Parker Davis

On May 9, 2010 Parker Davis was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. A month before that his parents, Scott and Robbi Davis noticed some changes in their son. He was in the latter part of his 4th grade year, very healthy, playing basketball, and seemingly on the cusp of puberty. He was losing weight and growing taller. Normal stuff, right?

Robbi recalls, “He was getting tall and skinny, but he began having excessive thirst like six Gatorades a day and having to use the bathroom a lot. Then one night he ran through the living room and his legs looked like grasshopper legs.”

They then decided to take him to Little Rock Children’s Clinic where after assessing Parker, their physician had them go directly to Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Parker’s blood sugar was 437. The normal range is 70-100. The ACH team got his blood sugars under control. He had to stay in the hospital for four nights while the Davis family began learning about their new life with Type 1 diabetes.

According to JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) high blood sugar levels can lead to serious complications like heart disease, blindness, kidney failure, and more. Low levels are the most dangerous. They can lead to insulin shock and be potentially life threatening.

Processing major changes and the impact on your life is essential to living successfully with diabetes. Robbi says, “You have to own it like white on rice. Parker has the best attitude and has always been the healthiest person in our house other than having diabetes of course.”

From the moment of Parker’s diagnosis, the Davis family has owned it and made it their mission to help Parker flourish and help others who are coping with diabetes. The family became heavily involved with JDRF. Scott is a member of the board and they work tirelessly to promote awareness and raise funds for vital diabetes research to find a cure. Over the years, their team “Parker’s Pack” for the JDRF Walk has raised $50,000. Their goal this year is $12,913 to hit the $60,000 mark. Each year, Parker creates whimsical designs for their team t-shirts.

Owner of a local insurance agency, Robbi shares, “We are humble and thankful #1 to God. And, we couldn’t have raised the funds without the generous support of family, friends, and clients. We also have major sponsors that have helped us meet 50 percent of our goal this year: U.S. Pizza Company, Alliance Rubber Company and Delta Dental.”

Family Perspectives

Having a family member with Type 1 diabetes requires everyone in the home to be engaged. For the Davis family it’s a team effort. Scott, Robbi, Parker and big sister, Maggie share their thoughts on making the most of life with Type 1.

Scott shares, “You’d do anything to take the diabetes away and you’d rather it happen to you. You can’t let it dominate your life though. You’ve got to live.”

Robbi says, “You have to plan ahead no matter what you do or where you go. Thank God for cell phones. I don’t know how people did it before. When Parker goes out to eat with his friends, he can take a picture of his food and send it to us. We’ve gotten good at calculating carbs. You have to keep your ducks in a row. And Parker has a great group of friends who watch out for him!”

“I think my parents do a really good job. It’s not as bad if you have people to help you,” Parker states. “The most frustrating thing is having to stop what you’re doing and take care of things,” Parker says of having to consistently check his sugar levels.

Older sister Maggie explains, “At first I was upset and angry about Parker’s diagnosis. He’s such a good brother. He didn’t deserve it, but he’s been so strong and I know it could be worse. It can be dealt with. That’s comforting. I’m hopeful there’ll be a cure and he won’t have to do shots all of his life.

Last but not least Robbi smiles and says, “The good thing about all of this is that it has brought us closer.”

Scott Davis’ tips for parents of newly diagnosed Type 1’s

  • Educate yourself. The more you know, the better care you can give. Do not ever think you know it all.
  • Don’t blame yourself. That will not change anything.
  • Don’t expect sympathy or understanding from anyone. Unless other family members of friends have Type 1, they have no idea of just how this can change your family’s life.
  • Stay on top of all new technology from pumps to continuous glucose monitors.
  • Don’t let your child’s blood sugar reading affect your mood in front of the child. Keep calm and carry on. Be optimistic.
  • Learn to live with diabetes. Carbs are not the only thing that affects blood sugar. Lack of sleep, stress, extreme heat or cold will all have an effect. There are so many factors.

A Tale of Two Types

Type 1 & Type 2 diabetes ARE very different!

“I was diagnosed with Type 1 when I was 10 years old at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. In the 1980s they kept kids for two weeks for inpatient education. The care I got there was very inspiring,” Dr. Jon Oden says of the reason why he does what he does. He is the Section Chief for Endocrinology, Obesity and Diabetes at Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

The general population does not truly know the vast differences between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Here, Dr. Oden sorts out the details of the two diseases for Little Rock Family readers:

Type 1

There are two particular peaks in childhood where the majority of children are diagnosed—7 and 14 years of age. But, a person can be diagnosed at any time from infancy to beyond retirement age. Individuals are relatively thin and tend to be Caucasian or African American. The body develops antibodies that attack beta cells (the cells in the pancreas that produce, store and release the hormone insulin). Science does not understand why some people generate these antibodies and others do not, but it is likely a combination of both genetic and environmental factors. Once the antibodies have destroyed about 80% of beta-cells, patients will develop the signs and symptoms of diabetes-peeing more often, drinking more and losing weight. They usually feel very fatigued as well. This is what brings them in to see their doctor. They usually do not have a family history.

Type 2

There are five risk factors for Type 2.

  1. Weight
  2. Specific ethnic background (typically African American, Asian, Hispanic, or Native American)
  3. Family history
  4. Girls more often than boys
  5. Dark, wrinkly, thickened skin at the base of the neck or under arm called “acanthosis”

ACH uses a team of providers to work with families impacted by diabetes. The team includes dieticians, certified diabetes educators, social workers and physicians. “We are very clear and consistent in our message. Parental structure and parental supervision are very important. We individualize how we see kids. There’s not a cookie cutter approach,” Dr. Oden explains.

Join Parker’s Pack at the 2015 JDRF One Walk…
for a World Without Type 1 Diabetes!

Central Arkansas One Walk
Saturday, October 3, 2015 | North Little Rock, Dickey-Stephens Park
Northeast Arkansas One Walk
Saturday, October 17, 2015 | Downtown Jonesboro
For more info: Arkansas@JDRF.org or www.GreaterArkansas.JDRF.org