When I received an excerpt copy of Kids First, Diabetes Second, the very first thing that stood out to me was the cover. The cover includes art from Karen Graffeo that she created as part of Diabetes Art Day in 2011. This cover will grab your attention right away.
The book is broken down into very simple, easy to read chapters.
The first chapter introduces you to who Leighann is and gives a detailed description of Q’s diagnosis day. For those that have gone through a diagnosis, either your own or a family member or child, then you probably experienced many of the same feelings and emotions that are described in this book. I couldn’t help but think about some of the same thoughts and reactions to situations described in the book that I had felt on the day I was diagnosed almost 10 years ago.
Just as a heads up, I would probably have a box of Kleenex next to you when you do read this chapter.
The remaining three chapters in this excerpt version that I received goes into details of what it is like to manage life and diabetes with a child living with diabetes. Leighann gives great ideas and tips for practical living, not the textbook, medical stuff that the hospital will give you.
There is a certain point in the book that Q is excited to have cotton candy for the first time and I found this interesting because I had a brief onversation with Leighann about cotton candy at the Indianapolis Indians baseball game. Cotton candy was being passed around and I figured, why not. I saw Q eating it at the same time and asked Leighann, “how do you bolus for this?” She looked up the carb count and it was still a little confusing because, how do you figure out an ounce of cotton candy?
I add this brief story to this review because this is another example of the sort of things that Leighann is trying to get across in this book. Kids First, Diabetes Second. Let your kid have that cotton candy at the baseball game where she is having fun with friends. Bolus for it, but don’t let it get in the way.
There is a brief paragraph in the book that attempts to help parents share their child’s diabetes to others This is where a few misconceptions of diabetes are brought up. People do not always know everything about diabetes or as much as you know, so it is expected for this to occur. Leighann suggests a few tips for how to deal with these situations.
The final part of the excerpt is a great breakdown of some of the most important words and technologies related to diabetes. I think this section is great for parents that don’t really know what kind of technology is out there, or don’t really know what to do in the middle of a low blood sugar.
Overall, this book is great. I will be reading the full version later this month and may add to this review. I doubt my opinion will change. I highly recommend that people purchase and read this book. Whether you are an adult living with diabetes, have a child with diabetes, or spouse with diabetes, or you just want to know what somebody who deals with diabetes on a daily basis goes trough, then you should read this book.
The book can be purchased on Amazon.com and other places that can be found on the books information page, which I have provided a link to right here. You can learn more about Leighann and keep up to date with her and Q at d-mom.com
Disclosure: I was provided an excerpt of this book (first 4 chapters) by Spry Publishing for free to read and review for TheLifeofaDiabetic.com. I have not been compensated in any form or fashion for writing this review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are mine, and mine only.