CHANDLER, AZ — Millions of people across the U.S. are diabetics and nearly 64,000 people receive the diagnosis for Type 1 diabetes every year. A little less than two weeks ago, 6-year-old Ty Erixon of Chandler was added to the list.
A day after celebrating his birthday, his parents received the news that their son was going to need to be admitted to the hospital in order to control his blood sugar.
Amber Erixon shared what happened on Friday, Nov. 6, as she was about to leave a routine doctor visit to her son's pediatrician.
"We were literally on our way out the door and I had said to the doctor, 'since I'm here can I ask you a question? He's been wetting the bed,' I said. And she was like, 'huh?'" recalled Erixon.
Erixon says her son had been potty-trained since before he was three years old, and the new onset of bed-wetting was out of the norm for him.
"I didn't even think that my child -- a perfectly normal child who plays sports, is in kinder, thriving -- could have this huge issue when he looked completely normal on the outside."
That visit to the doctor prompted Ty and his family to go straight to Phoenix Children's hospital where the diagnosis came right away.
"Ty is a Type 1 diabetic but that's not going to define him," added Erixon. "Ty will continue to be playing sports and going to school."
Amber says the adjustments are slowly but surely being made -- things like planning out meals, checking his sugar levels throughout the day; it's all a new norm that is, at times, difficult to take in.
"You're doing a good job, you are doing your best, you've been thrown into this...give yourself some time, give yourself some grace, and it's all gonna be okay," said Erixon, through tears.
She says that's her advice to any mom or dad who is in her family's shoes right now and she says it's important to see the signs as little as they may seem to be.
"Wetting the bed, extra thirst, feeling lethargic -- those are all huge red flags in children being diagnosed with diabetes."
