DIABETES BLOG WEEK ENTRY 4: A Word from an ‘Often-Missed’ Diabetes Tool.

Day 4 for Karen Graffeo’s (who blogs and hosts at Bittersweet Diabetes) Diabetes Blog Week. The fifth annual Diabetes Blog Week started Monday and will take place through May 18th.  We, as writers this week, are given the opportunity to substitute the daily topic with another suggestion on the list.  Today I will use that option and write a short story personifying a diabetes tool used on a daily basis.  I am asked to give it a personality and a name and let it speak through me. What would it be happy about, upset about, mad about, etc.?

Dear Household,
It’s me. “Flip”.
Bet you didn’t know I had a name, did you?  But I do, it’s Flip. (Don’t laugh, you named your fish ‘Rocky’ for heaven’s sake.  Rocky?  really—for a fish?)

I observe a lot in my position.  I mean, hung on a wall like this, there’s not much more to do than observe, is there?   I just wanted you to know that I feel a little left out of all of this diabetes credit and stuff.   I mean people read all of the time that they are so appreciative of the wonderful diabetes management tools, right?

I mean, syringes, insulin pumps, CGMs, and insulin pumps (do not even get me started on them…..they think THAT LITTLE light they have to see in the dark places them on the same level with me?) get all the credit for all of the wonderful things they do?

Well what about me?  I should be included in that list and, quite honestly, I feel a little left out.  Taken for granted even.

I know in an instant exactly what is going on by the way you hit my switch.  Like two nights ago, you did not like the way your daughter sounded at 2:00 am, and when her blood sugar was low you slapped me so hard as you ran out of the room, it actual hurt—-you wear a ring ya’ know.  Hellllo!!!!  Did I say anything?  Nope, gave you all the light you needed.

How about when your son thought it was okay to use his hands to turn on the light after cleaning the fish tank.  I mean; REALLY!!!!!  Wash your hand first……Jeeeeez Louiseeee.  (I won’t even discuss some of the bathroom trips).

I know we had some tough times too.  Like the time your child was sleeping so soundly and you thought by trying to turn on the light very slowly that it would give off less light, hey it’s not my fault your kid woke up from all the light…….I told you to buy my cousin, “Dim”–you could adjust it as needed.   But noooooooo, do it your way.  So all of the light—–not my fault.

So here is the deal, I think it’s about time that you admit that I’m just as important as everything else in your diabetes tool box.  Because quite frankly, without me, you’d be nowhere but in the dark.

Love always,
Flip.

I am a diabetes dad.

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