I'm trying to hand over some of the carb counting/insulin giving control. But because I'm there it's able to be slow process. Which makes everyone involved feel more comfortable. I'm able to be there to SWAG, bolus, treat a low, decide HOW to treat a low (or a high)...
So... I give MAD PROPS to those of you who are doing this blind.
For those of you who send your kiddo off to school and have no idea what is going on... no idea what they eat or if they are bolused correctly... no idea if your care plan is working the way you intended... I bow down to you.
Seriously.
You are incredible! And I bask in your awesomeness.
No one else really gets it.
Other people put some crayons and glue and lunch money in their child's back pack and they are good to go. Sure, other parents worry that they might get lost or not be able to find the right bus, or they might not have a friend in their class... They DO worry.
But it's not the same.
And even though I get to be there at school with my CWD... I know how hard it is for those of you who can't.
I get it.
So...
To those of you who send your child off to school with all the regular school supplies AND a crate of medical equipment...
To those of you who meticulously count our your child's lunch and/or snack to count the carbs...
To those of you who carry your phone with you every second of the time your child is at school...
To those of you are always on call...
To those of you who bolus over the phone...
To those of you who SWAG over the phone...
To those of you who go to school to handle party treats...
To those of you who are on a first name basis with your school nurse...
To those of you who WISH you had a school nurse to be able to be on a first name basis with...
To those of you who think Smarties or Glucose tabs are more important than crayons and folders...
To those of you who met with school staff way before the start of the school year...
To those of you who have to FIGHT just so your child can be at school and safe...
To those of you who feel sick to your stomach when your child leaves on the bus...
To those of you who exhale when you see their smiling faces at the end of the day...
To those of you who include a little love note in your child's lunch box AND a list of carb counts...
To those of you who have tried to think through every possible scenario your child might encounter and plan for it...
To those of you who send your child off to school with information sheets saying "how to take care of me"...
To those of you who make emergency kits for the entire school - or even just one classroom...
To those of you who dread birthday treats...
To those of you who have no idea if the plan you created is being executed the way you hoped...
To those of you who find a new gray hair in the mirror every morning and are CERTAIN to the reason it's there...
To those of you who stay up late or get up in the middle of the night to check a bg or treat a low or a high...
To those of you who are entrusting your child's life to others so that they can learn and be like everyone else...
You. are. amazing.
You are.
No one tells you this. At least not enough.
(I love Barney! And this should so totally be you - especially when someone makes some stupid comment about control or something...)
You are awesome.
This job that we have - not just as "parents" but as "parents of children living with diabetes" is TOUGH. It's HARD. It's SCARY.
It takes FAITH. And COURAGE. And DETERMINATION in order to succeed. And a million other things...
And I see all of you out there. I see you all handling it with LOVE and STRENGTH and AWESOMENESS.
Maybe no one else tells you how awesome you are. Or what a good job you are doing for your child/children.
It's not really their fault. They can't help it. They just don't get it enough to see it clearly.
But I do. And you are. Always... but ESPECIALLY at the start of a new school year.
So, please give yourself a big pat on the back! Give yourself a BIG HUG!
And know that I SEE YOU! And I know how incredibly awesomely amazing you are!
And I feel incredibly lucky to be walking this road along side all of you!
Yep... no one can truly get what the start up of school is like for a D' fam. We are all awesome fo' sho'. xo Hals.
ReplyDeleteDidn't realize how worried I was until how much your post made me weep. Thanks. Tomorrow's a big day.
ReplyDeleteOkay, you made me cry AGAIN! Thanks for always saying just the right thing...
ReplyDeleteWe are among the lucky ones...my daughter's teacher diligently logs highs and lows, texts me with questions, and asked to learn how to do a site change. So blessed to have help on this journey.
Why thank you!! :)~
ReplyDeleteSeriously, the lump in my throat grew with each line of your text. You always bring out the best (or worst) of my emotions!!
I was surprised to feel so scared AGAIN this year since this is the 3rd school year that we have started with D tagging along. I thought it would be easier, but every single bullet point of yours hit home for me. (Well, except for the one about not having a school nurse, luckily.) And I couldn't do it without the most awesome nurse EV.ER! and the support of those in this community, like YOU! Love you!
You are awesome too! I've learned so much from you!
ReplyDeleteSame same to you Hallie!
ReplyDeleteIf that was a checklist you were typing, I swear every single thing had a check. You always seem to be right on the money for me. You are awesome!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for such an encouraging post! I'm so glad you're able to be there with Sweetpea. Enjoy the blessing!!
ReplyDeletethank you for posting this...you are awesome as well!! :o) I will be sending Emma off to school next week and the jittery nervous feeling in my stomach is starting already!
ReplyDeleteSoooooo needed to hear this today!! I realized I forgot to tell the bus driver that Lily is diabetic. AARRRGGGHHHH!!!!! xxoo Hallie...you too are amazing and always get it just right.
ReplyDeleteWow! This is my first time reading your blog and I can see I'm not the only one you made cry. Thank you for writing what I wish I could write. My son is just shy of 2.5 yrs old and we've been living with diabetes for thirteen months. Even though he's not in school yet I worry about what will happen when he is in school. I look forward to following your blog and all the insight you have to tell. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThank you. As many others have already said, I too could check each and every point. It made me feel better that one of the other parents wrote that she was just as nervous this year. I was so surprised that I too was just as nervous/anxious/seriously freaked out this year. My son finally said, "Mom just relax, I got this! Remember we did this last year?" Oh to be such a sage 2nd grader! We are amazing! The parents who worry, plan, pray. The support at the schools who are there for us. The children who tolerate us and then go to school and are normal, healthy and manage this monster of a health condition. We are all amazing! God bless us every one!
ReplyDeleteThank you gor the encouraging words...they are much needed as I wait to test after a middle of the night low!
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