The Artful Wreath
Hello and welcome to my little studio, The Artful Wreath! We all have a special story about how Type 1 Diabetes has touched our lives, and sharing with others can offer encouragement for those already LIVING with T1D, or it could also possibly go so far as to SAVE a LIFE. I offer AWARENESS WREATHS to share your story and here's why I started my small home business and am excited to be a vendor with The Useless Pancreas!
My son was diagnosed in Sept 2016 and the diagnosis was extremely life changing for our entire family and faith building in ways we never imagined. Dylan was 7 years old at the time: peeing constantly, unable to quench his thirst, looked pale, and had lost weight to where we could see his ribcage. All of that in just a matter of days. I have never been one to rush to the doctor's office, but this was different and so sudden. A midnight google search of his symptoms revealed Type 1 Diabetes. "But how could that be?", I asked myself. He was a healthy kid, active, not overweight, this was crazy! I called his Pediatrician's Office late the next morning and asked the nurse about Dylan's symptoms. She wanted him to be seen right away so I brought him in at 1 o'clock, the time I already had an appointment scheduled for my girls' Well Checks. Normally we had to wait a bit once getting there, but not that day. The nurse was at the door, didn't even have us check in, and instead had us go straight to the room where she already had an IV set up, ready and waiting, for reasons I didn't yet know. She immediately handed Dylan a cup to run to the restroom to bring back a urine sample. KEYTONES. I'm tearing up as I am typing this... I remember the entire scene like it was yesterday. I'm trying to be short, but I just can't, thanks for reading. They pricked his finger, checked his blood sugar and it was well over a number that the Dr said she had never seen in her practice before. That part I don't remember... i always thought it was like 1400, my husband says 600 or 700... None of this made any sense to me... these numbers at the time, the diagnosis. Overwhelming. They explained. I tried to hear. What were they telling me? They were arranging for an ambulance to rush him to the Children's Hospital that was an hour and 1/2 from our small town. I told them I would go home and get our stuff and wait for my husband to drive with us when he got home from work. They told me that was NOT an option and that he needed to get there NOW or it could be fatal. I was in shock. Fast forward... THEY SAVED MY SON'S LIFE THAT DAY. We spent Labor Day weekend learning all we could with the very best Endocrinology team at Sanford Children's Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD, "The Castle". So grateful for the knowledge that our Pediatrician had and for the wisdom of the entire office taking fast action at every point, and for the exceptional care we received from his new Pediatric Endocrinologist. Dylan is now entering High School, thriving in every aspect of his life and confident in managing his diabetes, and we are always right beside him every step of the way. He is never alone on this journey and no one should be. He wears a Dexcom and just last year started with the OmniPod. We have had our highs and lows on this journey, literally, and are wanting to help the community in whatever way we can to spread awareness of this Autoimmune Disease currently with no known cause or cure, that can appear at ANY age. People need to know.
So, how can we help spread much needed awareness? With a beautiful Artful Wreath to decorate your space and be that welcoming conversation starter to share your story!
Our MISSION is simple: Spreading AWARENESS and HOPE.
Our VALUES are simple: Making unique, high quality Artful Wreaths with love and attention to every detail.
*** Each Artful Wreath is one-of-a-kind, with no two exactly alike. If you want we can chat for a free design consultation to create an awareness wreath according to your style, personalized even further.
You can also find me on Instagram and Facebook.
Newly diagnosed? You will never be alone in this community, you will find your way, your "new normal", and you will be stronger than you ever thought possible. For our family, we grew closer to God, never letting a day go by without prayers for our son and so many others, and thankful hearts for each new day, He is our strength! Did you know: The color for Type 1 Diabetes is blue, with November being Diabetes Awareness Month. Autoimmune Disease Awareness month is March, represented by the color purple. There are over 80 different Autoimmune Diseases. Sometimes people have more than one, let's spread that awareness too. How can a wreath bring awareness? Because each person has a unique story, and each wreath can be a conversation starter to share yours!
Thank you for supporting my small, home business as we embrace our Type 1 journey together! Have a beautiful day!
"To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven." ~ Ecclesiastes 3:1 NKJV