I Think We Should have a Hippo named “Hypo”…..Don’t You?

Does anyone else think of a Hippo when they see the word, or experience a, “Hypo”.  I think there should be a Hippo named Hypo.  We feel the weight of the world on our shoulders when we are faced with a “Hypo” so the weight on our shoulders is about the same of carrying a ‘Hippo’ around isn’t it?

The stress we feel can be overwhelming at times when it comes to our kids with diabetes, of that we can all agree.  We, as parents, are not only deeply involved with our children and all that needs to be done in the day-to-day management of the disease, but we are also propped upon a perch observing what our children do every day interacting with others, or even being on their own.

When our child has a Hippo (uh….ahhh….er..I mean a Hypo) we tend to them immediately, don’t we.  We take them; off the field, in a corner backstage, or just to the sidelines and treat them.  We do what we have to do and get them back to where they need to be.  Off they go.

And it hits us.  No one else has to do this, our poor child should not have to even deal with this stupid disease?  Why can’t hey be allowed to just play?  Why can’t they be allowed to just do what they want without worrying about this disease?  We ask ourselves this each and every time, don’t we?

But here is the thing that we must realize, because of you…….that’s right—–YOU!!!!!–because of you and the fast acting way you have perfected dealing with your child’s low reaction during activities, in most cases, your child will barely give it a second thought.  When you treat them and they get back on the field as fast as they do, you are like the lightening speed of a ‘pit crew’ of a top-notch race car in a big race.

Your child pulls off to the side and you as a single team of experts doing all of the necessary ‘checks’ to get your child right back out there.  You have it down to a science.  You have perfected it over the years.  You know the focus is to get them ‘back out there’ and you are amazing at it.

But each and every time at night, when you are alone, it hits you and it upsets you.  If you told your child that you were upset, they would tell you to forget about it,  They would give you the “bye” you seek.  They have already moved on from everything dealing with the most recent hypo-reaction to the day they were diagnosed.

“I got it, let’s move on.  I am back in this game of life.” 

They can do that and they would tell you to the same.  Our kids are amazing and they move on each time.  Us? It hits us and we feel as if we are being sat upon by a hippo…..I think we should choose to try to do what our kids would do and give ourselves a “bye”.  Or maybe it is the fact that we take on the weight of everything so they don’t have to, and that is most important to us……that would make sense wouldn’t it?

We are parents and their happiness and their striving for goals THEY WANT…….for now…….that serves as our ‘bye’.   And next time you feel down about it…….you making them succeed is as powerful as it gets and carries more weight in their success………………..than even a hippo.  Remember that…..always.

I am a diabetes dad.

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