Do you ever get overwhelmed? Diabetes.
Sometimes it just kicks us straight in the butt….doesn’t it?
Just when we think we have everything under control ( a term in itself that never rings true), something undoubtedly happens that pulls us back to reality.
This happen to me recently and when the episode was over I came to a realization that was like throwing water in my face. As one of my kids was dealing with a low, I watched and observed and I had this thought: I absolutely do not have diabetes.
Now that may sound like a ridiculously obvious statement but as parents we sometimes take on the ‘we’ as if we totally get what this diabetes is like. I have stated on many occasions, we had a long night due to a low, or we were watching ketones.
Well the ‘we’ pales significantly to what those who live with diabetes will go through as we observe. We, surely as the day is born, worry our hearts sick at times…..but imagine worrying your heart-sick and ALSO having to deal with the ailment itself.
That thought in itself is very bothersome to me. I can never get to the point, even while watching them go through a low or high or whatever they are going through, to ever allow myself the thought that I understand. I don’t. And I won’t.
Here is why this is so important to remember; knowing that I fully do not understand what they go through will always remind me that something will not just go away, merely by my words.
These comforting words, “It’s okay” does not always work; sometimes we have to just be there and hold them and care for them until they get through whatever it is they are dealing with; without words.
I do not know how it feels.
But given the choice I would take it on double just so they would not.
I am a diabetes dad.