The pomp. The circumstances. Graduation time.
I find it so exciting to see all over the DOC (Diabetes Online Community) pictures of all of our kids graduating. Promise of a future. Proud parents. And all with good reason.
I remember, like it was yesterday, when a medical professional placed their arm around my shoulders and said, “….diabetes is a very serious disease. Take one day at a time. Plan for today. College? Marriage? Don’t plan on it, take it one day at a time.”
“What does that mean?”
“I am not saying she won’t, Just don’t plan on it. Diabetes is devastating.”
Cleary that person was not in our lives for much longer. She did make it, and this year Rob graduates high school. That medical professional’s statement is still in my mental book as one of the dumbest lines ever said to me since we started on this journey and anger fills me every time I remember it.
But something needs to be made very clear. Graduating school is a huge accomplishment. When you think of all those who will graduate college and high school always remember that if your child with diabetes has graduated, they did so while managing diabetes; and THAT is huge.
We take it as our ‘new normal’. No big deal. But if you lay down on paper all that you and your family went through, it is staggering to think about.
All of the trips to school, the managing, THE managing, THE MANAGING; the lunches made, the class trips, the sports, THE DREADED GYM CLASS DAYS, the tests, the STATE tests, and so much more; well your day has arrived.
So as your child walks to accept their diploma, smile to yourself and be a little extra prouder than most because your child reached this milestone and they did so with diabetes.
When you think about it, a lot of sweat and blood went into that diploma; and that blood was usually as a finger prick to test blood sugar.
Congratulations.
I am a diabetes dad.
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