When I was interviewing my new diabetes hero, Joann, I received a text. It was a normal text that I get at least three times per day. The text was from the aide at Rocco (and Zeke)s' school. She is the angel that cares for him during his school day. She checks his blood sugar, administers his insulin and basically cares for him, and two other students with diabetes, during their school day. She is even sweet enough to feel his forehead if he said he doesn't feel well. She loves my son. She, of course, keeps it professional but I can tell by the care she gives him, she considers him more than a job! I am grateful for her. She is the reason I can take a deep breath and concentrate on writing and sharing every day. Thank you sweet school angel!
In the text, was his lunchtime blood sugar report. I pulled the phone away from my ear and read the information.
He was 124. I did the "diabetes-parent-happy-dance"
in my head and put the phone back to my ear, to continue the interview.
When the interview was over, I hung up the phone. I stared at the walls for 10 straight minutes letting the magnitude of Joann's 54 years with type 1 diabetes story sink into my soul. The part of my soul where gratitude and appreciation live. She had endured so much!
I started to think about how much had changed during her time with diabetes. The slow acting pig insulin vs. the quick acting synthetic insulin. The glucose urine tests vs. the small-sized monitors that they now have everywhere. Even, the pump vs. the shots.
Then, I thought about the text. The one I had haphazardly taken for granted. The one that I only quickly recognized the blood sugar number in. How could I be so flippant? So, willing to take such a text for granted!
Here are all of the things (that I can currently come up with) that made that text possible.
Invention of insulin (fast acting and slow acting)
Blood sugar monitors (that read blood sugar in 5 seconds)
Lancets that make his finger bleed (even if we all hate them, they are necessary)
Insulin pumps (without them, there would be injections...)
Cell phones (enough said)
Texting (I mean, what did we do before texting?)
Government advocacy
School advocacy
Laws
Mandates
People willing to care for these children (even though there is blood involved)
Pure technology on all of the above
Even electricity, for crying out loud. Right?
I know there is much more that I am forgetting
I mean, oh my goodness! I had the audacity to look at my phone, selfishly read the number and go about my business without a second thought.
So, tonight, if you are reading this and had anything, at all, to do with any of the above, let me say thank you! I am humbled and appreciative.
I am sure I can speak for all the diabetes parents out there when I say, we all are!
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