tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1507681738351881728.post-55506939103891532202008-06-16T20:22:00.003-04:002008-06-16T20:33:10.505-04:00TrialNetWe participate in the <a href="http://www2.diabetestrialnet.org/">TrialNet Natural History study</a>. Nora & Dominic are siblings of a person with Type 1 diabetes, so they have their blood tested every year to check for autoantibodies. We do this because, according to studies, relatives of people with type 1 diabetes have a 10 to 15 times greater risk for developing the disease than people with no family history.<br /><br />Last year Nora, Dominic & I all were tested. Luckily, we all had a negative result. Now I'm too old for the study (sob!) so only Nora & Dominic were tested. We'll get the results in a month or so.<br /><br />Last year it was difficult, to say the least, to get Dominic to give blood. He bucked like a bronco and ended up with an enormous bruise, even though we prepared and "practiced" beforehand. What a difference one year makes. This year he held out his arm and didn't even say ouch! He said that his arm hurt a little, but it was from the elastic that they tied his arm with more than the needle. Nora & Dominic got bags of prizes, which also helped ease the pain! We were all very proud of him.<br /><br />Later in the day we went to a playground to run off some energy. At one point Dominic fell off a swing and bumped his back & head. I brushed him off & hugged him, and then he decided to sit by me for a while. He said, "Mom, I could have cried when I fell, but I didn't." <br /><br />"Why didn't you cry?"<br /><br />"I thought about how brave I was when I gave my blood today."<br /><br />He's growing up!!!Naomihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11678716062433949143noreply@blogger.com