Ava's Army 2012

So we had a lot of fun on our last minute JDRF walk to cure diabetes. But you would not imagine some of the team size's just ONE kid can have at these things. I couldn't help but feel a little down about how I hadn't decided sooner that this is about Ava and NOT me! So Andy and I talked about it and we decided next year we are going to go all out. Reason 1: to make this a good experience for Ava and 2: at four years old I think she will be able to appreciate everyone's love and support! So be prepared for BATTLE we are going to do all we can to raise money and help battle diabetes. We plan to do this by creating...."Ava's Army" it will involve some sort of camo(which if anyone knows,that is a huge sacrifice for me;) and we can't call it "Ava's Army" with out a lot of people so please SHOW YOUR SUPPORT and be "prepared for battle" and join our team....I will keep everyone updated as to when we register for next year so you can sign up!!

It's not bout me...

I decided at the very last minute that the family(just the 4 of us) would go to Portland for the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes on Sunday(October 2nd 2011)I did not feel like celebrating diabetes at the moment(it's been a tough year)....however I decided to register Ava as a walker because this is about her not me and about awareness, research and a sense of belonging. Ava may never see a cure but I hope that someday no other parent has to live with this disease in their home.

We called about 6 weeks before the event to get into our Dr while we were there and they had to put us on a cancellation list. Well it all worked out they called us Friday (yes the day before we left) to let us know they had an appointment on Monday at 10! Sign me up! So glad we decided to make the trip.

The walk was fun, cold as usual and a rained at the very end. Ava and Logan had a blast we didn't meet anyone new nor did we get the chance for her to make any friends(she is only 3 after all:) but I would say it was a success....as for next year we have BIG plans....Ava's Army get ready for battle!

Team Ava Rocks walking for a cure October 3rd 2010

May 28^th 2010 Ava was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes leaving her insulin dependent. Andy and I have decided if ANYTHING we would like to raise awareness of Type 1 diabetes and the challenges that we are faced with every day. We have also decided to support the search for a cure (which Ava's Dr believes we will see in her lifetime!) by walking in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Walk for a Cure Saturday October 3rd 2010 @ Oaks Park in Portland, Oregon. We have a donation account set up at Bank of the Cascades under" Donation account for Ava Grace Morris" from this account we will be allocating funds to be donated directly to JDRF on behalf of Ava's team and some will be used for travel to Portland (she also has a Dr's appointment at Legacy Emanuel the Monday following the event) any additional funds will be used to help with Ava's daily diabetic supply needs and travel to and from Portland every 3 months for her appointments at Legacy Emanuel(which is where her care is being managed). We are asking every one to help us by spreading awareness of Type 1 Diabetes and if you can, join our JDRF team and Walk for a Cure. A BIG warm THANK YOU to everyone who has been so supportive and helpful already, many of you have already learned a lot and have been able to get the word out there about Type 1 Diabetes and JDRF on Ava’s behalf, Thank You!

-Rachel

Team “Ava Rock’s” walking for a cure! (**click here for Ava's team page**)

How we found out Ava was truly Sweet

It was April 2010 the day of her 2nd Birthday Party that I started to notice something wasn't right with Ava. She doubled over at the window in her sweet Minnie Mouse birthday outfit complaining of tummy pain. I hugged her tight and asked if she was OK, she sat for a moment pondered the question and said "Ava OK". We seemed to get by with bizarre occasional tummy pains and headaches for 2 more weeks(chopping a lot of it up to potty training and to her new sleep schedule). About mid May we noticed some excessive bed wetting, and more sleeping. It started to really bother me that she wasn't being her spunky, sassy self. At this point I started to wonder if it was a food allergy or growth spurt. 10 more days go by, my mom (my mom is our day care provider,luckily!) and I are really bothered by her behavior, excessive thirst, lack of appetite, lethargy, soaking through her diaper,sheets and PJ's at night that I decide to take her in thinking it was a food allergy or perhaps something to do with potty training? May 27th 2010 I decide to stay home with her for the day as she wasn't appearing to feel well at all and her appointment was that afternoon. By noon of that day she had drank a GALLON of fluid(no joke!) and begging for more. I was anxious to get her in and started to Google all of these bizarre happenings and came across the symptoms of toddler diabetes and wouldn't you know she had EVERY one of them. I was taken a back and tried to forget about it and see what her pediatrician had to say. We get there explain what's been happening to the nurse and with out a breath she decides to test her blood sugar and sure enough it was 440 (and that was with out food for about 4 hours) We were sent straight to the hospital and that is where our journey began.