What I’m Thankful For

Today’s blog is a personal one, I don’t get personal often, but I want to share the things that I am thankful for…after all Thanksgiving is coming up and I feel the holiday is time to reflect on what we are thankful for.

In August 2015 our dog Lucy was very ill and diagnosed with diabetes and acute pancreatitis. This little girl was the sweetest dog ever and I jumped into overdrive to nurse her back to health and luckily she healed quickly from the pancreatitis. I knew about pancreatitis in humans due to a family member having chronic pancreatitis so I understood the severity of the illness and what changes needed to be made but I didn’t have a good knowledge base of diabetes, especially canine diabetes. After months of failures, mistakes and poor results I took her diabetes care into my own hands. Her vet was not on board with food or insulin change, but I went ahead and made the changes anyway. Within two months blood glucose levels were steady and she had gained most of the weight back that she had lost. Lucy’s blood glucose levels were in target range, she was playing, chasing squirrels and eating well. Success!

Every single thing I questioned or did not know I researched so that I knew what the answer was. Often times there are not published studies on the effects of certain issues with diabetic dogs but there are in human type 1 diabetics, and when it comes to the functions of a dog’s body it runs much like that of a humans. So I read many studies but needed to understand how the dog’s body functions so that led me down the path of canine nutrition and health.

The first seven months after Lucy’s diagnosis I felt so alone, stressed and overwhelmed and these feelings are something I will never forget. I was in diabetic dog groups on Facebook and didn’t want anyone to feel the way I had so I started supporting other members of these groups. In January 2017 I was asked to admin The Diabetic Dog Owners and happily accepted the position. The group was not well managed at the time and I knew that I needed to increase the amount of quality help in the group so I asked members in the group that were like minded, had a good knowledge base and a love of dogs to admin/moderate the group. Not only has the group gained administrators and moderators that are extremely knowledgeable but I have gained friends that will last a lifetime and I can count on 24/7.

Back in 2017 I contacted PetTest requesting help for members that had financial difficulties due to initial diabetes expenses; diagnosis can be expensive and if the dog is ill and needs to be hospitalized expenses can be outrageous. Immediately PetTest offered to help. I was taken aback by the level of support that they immediately offered, I mean PetTest did not know me and here they are helping with what they could.

While my relationship with PetTest grew I was chatting with a moderator in the group who is also a teacher and I mentioned that an online course was a dream I had and Alicia said, “WE CAN MAKE THIS HAPPEN!” So we jumped in and created the DDO-U. PetTest was so impressed with the course that they offered to sponsor it so that anyone can join for free to learn all they can about managing canine diabetes. Amazing!

I was asked to write blogs for PetTest in October 2020 and this has given me an opportunity to get the knowledge out there and for me to learn even more.

I have watched PetTest expand their products so that people with diabetic pets have access to quality, affordable products all in one place. I have been lucky enough to have seen just what they do for diabetic dogs and cats and the true care that they have. This is basically a mom-and-pop shop and they give back to the community that supports them a thousand fold.

All of this leads me to just how thankful I am for all of this. I am thankful for all these people in my life, I could have never imagined when I heard that diagnosis where it would have led me but here I am doing what I love with people that I love. Education on successfully managing canine diabetes and supporting sugar parents is not a passion for me, it is my life.

I have learned so much, have taken so many courses and have nutrition, health and diabetes certificates. I have gained lifelong friendships. I have been able to help so many people and their diabetic dogs. I have found my calling in life.

All of this could not have been possible without Lucy and all of these people in my life. Lucy started it; I have been able to support others and educate myself because Lucy’s dad works full time and I am able to stay home. I can call my bestie in the middle of the night, she popped in my life because of canine diabetes and our friendship grew into something beautiful. I can message admin and moderators at any time of the day and get support. The crew at PetTest is always there to help and support group members, and their belief in our online course means the world to me.

I am thankful for all these people! Believe it or not I am thankful for canine diabetes because of what it has given me and the world…if Lucy had never been diagnosed with diabetes I would not be here now, we wouldn’t have the DDO-U and I would not be part of such a fabulous village. I am incredibly thankful.

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please start a conversation below.

For a printable version of this blog click here.

Until next week stay comfy, warm and caffeinated!

Michelle Miller-Matlock

AAHA Certified Diabetes Educator

Administrator of Diabetic Dog Owners on Facebook

Founder/Administrator of DDO: Diabetic Dog Owners University

Want to learn all you can in a simple and easy to follow format? Please join DDO-U: Diabetic Dog Owners University, sponsored by PetTest.

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