It’s Just Impossible…..How can I Celebrate the Holidays???..Diabetes!!!!

Well……actually many of us do.  If you find that the holidays are just a reminder of how ‘bad the cards’ are that were dealt with you upon your child’s diagnosis, I want you to know that the ship you captain is the one you build to sail.

Everyone, at the beginning, feels that this is the absolute worse thing that can happen and that life needs to stop.  “Why doesn’t the world know, or care, what I am going through with my child’s diabetes?”

I am fifty-six.  For over 22 years I have been in this and I want to share some advice for you that I wish someone shared with me a long time ago when my child was first diagnosed.  Since that time 22 years ago, so much has happened in our lives and to our loved ones……….sometimes…….I actually think we got the better, of many, of the deals that have befallen others we love.

Listen to me…..I get it.  And when our second child was diagnosed, we REALLY got it,  but I have met families with three children and four children.  We have buried loved ones and a list of other tragedies have smashed into so many others who lost those battles.

Each day we get is a gift.

It truly is a gift.  Each day, I admit, I have to tell myself when I wake-up that my job is to find the positive.  But before I even get out of bed, my son has left for school and my daughter has left for work.  Diabetes has stopped them from nothing.

Think that through for a minute.  They are an active part of society.  They make me laugh so.  I’m so proud of all three of my children and the two who have diabetes live their life as if they are not at any disadvantage at all………and as long as they feel that way; who am I to say otherwise.

They handle their diabetes completely differently.  Kaitlyn could lecture for as long as it takes in front of one, or a thousand people.  Rob just deals with it and moves on.  They have had their share of battles and life has not always been a bed of roses.  But they handled each situation as it comes.  The result is the same for both of them.  They live life to the fullest.

Now if you are new at this, I want to share how much they will take on and handle is up to your attitude.  If you are locked away crying every day, I want you to know that the world is a HUGE AND BEAUTIFUL place.  You are missing it.  DO NOT let it pass you by because you live in defeat because your child has diabetes.

Others DO NOT know everything we go through.  But as one who has gone through it for years, and I have many colleagues-in-arms who will attest to this point; get out there and enjoy EACH DAY.  Get out there and let your child enjoy EACH DAY.

Because life is worth living and if I have a choice (and it is a choice) to get busy living, or get busy dying; I am choosing ‘the living’ each time.  I’ll take a bad day every now and again, but if the sun rises and my face sees those rays in the morning……I am going after the day to see what I can grab out of it.  Because if I don’t grab it……..someone else will.  Ask yourself, why should others have all the fun?

The answer is simple; because they choose to……..try it.

I am a diabetes dad.

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