Guest Post – Cara from Country Girl Diabetic

Posted by Chris on Jul 26, 2010 in Guest Post | 1 comment

Today’s guest post is brought to you by Cara from Every Day Every Minute Every Hour – Country Girl Diabetic

Words of Wisdom

When I was a child, I didn’t know any other Type 1 diabetics. Then, it was still called Juvenile diabetes. Insulin pumps were so rare, I didn’t know they existed until I was in high school. Blood sugar meters were HUGE. And testing took over a minute. If I remember correctly, it took over 2 minutes to complete the process with my first meter. I grew up when we didn’t go to the doctor very often. Our training was minimal. And we just did the basics of care. We counted exchanges instead of carbs and had no clue how to use a sliding scale for insulin and had never heard of insulin to carb ratio.
Things have changed so much since I was diagnosed in 1986. Treatment is better. Stronger. More efficient. And now, we have the wonders of the internet, which has led us to each other. With that comes some great responsibility for those of you raising children with diabetes. So, coming from a kid with diabetes who grew up, I have some tips for you.

1.)   Sometimes, it’s okay to forget to test before a meal. Not always. But sometimes.
2.)   Sometimes there’s a birthday party at school. Blood sugar is 200. Give the insulin and eat the cake anyway. The memories are more important than that one number.
3.)   Sometimes the joys of being a kid make remembering that you have diabetes difficult. Don’t be upset if your child forgets to eat or test. Deal with it and gently remind them for next time.
4.)   Every number is just that. A number. Sometimes they will be high. Sometimes they will be low. But a LOT of diabetics grew up with less than stellar blood sugars and we are fine. (Not that it means not to take care of your child. But don’t be quite so OCD.)
5.)   Don’t be afraid to let another adult have some control. Your child can’t always be by your side. Just be sure it’s a responsible adult.
6.)   Most of all, remember that you child is a child first. Not a diabetic. Be sure to let them get on with the experience of being a kid. It’ll be worth it to them (and you) in the long run.