Diabetic Alert Dog for 11 year old, Elijah Davis

Normal Glucose range is 65 to 135

My 10 year old son’s number …

 

 

Diabetes is a terrible disease that affects people from ALL age groups, for some it has to do with diet, some it is hereditary and for the young it can be very frightening because you do not know what is happening with your body and why it acts the way it does.

This situation became very evident to 11-year-old Elijah Davis of Ivanhoe Texas recently, he could not drink enough water to satisfy his insatiable thirst. His mother Sarah had some experience with Diabetes with her father, so she recognized the signs of Diabetes in Elijah. For those familiar with Diabetes, the normal Glucose range is from 65 to 135, his mother, Sarah, had her grandmothers Glucose meter and when she took a reading that showed 593. This can’t be right she thought, it must be broken. After a call with her father, he said get Elijah to the doctors IMMEDIATELY. She called paramedics who also tested Elijah on their meter and the reading came out, “too high to read, over 600”. At the local hospital the lab results showed that his Glucose level was 674! Prolonged high levels can lead to him going into a Diabetic coma. He was quickly transferred to Texas Children's Hospital for confirmation of diagnosis and to establish protocols for treatment.

 

 

 

What would you do if this were your child or grandchild…

As a parent you will do anything you can to protect your children and see they get the care they need. Elijah was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes which is non curable though it is manageable over a lifetime. Doctors say his pancreas is putting out less than 1% of the insulin Elijah needs. This is when reality sets in, oh my god, what lies ahead for young Elijah and how can we best care for him and teach him to deal with this condition. Thousands of thoughts went through Sarah’s and Caleb’s minds.

 

 

 

 

  Currently they are using a Dexcom glucose monitor which is a fantastic device that gives a level of peace of mind. This device works off the Internet and Wifi, and the area of Woodville Texas they live in is Ivanhoe where the Internet/Wifi service is spotty and not totally reliable at times. Example, the monitor works all around the school but not in the gymnasium. Anxiety and stress also affect glucose levels, so both Sarah and Caleb, who are teachers at Warren ISD, went looking for other resources to help Elijah. The scariest time for the parents is nighttime when glucose levels can fluctuate during sleep. So needless to say, Sarah and Caleb have not slept well for months.

A Diabetic Alert dog became an answer to their prayers. These dogs can be trained to alert Elijah or parents at any time day or night of the fluctuations of these glucose level and averting an unpleasant incident. They are also a federally recognized “Service Dog” and will be able to go with Elijah anywhere he needs or wants to go. It also provides a greater peace of mind for all concerned and it will give Elijah a companion who will reduce his anxiety and stress over this terrible disease.

The Davis family enjoys outdoor activities such as fishing, hiking, boating and more, so with an Alert Dog, being away from Internet and Wifi connections is not so fearful. This allows the family to enjoy these activities without the limitation of their location. It also gives them comfort that Elijah is in control of his life and not Diabetes controlling how they live or where they can go.

Diabetic Alert Dogs are specially trained to detect fluctuations in glucose levels which is a specialized area of training. There are very few places that train for this specific purpose (www.riversedgeda.com), and they are expensive. These dogs take months to train andpriced at $25,000, well beyond the salary range of two teachers and their insurance does not cover this either.

Caleb and Sarah are committed to also raising funds by having…

• Bake Sales

• Garage Sales

• T-shirt sales

• Murder Mystery Dinners

• “We are not quitting until we reach our goal.”

This is where YOU COME IN! Any amount you can contribute to help Elijah and his family raise the funds needed to obtain this Diabetic Alert Dog will be greatly appreciated and will give a young boy the opportunity to live a more normal life.

This is what your donation will mean…

• Caleb and Sarah will be able to get sleep again without the worry of a parent’s worst nightmare.

• The family will be able to do things as a family and not be constrained by where Elijah can go or not go.

• Elijah will have a companion who will reduce anxiety and stress as well as give him a level of comfort that he is safe in any environment.

• Elijah will be more in control of his Diabetes than his Diabetes controlling him.

You will be able to see our progress on this Go Fund Me site. There is NO WAY we could thank you enough for your contribution with the exception of being eternally grateful. THANK YOU SO MUCH, many blessings to you for your help.

Sincerely,

Sarah, Caleb and Elijah