October's Blogger Basal

It was a dark and stormy night....  All Hallows Eve.  

As the wind whipped around the barren trees and leaves whirled down the dark street, hardly a light could be seen.  Except... at the old castle.  Where Princess Sweetpea lives with her pump.  

As you enter the old, broken down door you hear a CrEeKing sound and see a flickering light.  The orange light is coming from within.... a PUMPKIN!  

By the wavering candle light sits a dark haired woman.  Her eyes are heavy.  Her hair is stringy.  Her clothes are black and mismatched.  Her skin is pale.  By her side is a kitten... completely black... named Spooky.  

The woman has a devilish, determined look in her eyes as she moves her long fingernails over the keyboard.  Then suddenly, she hears a beep.  And she runs up the stairs to suck the blood from her sleeping child.  

Only this blood is not to drink... it is to test..... 

CURSES!  LOW AGAIN!

October has been a wild, crazy, and.... ScArY month for all of us in the DOC!  Check it out...

Meri of Our Diabetic Life wrote about all the things that she wants her fellow D Peeps to know.  She even talks about walking around like a Zombie with dried food on your shirt.  Scary AND gross!

Kerry of Singapore Life wrote about having her child around while trying to work and meet a deadline!  That's definitely scary!  Her post was also about UN Day at her son's school - an event that started off scary but ended up being wonderful!

Reyna of Beta Buddies wrote about Guilt.  The guilt of parenting the SIBLING of a Type 1 diabetic.  She talked about the her biggest regrets, her biggest struggles, and her biggest heartaches.  That's scary stuff.  

Heather of Sweet to the Soul wrote about sweet Eilish.  The death of a 13 year old child rocked our worlds this month.  I think we all had some sleepless nights due to this and the fear that it could happen to US and our sweet children might go to sleep and never wake up.  She tells us This Is Why...

Heidi of A Work in Progress wrote about BLUE SAND!  I think blue sand is kinda scary.  Imagine the mess of all that when it gets tracked into the house....  But Heidi has learned the secret of NOT being afraid of blue sand and how to cherish each day with our kiddos.  She even included a "must read" poem.

Laura of Houston We Have a Problem wrote about getting FLOCKED!  That sounds scary, doesn't it?  Imagine if you woke up and your yard was filled with BLUE FLAMINGOS?  Honestly, I'd be excited so you better read up to find out why and what to do if it happens to you!

Katie of Daily Glimpses of the Good Life wrote about how D SUCKS!  Check out all the scary stuff she talks about... having to go back to work, getting no sleep, the crazy costs of insurance and medical supplies, and the ramifications of life with D. That's enough to keep you up at night...

Jen of I am Your Pancreas wrote about a Test Strip S*&t Storm.  Now THAT sounds scary!  Although if no S*&t was involved, I think we'd all be outside with buckets to collect those precious little strips.  But here's the scariest part - who gets to decide how much is enough to test our kids?

Heidi of D-Taleswrote about living 1,095 days with D.  Scary stuff, friends.  They celebrated Jack's 3 year Diaversary.

Tracy of The Superhero and The Princess wrote about her 5 year wedding anniversary!  I guess that COULD be scary, depending on your view of marriage! 

Nicole of The We CARA Lot Blog wrote about her VICTORY getting a a consistent policy approved for dealing with children with chronic diseases - including T1D - in Canada!   The scary part here is that without Nicole and her friends, many kids could be in serious danger at school. And have been.  Way to go, Nic!

Wendy of Candy Hearts wrote about an epic low and her experience having to use glucagon.  That's super scary!

Rachel of Pumpsley and Me wrote about a sweet experience meeting a child with T1D!  This really isn't scary - and I can't think of a way to make it scary because it's just so darn cute!  However - head on over because she's got a pic on her post that just MIGHT scare you!

Lora of My Diabetic Child

wrote about all KINDS of scary stuff... wearing a white t-shirt with no bra, having crazy hair, wearing mix matched shoes...but the scariest part was treating a low and sending your T1D kiddo to school on the bus.  And what might be the most absolutely terrifying part is that we know it could all happen to us...

Misty of Life is Like a Box of Chocolates

wrote about her Walk to Cure Diabetes.  I was there so I know that this day was ALL FUN and not really scary at all.  However... check out her post because there's a pic on there that might scare you (hint.... it's ME- not her)! 

Donna of Sugar Kids wrote about how D can take over your life.  Scary and true.

And....

Kris of My Sugar Bugs wrote a great post for No D Day where she told an extremely scary story stressed the importance of car safety.

When I signed up for October's Blogger Basal, I thought it would be fun to do a "scary" edition of the basal.  Little did I know that this month would include our worst nightmare as parents of CWD's.  

The passing of Eilish from Dead in Bed Syndrome has touched us all.  Many of us wrote about it.  You can read my post HERE.  All of us felt it.  We all felt the heartache and fear that this horrible event brought with it.  

It reminded us that life with D is scary.  Not just in October - but always.  It reminded us that no one ever promises us another day.  It reminded us that our children are not guaranteed a long life.  

It really doesn't take much to make this a scary edition of the BB.

Because we all know that life with D is scary enough...

But this story has a happy ending... 

If you read through all the posts listed here you see a common thread.  Yes, some of them them are scary.  BUT... they ALL speak of making life with D work.  Of dealing with the scary stuff and moving on.  Of not giving up hope.  Of moving forward.  And most importantly, of not letting D win.  Not letting it take away who we are.  And not letting it rule or lives or ruin us.  Of LIVING.  

If we were all to dress up for Halloween, what should we be?  A pin cushion?  A Vampire?  A doctor?  A nurse?  Wonder Woman?  Super Man?  We don't really need to dress up at all... because we're all HEROES.  Plain clothes heroes - fighting the war against D.

The woman runs to the hall closet for a little box of potion.  It's a special potion.  It's magic.  She presses the straw to the lips of the sleeping child and urges, "drink, drink".  The child quickly slurps up all the magic potion without even waking up.  

The woman sits on the child's bed and watches her breathing.  It the sweetest sound in the world.  The sweet little lips slightly open.  The long eyelashes fluttering.  The little arms wrapped around a stuffed animal.  The smell of baby and child mixed together.  

The woman watches the clock tick tocking away.  Until it is time for more blood.  

She pierces her child again and draws the dark liquid from her tiny fingers.  She waits.  And then she sighs.  

A good number.  A number that is going up.  A number that means it is safe to sleep - at least for awhile.

Until the bell tolls.  And it's time for more blood.