Kingsport Family Faces Challenge Of 3 Diabetic Children

When Phillip and Amy Bentley exchanged their wedding vows, they already had 5 children from previous marriages. But they wanted more, so into the world came Gavin, Rachel, and Quinn. They were all perfectly healthy, or so they seemed.

When Quinn was 16 months old, his dad noticed he had started being really thirsty all the time. “We were maybe going through a gallon and a half, two gallons of milk on him in a day,“ says Phillip. Quinn had also started urinating frequently at night, and became fatigued often. They took him to the doctor and said everything was fine until they checked his blood sugar. “He was off the charts,“ says Phillip. Quinn was immediately admitted into the hospital. “You have to learn in two days how to keep your child alive,“ says Phillip, “that’s a really difficult thing.“

Just a few months later, their daughter Rachel started showing some of the same signs as Quinn, and she also had trouble sleeping. Amy checked Rachel’s blood sugar, and the number told them that Rachel was probably diabetic too. So they took her to the doctor and they confirmed it. “How in the world does it happen twice,‘ says Phillip, “lightning shouldn’t strike twice.“ But it would strike again just a few months later, when six-year old Gavin was diagnosed. The Bentleys were faced with the fact that they had three diabetic children, and their lives would never be the same.

Now their days and nights are filled with checking blood sugar 10-15 times a day, making sure each child eats the right amount of carbs, and trying to pay for all the out of pocket costs that go along with diabetes. “I have a good job and good insurance,“ says Phillip, “but the outof pocket cost for diabetes is really tremendous.“ Amy says there are times that she may go five weeks without ever leaving the house, because of trying to balance all three kids being at good levels and having a good day.

The Bentleys say they are blessed with people to help them out, and some of those people will be holding a benefit concert at Higher Ground Baptist Church on May 1st, at 7 p.m. The Collingsworth family will be performing, tickets are $15 in advance, or $18 at the door. All proceeds will go to pay medical expenses for the family.