Heartland Harmony

Sara is 17 and is a junior in high school. She's had diabetes since June of 1996. She was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and was on insulin injections for three years with all of the rigid schedules and headaches that goes along with Type 1. Then she went through a time where they considered her Type 2 because her pancreas was still producing insulin. In the past 2 years Sara has gone through many, many tests and as many different regimens as there are. I'm really proud of the way Sara has hung in there through all the confusion and tries to keep her sugars under control. I urge everyone to learn what they can about diabetes as it affects so many millions and is such an insidious disease. Let's support funding for a cure for all types of diabetes.

Sara went to Victory Christian Academy in Hutchinson, KS for the first semester of this year and was able to get her junior year of English completely done as well as the other 1/2 credit of math that she needed. She's back home now at the high school here and trying to get back in the swing of things.

We're in the process of getting things in order for her to go on the insulin pump. Everything that we've heard indicates that people on the pump have more freedom and are better able to take care of their sugars so we're looking forward to getting her on it before she goes to college. She's taken her ACT's a couple of times this year and, while she has one more year of high school, is looking into different colleges.

Sunday, May 2nd,2000, 14 young people from our congregation were confirmed. Sara was one of them. It was a beautiful service. Each confirmand had a "friend in faith" that introduced them and then the friend, the pastor, and the family laid hands on the child while they knelt. It was wonderful even if we'd all been up all night the night before working at Project Prom.

In case anyone has ever wondered whether or not God works in mysterious ways I can attest to the fact that He most certainly does. Three days before we got the diagnosis of diabetes for Sara I was fortunate enough to be able to meet, in person for the very first time, one of my original cyberbuddies. As we sat and got acquainted she told me about her son, Michael, who was a preacher and a musician and whom she had given a kidney to as diabetes had taken it's toll on his body. I listened with interest not fathoming that our lives would so soon begin this journey. What a shock it was when we got home and took Sara to the doctor and found out that she was diabetic. Needless to say I called MollyB from Sara's hospital room. God is certainly faithful. I urge you to visit the site I have tried to put together in memory of Michael and his music. DEDICATION TO MICHAEL

Alison is 13 and in 8th grade. She seems to be enjoying another year at the junior high. It's amazing to me watching the kids come out each day how much they've all grown in this past year. She is involved with the ACT program and recently competed in the Science Olympiad in Hays as a part of that. Their team came away with first place overall and Alison took one first and two seconds so they get to go on to state competition now.

Swimming is still a major part of her life. She and I spent the summer living in a motorhome in Wichita so that she could practice with the team there. Eat, sleep, swim was the order of the day for the entire summer. She loved being with the team and I was able to meet new people and become friends with several. Alison had the privilege of swimming at the Region VIII competition in Oklahoma City in July which gave her the AAA time that she'd been trying for in her 100 Breast so that she could attend the Central Zone competition in Rochester, MN. Then at the Division 1 meet in Kansas City in August, she got her AAA time in the 200 Breast as well. We took a family vacation and went to MN for the competition. Alison swam well and came away with a 6th place and an 8th place medal

She was able to qualify for a Pro-Am meet in Oklahoma City in December and enjoyed going there and swimming in the same pool as some of our Olympic swimmers. It was a great opportunity.

At a recent meet she got her AAA time in her 100 Freestyle and is not too far off on her 50 Free, 100 Back, and 200 Back. Division 1's are coming up in March and she's looking forward to a good meet. We're all very supportive of her swimming as she enjoys it so much.