. Okay, right up until that then you made me cry. I'm okay now, don't you worry. Also, by the way, you're given me a day off. You're telling a great story, and I don't need to do much. So I appreciate except for the crying. This has been delightful for me. We're on the upswing, things are coming along. We're moving in the other direction. You're having these realizations that literally cried, almost died. I mean, while it's happening, you don't think about it. But they don't put a lot of nine months old nine month olds on a on a helicopter for good reasons. You don't I mean, so you were probably you guys probably left that hospital. And I bet you most of the people like geez, I hope that baby makes it. Like, oh, yeah, sure,

Brianna 55:49
I'm sure. And whenever the doctors came in to sit with us, and that serious conversation, they mentioned, the intensivist said, like, like, I'm so glad that you know, your parental instinct kicked in. Because if you would have went home, he wouldn't have made it the night. Yeah. 100%. Actually, he actually said a few more hours.

Scott Benner 56:09
No, I was gonna say yeah, I mean, listen, I brought a I brought a two year old into an ER that was in a pretty similar situation to yours. And that we got the whole like a she almost went into a coma. Like, Oh, great. And yeah, speaking.

Brianna 56:21
Yeah. Speaking of that, so later in our hospital stay that same intensivist. I said to him, I said, so How close was he to a diabetic coma? And he just like looked at me like, are you crazy? He's like, he was in a diabetic coma. Were there so like, so when I said you know, earlier, like, oh, he was sleeping. He wasn't necessarily sleeping like he was comatose at that point off.

Scott Benner 56:46
Yeah. Geez. Wow. That's crazy. So well, now we know the now we know the name of your episode. Have you? Have you ever heard DK on a speedboat? Yeah. And the plane. Okay, on a plane? I think this one's DKA in our town,

Brianna 57:01
in our town?

Scott Benner 57:02
I think so.

Brianna 57:03
Because I mean, we're only we're only a portion of the way through so it might change again,

Scott Benner 57:08
I'm assuming overly the story could literally pick up from there.

Brianna 57:10
I mean, yeah, so and that's the thing is like, I are DKA story, like, you know, like some people I feel like some of the episodes I listened to it's like the short thing but for us, it was like this very traumatizing thing. And so much happened in from, you know, the point of hitting the hospital to discharge. So we actually were there for 11 days. So let's continue on with next day.

Scott Benner 57:44
Pick this story up in Episode 1263. Did you know if just one person in your family has type one diabetes, you're up to 15 times more likely to get it to screen it like you mean it. One blood test can spot type one diabetes early tap now talk to a doctor or visit screen for type one.com. For more info. Arden started using a contour meter because of its accuracy. But she continues to use it because it's adorable and trustworthy. If you have diabetes, you want the contour next gen blood glucose meter. There's already so many decisions. Let me take this one off your plate contour next one.com/juicebox. I want to thank the ever since CGM for sponsoring this episode of The Juicebox Podcast and invite you to go to ever said cgm.com/juice box to learn more about this terrific device. You can head over now and just absorb everything that the website has to offer. And that way you'll know if ever since feels right for you ever since cgm.com/juicebox. Alright guys, I'm out of here. Do me a favor if you need or want anything that is sold by one of the sponsors. Please use my links when you do that you are supporting the production of this podcast helping to keep it free and plentiful. And you're just helping me out. I pay my electric bill with this money. I keep the podcast going. I'm not saying buy something you don't want but I mean if you're getting an omni pod, then go to my link. You know what I mean? That kind of thing. Thank you so much for listening. I'll be back very soon with another episode of The Juicebox Podcast. Tickets for the 2025 Juice crews are limited. I'm not just saying that they actually are limited. We have a certain window to sell them in and then that's it juicebox podcast.com Scroll down to the juice cruise banner, click on it. Find a cabin that works for you and register right now. You are absolutely limited by time on this one. I'm so sorry to say that it sounds pushy, but it's the absolute truth. Juice Cruz 2025 I hope to see you there. We're gonna get a tan talk about diabetes and meet a ton of great people who are living with diabetes. It's kind of going to be Like floating diabetes camp, but you won't have to sleep in a log cabin, you'll get a tan. And it's not just for adults or kids. It's for everybody. Okay, well, here we are at the end of the episode. You're still with me. Thank you. I really do appreciate that. What else could you do for me? Why don't you tell a friend about the show or leave a five star review? Maybe you could make sure you're following or subscribing your podcast app. Go to YouTube and follow me or Instagram Tik Tok? Oh, gosh, here's one. Make sure you're following the podcast in the private Facebook group as well as the public Facebook page. You don't want to miss please do not know about the private group. You have to join the private group. As of this recording, it has 51,000 members in it. They're active, talking about diabetes, whatever you need to know. There's a conversation happening in there right now. And I'm there all the time. Tag me, I'll say hi. Thank you so much for listening. I'll be back very soon with another episode of The Juicebox Podcast. The episode you just heard was professionally edited by wrong way recording. Wrong way recording.com