Hi Julie…
In 1974, my Dad was diagnosed with MS
In 1997, my older brother was diagnosed with t1
In early 2010, my little brother was was diagnosed with Crohn’s
For a few months I thought - wow, I’m the only healthy one here! Then, in August, I walked into the hospital after losing 30 pounds in 6 weeks…
It seems pretty obvious that my Dad passed on genes that predisposed us to autoimmune diseases. However, he also passed down some great traits too. We’re all good at math, we all have Ivy League educations and his quick reflexes for terrible puns. He taught is discipline, and right from wrong. He taught us about hard work, perseverance, and the responsibility of family. Most importantly, he gave us our heartbeats.
My point is, think of all the great things you’ve given your kids - both genetically and otherwise. They’ll probably learn to appreciate all the good things you gave them, and will never blame you for “giving” them diabetes.
My brothers and I are all enjoying the primes of our lives, and your children will too. Our paths to success won’t be the same as everyone else, and sometimes it’ll be harder. However, we’ll achieve everything we want to, and we’ll build more character in the process, because we overcame obstacles to get there.