Dear Mr. Wilcher,

I read your article today.  It was hard to swallow.  Some of the things you said simply aren't true and it feels like an insult to my mothering skills when you insinuate that I, somehow, caused my daughter's Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis.

But do you know what's harder to swallow?

Acknowledging that up until the day she was diagnosed, I subscribed to some of these misconceptions.  Not because I was insensitive...or cold hearted...or ruthless.

Because I just didn't know.

I didn't know that we'd wake up on 7/25/05 and end the day with so much left to learn in order to keep her alive.  I didn't know how to poke her little fingers and toes.  I didn't know that she'd rely on insulin injections for the rest of her life.  I didn't know that I'd have to calculate every. single. carbohydrate she ate or drink for every meal - every snack - every birthday party - every school function - every everything.  I didn't know that I'd never sleep through the night again, because I'd have to manage her blood sugar around the clock.  I didn't know how hard it would be to balance her activity level, diet, growth and illnesses with her insulin needs.  I certainly didn't know that we'd walk a fine line between between stable and unstable every second, every minute, and every day on the road ahead.

Maybe I should have.  I mean...I AM a Registered Nurse and all...but I didn't.  Nothing in nursing school prepared me for the experience of raising a child with Type 1 Diabetes.

So maybe you just didn't know either.

I can forgive ignorance...but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE learn from this experience.  PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't allow misconceptions to continue infiltrating the media.  PLEASE help stop the madness.  If you'd like to write an article about Type 1 Diabetes in the future, make sure you educate yourself and use reputable sources of information.

Someone's life could depend on it.

Thanks.

**Update:  See the apology and retraction statement HERE.**

SAVE THE LIFE OF A CHILD