Monday, May 9, 2011

Admiration.

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Today's prompt: We are all diabetes bloggers, but we come from many different perspectives. Pick a type of blogger who is different from you and tell us why they inspire you - why you admire them - why it’s great that we are all the same but different!


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My first thought when sitting down to write this was, "Wait... I only get to pick one type?"

I can't say that I learn the most from any one segment of the diabetes blogging community - heck, I don't even really like calling them "segments". There's a lot to learn from every voice at this party, and I appreciate that so many voices are willing to share and be heard. We're all in the same fight, when it comes down to it.

As a former child who happened to also have diabetes, I'm not sure I ever realized just how much extra work diabetes was for my parents - which is a credit to their ability to apparently shield me from that. I know there were middle-of-the-night blood sugar checks (because I can remember half-waking up for them, but just laying there and pretending to be asleep). I know that meals were altered to fit the exchange diet I had to be on (because back then, you "ate for the insulin", so to speak, instead of the other way around), and food was measured and weighed. And I learned more recently that part of the reason I never saw my mom even have so much as one glass of wine when I was growing up was because she didn't ever want to be impaired, in case my diabetes and I needed her in an emergency. (My dad hardly ever had alcohol, either.)

But it took until very recently for me to gain a deeper appreciation of how particular events of my life must have felt and looked from their side of things.

I have the parent bloggers in the diabetes online community to thank for that.

Posts like this one from Hallie at The Princess and the Pump, or this one from Wendy at Candy Hearts (and there are so many more parent bloggers I read and look up to!) give me a glimpse. My parents had to use glucagon on me twice as a child - the only two times in my life that I've needed it so far. Both times my dad had come in to check on me in the early morning hours, and he found me laying in bed with my eyes open, but unresponsive.

The first time, the glucagon worked quickly.

The second time, it didn't. They called an ambulance. All I remember about it is that I woke up to see two paramedics standing at the foot of my bed with my parents, and I couldn't figure out why they were there.

The parents of children with diabetes who share their stories with us are awesome; courageous; human. Dedicated and determined. They give me a glimpse of what that role in life must have been like for my parents. They open my eyes to how much hoop-jumping, bending-over-backwards, and juggling the parents of children with diabetes do, all while helping their kids to feel as "normal" as possible. (They're very nimble folks, apparently.) They are, to me, amazing.

They also give me some hope that, if that role in life ever becomes my own, I can handle it - because others before me have done so with such strength and resilience.

So THANK YOU to those parents. I admire all that you do for your children; for us.

*Edit: My mom tells me that I'm remembering the facts a bit incorrectly - glucagon was used the second time, but the first time they used glutose gel. Thanks, Mom! :) 

16 comments:

  1. Right back at ya sistah...I appreciate your insight and perception. It helps me parent and pancreate Joe to the best of my ability.

    P.S. Wendy and Hallie are wonderful!

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  2. When J was a baby, he ate for the insulin too. Man, trying to get a one year old to eat everything on his plate wasn't easy! When Humalog came around it was such a breath of fresh air!

    I'm firing admiration right back atcha! Thank you for living your life in color, for all of us to see. YOu are inspiring, and loved! My post today is dedicated to you and all the PWD bloggers!

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  3. Thank you for your constant support and showing us that our kids will grow up to be amazing individuals and do all they want...D or not.

    Yes. They both rock!

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  4. Thank you for this awesome encouragement. I don't think I can put it into words -- how much it means when a PWD like yourself writes something like this...it's touching, to say the least.

    I love your blog, your outlook, your humor. Thank you for writing :)

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  5. Thank YOU for showing us a great PWD, living life to the fullest. You have lots to teach us too. I heart this DOC.

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  6. I'm crying! Thank you, Kim!! You are too sweet. I only hope that Sweets grows up to be strong, confident, amazing woman that you are! I admre YOU fir all you do and all you are! I'm so glad to have met you and to have the opportunity to learn from you!

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  7. Same here, Kim, on thought of "only one??" But yes, so many views and perspectives is simply incredible and makes this community the awesome place that it is for all of us, and so many more out there. The parent perspective is one that I'm so thankful to have found, when it wasn't something I was even looking for or even had ever thought I "needed" to understand... But, what a blessing it's been to get that insight and share online space with the great D-Moms and D-Dads. Every one else, too! Thanks for doing what you do and being a part of that!

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  8. We are all in this together... no matter what "type" we are :)

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  9. Wonderful post, Kim!The parents of PWD are amazing!Most often their stories are the ones that make me cry-

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  10. Yes, the parents are amazing and I believe they're great role models for all of us.

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  11. What a great post. And a worthy and inspirational choice(s)

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  12. GReat Post Kim. D-Parents are amazing heroes.

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  13. I also admire you and thank you for all that you teach me.

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  14. Great post Kim, and makes me wonder if my parents ever had to use glucagon on me as a kiddo. I'll have to find out. As I read so many blogs from today, it's evident that D-parents are nothing less than heroes in plain clothes. We should get them all capes. And cupcakes.

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  15. Beautiful post - I just love reading PWD blogs. Thank you for all that you do - your words help me more than you can know.

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