Diabetes

Today, I decided to run to Walmart. I had a feeling all the black friday shoppers would be home sleeping after noon or so, so I took my chances, and Laila and I decided to pick up a few things. Food items for school, mainly, since she can't have the same things as other kids. We picked up plenty of sugar free jellos for snack, lunchables, and uncrustables for lunchtime. Let me rephrase that, she can have everything the other kids can, just with insulin. I do my best to make sure she doesn't need 8 shots a day, so buying sugar free and carb free snacks for lunch are "free" for her, and she doesn't need insulin. I do my best to make sure things are as easy for her as possible, and that means as few pokes in one day as we can get away with while keeping her healthy.

We were in line checking out, and she asked for something to drink. If you know me, soda is out of the question for any of my kids. Unfortunately, now, not always for Laila. She is allowed carb-free drinks, which excludes juice, as a "free item". I let her pick out a diet soda, and she chose Diet Mountain Dew, promising to share it with daddy. I knew she would, so I agreed. I reminded her before she made her selection, and she reminded me she knows she has diabetes and she's got it under control. Well, ok then. An older gentleman in line behind us overheard what she said, and told me how sorry he was to hear that. Laila and I both assured him she's just fine, and his sorrow is unnecessary. He told me he had a niece who died at age 37 of diabetes, but she didn't take care of herself. She was a type 2, and refused to lose the weight and get it under control. He also mentioned she had rhumatoid arthritis. Nice.

I figured he was just a grumpy old man, putting a damper on things, but he sure surprised me. He said he believes, in his heart, that one day there will be a cure. One day, little children like Laila wont need all the insulin, all the shots and finger pricks, all the extra unwanted attention. He said that God almighty wont let pretty little girls like her suffer. I was almost in tears, listening this old guy, and it got me thinking. Laila is so young, there may be a cure one day. We need to spread the word, spread awareness! Each year, more than 15,000 children, that's 40 per day, are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in the U.S. Spending time away from their families in the hospital, scared and alone, missing the sounds and smells of home, I can only imagine what it's like. Please, don't let these children grow up to fast, help them preserve their childhood. If the only thing you do is get your child tested yearly, at least you're taking a step in the right direction. Every new case is more research, closer to the goal of a cure, one all diabetics need to stay alive.