Type 1 Diabetes & Daily Life

I recently had a friend move closer to where we live. One day, as the kids were at school, she had asked me if I wanted to go to Walmart with her.

Sadly, I had to tell her I wasn't able to. Why???

Diabetes.

If you're like me, I don't have a cell phone. I don't have a driver's license. We don't own a second car. And I have a Type 1 Diabetic child, who, at any given time, on any given school day, needs me to be available via phone for the... just in case moments.

"Just in case..." his blood sugar bottoms out.

"Just in case...." carbs are accidentally counted incorrectly.

"Just in case...." He has ketones while in school.

"Just in case...." he is accidentally overdosed.

"Just in case...."

Having a child with Type 1 Diabetes is a life-altering diagnosis. We all know that. We all know that it makes you change small parts of your life. Routines. For some families, even what kind of food they eat, (for families with Type 1 kids who are also diagnosed with Celiac Disease to be more specific.)

What many people not living with Type 1 Diabetes may not realize is that, this diagnosis can also mean struggles with scheduling things.

For our family, it can be very difficult for me to even schedule doctor appointments, dentist appointments, appointments for the kids, meetings with school staff to cover our IEP's and 504...

Even going to the store to buy groceries has to be scheduled just right!

Date night with my husband? What's that?

Unless you are lucky enough, like I am, to have a family member trained to manage and care for your T1 child, date nights with your spouse or significant other become non-existant.

Even if you are lucky enough to have a family member knowledgable in caring for  your T1 child, it can still be difficult to plan a date night with your spouse! Not only are you having to coordinate it with your own schedule, but also the other party's schedule! If they have something pre-planned for the day you want to have that date night, and they are unable to watch your child/ren... that blows your plans!

Living with Type 1, whether its you who has the disease, or your child, can be stressful, inconvenient, and tiresome.

On the plus side...

Amongst all the stress, sleepless nights, and tiresome days, every morning we smile a big smile, knowing that our child was well taken care of the night/day before! Knowing that our child was given the best we could give to them. Knowing that our children are special, gifts from God. And knowing that we are teaching our children not to ever let their condition bring them down.

Knowing that we are still allowing our kids to just be kids!