In early March, Sierra Greenlee took her two-and-a-half year old daughter for her regular checkup.
The doctor delivered nothing but good news, and gave little Arya Logann a clean bill of health. Little did they know that she only had one more week to live.
On March 22, Sierra got off work and headed to pick up Arya from the babysitter's house, but when she arrived, Arya appeared to have already fallen asleep.
Assuming the toddler was too tired after a long day, Sierra jokingly asked if her child was breathing. She then proceeded to lay her hand on her daughter's chest and suddenly realized that there was no movement.
Turns out, Arya had passed out and was no longer breathing.
"In that moment I completely freaked out," the mom wrote in a Facebook post that has since gone viral. "I couldn't finish a thought. I knew I needed to get her back inside and start CPR. I was so mad and terrified. I was yelling at everyone who got in my way or tried to say something."
The paramedics finally got to the scene, and started resuscitation efforts that lasted for an hour.
"At times I felt like an outsider watching this awful event unfold. I had always had these nightmares but it was never supposed to happen, not to me," Sierra admitted. "It was the most surreal moments in my life."
Arya, who was still unconscious, was transported to the hospital so the doctors could take over for the EMTs. At this stage, Sierra was still holding out hope that her daughter will eventually come to.
"When we got to the hospital they lead me to the small room off of the waiting room and started asking me all of the questions they ask when you go to the hospital. I foolishly thought this is a good sign. They want to admit her."
Unfortunately, 10 minutes later, a doctor delivered what Sierra described as "the words that would forever change my world." She was told that they were unable to revive Arya.
"That one little sentence devastated my entire being. Everything I was was in that little girl. She was my absolute pride and joy. If you asked me how I was doing it would usually go something like I'm good, my daughter.... But in that moment I couldn't feel anything it was like my heart had stopped too. I was an empty shell. The shock was overwhelming.
Arya's test results were available shortly after and that's when doctors informed her mother that she had Type 1 diabetes that went undiagnosed. Her blood sugar level was in the 500s, which is about five times higher than normal.
"At 300-400 you start to go comatose. My baby had slipped into a coma and her little body was unable to fight it's way out, and it gave out. There were no signs leading up to this it was unexpected. Diabetes does not run in either of our families and so we had no idea."
It took Sierra months to be able to speak openly about losing Arya, and she's mainly doing it to warn other parents about the dangers of childhood diabetes. Apparently, the disease is not something that's tested in toddlers.
In addition to watching out for signs, such as excessive peeing and drinking, Sierra urges parents to request a blood sugar test during the child's routine wellness check up.
"So I beg you to ask your child's doctor to test for it. I beg you to become aware of the signs and symptoms of childhood Diabetes. I beg you to share this post and story with everyone because no parent should ever have to hear the words 'I'm sorry but unfortunately she did not survive.'"
Little Arya may be gone, but her story will be saving lives. Sierra's post has now reached hundreds and thousands of parents who will hopefully be more aware of the danger of Type 1 diabetes and have their children tested even if there is no family history of the disease.
Aside from frequent urination and increased thirst, Mayo Clinic highlights extreme hunger, weight loss, fatigues, behavioral changes, fruity-smelling breath, blurred vision and yeast infection (or diaper rashes) as symptoms to keep an eye out for.
