A Utah mother has turned to social media to raise awareness about childhood diabetes after experiencing a particularly overwhelming night, leading her to call the police on herself.
Kylie Grimes is a mother of four, with two of her children being diagnosed with Type-one diabetes within a span of three months.
Her son Noble, who is 15 months old, and her daughter Goldie, aged six, received their diagnoses in a situation that was unusual, as there was no family history of the condition, which is often hereditary.
The situation came to a head on July 31 of this year, when Kylie made a frantic 911 call from her Utah home. However, the reason for her emergency call was not your typical 911 situation, as first reported by Today.
Kylie was feeling overwhelmed after a challenging evening managing the children by herself while her husband, Kyle, was at work. The stress from a tough year culminated in her decision to dial the emergency number.
Earlier in the year, both of her children were diagnosed with Type-one diabetes.
In April, Noble faced a medical crisis at seven months old, suffering from parainfluenza and walking pneumonia, which led to a challenging three-night hospital stay. Shortly after, he was diagnosed with diabetes.
Just 63 days later, Goldie was also diagnosed with diabetes.
Kylie, who stays at home to care for her four children, felt the pressure mount as she managed two kids with Type-one diabetes while Kyle was working. The situation left her exhausted and extremely stressed.
Previously, she never questioned her ability to handle everything, but on July 31, while alone with her children, her perspective changed.
In an interview with PEOPLE, she expressed: “Before I know it, I am looking at the clock and it’s like 9, and I haven’t made dinner for anyone. So we’re way past bedtime now.”
Kylie asked her older children to keep an eye on Noble so she could start dinner, but soon encountered a new challenge.
“[Noble] had come crawling to my feet and I turned around and his face is all black, I came walking over to the side and my kids were all gone. No one was watching the baby, and he had gotten into my plant. He was eating potting soil.”
Though Noble was unharmed, Kylie found herself in tears on the kitchen floor afterward.
“My kids come up to me and they’re asking where dinner is, and I just completely lose it,” she remembers.
She called her husband for assistance, but he was 30 minutes away. Frustrated by his distance, Kylie ended the call and dialed 911.
“The dispatcher’s like, ‘Okay, where’s the emergency?’ And I said, ‘I just can’t do this anymore. I’m overwhelmed. I just need help’,” Kylie stated. “She’s like, ‘I don’t understand what’s the emergency?’ And I said, ‘Me. I’m the emergency.’ “
Kylie assured the dispatcher that she was not a danger to herself or her children, and a police officer soon arrived at her home. After assessing the situation, the officer and other responders connected Kylie and Kyle with a social worker who provided helpful resources and information.
“This was the first time that I was like, ‘I can’t do this by myself,'” she said, noting that she has since become more willing to ask for help.
Following the call, Kylie’s mother came to assist the family, a neighbor offered to help with chores, and Kyle took on more childcare responsibilities.
Now, the couple shares their experiences on social media, promoting discussions about the challenges of managing a household, especially with young children who have diabetes and the associated parental stress. Kylie notes that people have reached out expressing gratitude for her honesty and sharing how it has inspired them.
The family is also raising funds to obtain a diabetic alert dog for Noble, which you can support through their fundraiser.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 to reach a 24-hour crisis center or you can webchat at 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.