In the UK elevators are called “Lifts”. This phrase is quite appropriate for all of us at the Children with Diabetes Friends for Life UK conference here in Glasgow Scotland. The people here are absolutely wonderful and are hungry to hear the latest of what is happening in the diabetes world. It is always great to get a ‘lift’ as we travel in this diabetes journey.
They are wonderful hosts, here in Scotland, and we have all been welcomed with open arms.
As I stated yesterday, it was Kaitlyn’s birthday. Interesting as our children get older and accept the responsibilities of their own diabetes management, we, as parents, may have pushed some of those ‘growing-up’ years aside. I was reminded of just how far we have come last night while in the lounge with a whole bunch of people from the conference.
The kids were running about having a blast and the adults were having fun with everything from engaged conversation, to absolute laughter, to even a few balloons being blown up here and there. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted him.
He was holding a bag, a bag any parent would recognize as “the’ bag, and a really bold ‘TOMMY’ written on the side of it. He was running a minute before and I saw his mom with that third eye mums (moms) have when they have a child with diabetes. She caught him immediately.
Within seconds Tommy had checked his blood sugar, taken something to raise his blood sugar, and now had to wait until given the green light. Like a laser capturing an aircraft, Tommy’s mum caught everything instantaneously. Tommy climbed up on the chair with the adults and his eye never left his friends still running around.
Almost in unison, a few people around the table engaged Tommy and took his attention away from that “diabetes thing’ that side-lined him for the short term, and it was not too long before he was ‘back at it’ with his friends again.
It had been a while since I remembered that feeling, that sixth sense, that third eye, that we need to have for our kids with diabetes. Those with adult kids with diabetes, you might be interested to know that the special-sense that has gone to a much less stealth of late, has been passed on to other mums who needs it much more than we do know.
I spoke to the mum and Tommy was diagnosed at 1 1/2; I shared with her what I observed and felt a tad awkward to tell her what I was really feeling and that was what a fabulous mom she is and how wonderful to see that sixth sense as fast as a cat springing into action when needed, was wonderful to witness and how lucky ‘Tommy’ was to have a mum so attentive. It was seamless, sharp, quick, and with little disruption to Tommy’s schedule which was filled with doing what he needs to do best………be a kid.
Watching the whole incident, wishing of course that none of us wanted to be part of this journey at all, warmed my heart to see that in as much as things change, parenting a child with diabetes is still the same; and many are still getting very, very good at it.
And that is enough to give a fabulous ‘lift’ to anyone.
I am a diabetes dad.
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