A Hero for Kristian Fourie   Diabetic Alert Dog

Kristian is our vibrant, loving, cuddly,“happy-go-lucky” four year old, who loves life and loves people.

In June 2018, he got terribly ill. When the doctor tested his blood glucose level, the reading was 26,8. We got the shock

of our lives being told that he was Diabetic and that his body had gone into Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) and we needed to

hurry getting him to the hospital. It felt like a scene of Grey’s Anatomy, as I ran carrying my limp little four year old’s body,

rushing to put him on the bed in the Emergency Room. Five amazing doctors rushed to help our little boy! I remember them saying that he had hypertension, he was severely dehydrated,they could not find veins, his hands and feet were blue. It was a very scary scenario, something no parent ever wants to face. I remember asking whether he’d be okay and live,but they chose their words carefully, assuring me that he was getting the best possible help.

He was rushed to ICU. After some time, they were able to get two drips into his arm and foot. Three days later, Kristian was moved to the Paediatric Ward. In total, he was discharged from hospital after a week. This is where our journey with Type 1 Diabetes started….It has been a roller coaster ride! Kristian has done so well the past few months adjusting to his new way of life.

We check his blood glucose levels at least seven times a day, while he gets four insulin injections daily too. It has been a challenge to get his sugar levels to stabilise and it remains a challenge. There have been quite a couple of times where his levels have dropped to critically low levels such as 2,2 - 2,8. This can be extremely dangerous and cause long term effects! Having a Medical Alert Dog will help to greatly reduce these scary low readings, as they would alert us in advance, although we do everything we can to ensure that Kristian’s blood glucose levels don’t reach those scary lows. Unfortunately they still do! The big concern is also that his levels can easily drop at night. As parents, this is a huge fear.

A five year old’s life should be carefree! Every evening Kristian prays for God to heal his Diabetes. He has been such a champion and taken the change in his stride, but my heart breaks for him. We need to keep a record of everything he eats, counting carbs, etc. His teacher has been trained what to look out for and she also knows how to check his levels before snack time. We do everything we can to keep his levels stable, but with a Type 1 Diabetic, it remains a challenge! It seems like we have entered a world of having to say “no” constantly, even to him wanting an apple!

For once, I would like to say “YES” to my sweet an joyful little Kristian. “NO” you cannot be carefree and eat anything when you want to, but “YES” you are so blessed to get a dog that has been trained specially for your needs. “YES!!!!” You get to have this  special friend and helper. He will be a member of our family and make sure that you are safe and that your blood sugar stays stable. “YES” this dog will truly be your best friend! Someone who will help you to know when your blood glucose levels have spiked to a high or dropped rapidly. Your special helper and friend!

We hope that you can help us make our little boy as well as our family’s dream come true, as well as ensure that Kristian always gets the help he needs. Thank you for giving us the chance to share our family’s story with you and for being willing to potentially being our sponsor.