Years ago Kaitlyn came home from school with the following news; “I am trying out for track.”
We could deal with that, we certainly wanted her to try anything she wanted in life. No boundaries, right? What could a 50 or 100 yard dash do?
“I think I will try cross-country?”
Seriously? Cross Country? In case you don’t know, cross-country is when students run like Forrest Gump did……forever. It is an endurance like none we expected. The havoc it can play on the body even without diabetes is well documented.
Kaitlyn has never been one to do anything half way. We were going to support that effort.
We were nervous, cautious, apprehensive, and concerned. But we let her try. There were adjustments to be made and a ton of worrying but off she went to give cross-country running a try. Jill did a ton of homework to find out what to do. She spoke to people, she read, and she did a ton of homework. When it started, Kaitlyn was ready. And so was her diabetes.
Now I am not here to tell you that she joined and won state championship after state championship…..she didn’t. But we did not hold her back from something she wanted to try; and believe me the temptation to say ‘no’ was monumental.
I read a post about a woman who was looking for someone in the DOC (Diabetes Online Community) who was familiar with wrestling. Her son took a liking to it and she wanted to make sure she was versed in the aspects needing attention. From the exhilaration of a match, to what to do with the pump; this mom was asking.
And here is the best part. Her child was not diagnosed for very long and he was (get ready now) 5 years old. Five!!!! When she stated to me that she wanted him to try anything he wanted with ‘his diabetes’ I wanted to jump through the connection and hug her. How great is that?
Is she up with her son at different times throughout the night? You bet. Does she have struggles just like the next person? Absolutely. But the most important thing she can do for her son was to ‘get him back in the game’.
Maybe it’s not wrestling, but life is for our kids to what ever they are capable of doing. Which life do you lead? Are you full of all of the things your child cannot do, or are you doing everything possible to get them ‘back in the game’? Only you can define what that means, but it is surely food for thought?
I am a diabetes dad.
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14 replies on ““No You Cannot Do THAT After School…….You Have Diabetes”.”
I always encouraged Marc to do all he could and he and I would have loved him to do much more…. maybe all the things in your word cloud Tom… the only thing that held him back in the things he wanted to do was down to finances, and the things I wanted him to do, like housework, poetry, writing and Wake being a big one, would no doubt be blamed on diabetes if he thought he’d get away with it!!!
My son was diagnosed this year at age 12. He has always been involved with sports, doing one each season, including track and cross country. Through school he was involved with program in conjunction with our local, very large city marathon. He ran in the 1 mile race the year BEFORE he as diagnosed, and just 4 months AFTER he was diagnosed he (trained) and ran in the 10k portion. Even though I was so scared, I couldn’t hold him back. This was a 10K through the streets of a very large urban area, and since he is fast I knew he would not be with any of his friends. Knowing that there were other parents out at different parts of the course looking out for him, I took a deep breathe & let him go. This was something he had been planning on, and diabetes wasn’t going to take it away from him.
Thank you so much for sharing and to be clear; this is not just a ‘sports’ thing—-it is wahtever our kids want to do. Love your, “…..and diabetes wasn’t going to take it away from him.”
Indeed.
Love it. Thanks Lauren.
🙂
I love reading these kinds of stories of encouragement and hope for our kids. I also have two children with diabetes. My 16 yr old dx at 15 months old has always been an athlete. Hours of practicing, accompanied with hours of worry. But I was not going to say no. Why? She was a kid just like any others d I was certain not going to take that away. Now my youngest so, age 4, dx at 17 months old, is ready to take on the world himself. He’s watched his older sister and brother play sports and now wants to take up football. Again, who am I to say no. Just like for my daughter, the practices/games will all be carefully monitored with all needed supplies at hand, but when they say they want to do something, I say “Go for it!!!”
Love the line, “….who am I to say no….” Once we ask ourselves that, at whatever point we ask it, I firmly believe that is the turning point which allows us to build the foundation to help our kids “Go for it” as you so aptly put it.
Thanks for writing.
Our daughter was diagnosed 8 years ago and has since played field hockey, lacrosse and swims competitively and actually has done two or three in the same season! She has succeeded in all her athletic endeavors. It is not without struggles and many ups an downs, and A lot of pre-planning!! The hard part comes when a complication like a low blood sugar hits an effects her performance. But. She keeps trying. Many years ago she had a seizure an when she work up the next morning all she worried about was being late for the meet and wondered why her thigh hurt! The good new her new head coach for swim team. Has a brother with type1. He understands the struggles an already has embraced Maura an let her know how proud an amazed he is of her accomplishments. He is a gift sent from above!! He says not enough type 1 swimmers in the Olympics. Never know. Was off for 4 months due to injuries and Already has beat some if her best times. Would live to see a pic on USA swimming Or us lacrosse of an athlete with a pump!!!
Surely you must know of Gary Hall—if not, let meknow—-his story is inspiring. Pump ro shots is teh choice of thsoe involved….it is that, just a choice. Gary Hall won more Olympic medals after diagnosis than before diagnosis….HE.IS.AMAZING.
My son Ben is 12 and was diagnosed at 10. He is full of the things he can do! Soccer, basketball, hockey, snowboarding, golf, 5k runs, swimming and even a triathlon! Love his attitude and his confidence! We support him in all his choices!
WOW—-you all sound so incredible—-thank you for inspiring us all……onward!!!!
Everything she has wanted to try we have let her do…to the point that we have overcompensated for the things diabetes takes away. Diagnosed at 5, she has been through gymnastics, irish step dancing classes, dance, ice hockey, lacrosse and cross country running to name a few. Dad by her side for every cross country run and one of us on the bench for every hockey game. It is so easy to say no because it takes a lot of effort to say yes. But yes it has always been…
the effort MUST BE worth the payoff—-she sounds amazing and so do you!!!! Thanks for shating.
Jasmine likes cycling, not the play out in the street or ride round the park kind, but actual competetive cycling. Obviously she prefers endurance events – why d one lap when you could do 20? We haven’t stopped, in fact we have actively encouraged her and if I’m honest this is because of and not in spite of diabtes One thing I’ve learnt since diagnosis is that life if for living not worrying abut worrying over what ifs. I couldn’t protect my daughter from gdeveloping diaetes; but I can help her achieve her dreams.
So I’m 14 years old now and it’s been 7 years since I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and I play basketball. It’s a tough thing to handle with my diabetes but we do it, but my dad doesn’t let me do a lot of things, like hangout with friends, I get to every so often but I’m a teenager and I get that he’s worried but I wanna live my life. He doesn’t let me do most things that average teenagers get to do. I constantly ask myself why me and why did this have to happen to me?. And I get really depressed a lot of the times and cry myself to sleep a lot. I don’t think most teenagers have to worry about that, or like when going to the movies, which I barely do, my da is texting me every 5 minuets, people don’t want to hangout with me because of it. I’ve lost friends because they don’t like me having diabetes. I wish it would go away. If I had one wish it’d e to cure diabetes for everyone. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. So yes it is challenging to have a child that has diabetes and my advice is don’t hold them back like my dad. You may think your saving them. But truthfully let them do it. Let them chace there dreams and venture out.