Last night we made it to the Steve Curtis Chapman concert. When we were getting ready J.J. came into the bathroom and told me he really didn't want to go to the babysitters house. I reminded him that they had a little girl his age. His response to that was..."They won't have any boy toys." I suggested he load up his Jay Jay the Jet Plane suitcase with the boy toys he thought he could share. That got his mind off of where he was going...he had a mission to complete!!
The family that watched J.J. have a 16 yr. old daughter that's had diabetes since she was three. It didn't take us long to show them our log, and our "routine". They were a little rusty on our treatment plan since their daughter has been on the pump for 9 years, but they grasped it pretty quick. I felt comfortable they would know how to handle anything that came up. When we picked him up after the concert he said the dad was "fast at shots"...which means he did really good!! He had a fun time and says he won't mind going back.
The concert itself was bittersweet. I was happy to be there, but hard to release the tension. I cried a lot. Remembering the past, and wondering what the future will hold. The theme of the concert is "LIVE IN THIS MOMENT"....just what it says....so it was a reminder for me to live in the here and now..."forgetting what is behind and pressing forward"....a reminder to actually LIVE.....and a reminder to be sold out for Christ.
One of his songs is a tear jerker....it's called "Cinderella".... it's basically about how fast our kids grow up and to buy up the time, not miss any opportunities with them. Before he performed the song he explained what led him to write the song....he was busy writing songs, trying to meet deadlines, etc....and was trying to get his daughters ready for bed.....baths, bedtimes stories, prayers etc.....and how frustrated and impatient he was with them....he finally gets them in bed and sits down to write and realized how fast time flies....his oldest daughter is already off to college and out of the home. The very beginning of the song just got to me....about how his daughter doesn't have a care in the world while he wears the weight of the world on his shoulders....that's how I feel sometimes. J.J. just goes on being a kid while I bear the weight of this disease.
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6 comments:
I just discovered your blog this morning. I have been reading it for a while. I've read almost every post. I just want you to know that I am Type 1 since age 4. I'm not 26 (almost 27).
This has to be a very difficult time for you, but I can tell your love for God has helped you tremendously.
I will be praying for you. This is not the end of your son's world. Or yours. God will get him though. My mother prays for me every day. I believe God, and her prayers have kept me healthy and essentially free of any complications.
By the way, I saw Steven Curtis Chapman several years ago. I love it! He's delivers the Message in such a powerful way.
I just ran across you too. I'm over at f-diabetes.blogspot.com. My 5 1/2 year old daughter Caroline was diagnosed at 16 months of age back in September of 2003.
Your son will make it and he will be able to do anything he wants. There are Ironmen Triathletes, Professional Athletes, Doctors, Engineers, Musicians, and everyone in all walks of life.
Although I wouldn't wish Diabetes on my worst enemies, its not Leukemia. You can make it...he can make it, and you both will. There will be tremendous highs and lows...but in the end he will be able to do anything he wants.
SO glad that you and your husband got to have some time away-even though I know how difficult it is leaving your baby with sitters. To be really honest with you, my parents are the only person I will allow to look after my son. As soon as he was out of his honeymoon period, his hypoglyaemic attacks were terrifying. It's just who he is. It's HIS diabetes. Other kids have never had a bad hypo that required glucagon, where as I sleep with it under my pillow!!
Considering your gorgeous little boy was diagnosed only a few months ago, I really have to commend you on your ability to speak openly and move onwards and upwards. I was a mess for a good 14 months!
Anyway, all went well, and it will continue to, you just have to put a little more thought into situations with Diabetes on board. If you are ever having a lousy day, please feel free to vent..I wished I had this fantastic network of people surrounding me 5 1/2 years ago when my son was diagnosed as a baby.
Love to you all and a big hug from Australia for JJ..
Kate
Hi, me again...good job yes getting out and about. Our first Endocrinologist plopped this 200 year old dust covered book on her desk in our first meeting with her.
She showed a graph that until kids get to be pre-teen, the long term benefits of controlling a child's blood sugar don't vary much at all. That is to say if you average blood sugars of 120 the decrease in long term complications over a young child who averages 200 is not much at all.
Her points were:
1) Avoid lows - that is the most important.
2) Continue to live your life - diabetes can be a tremendous strain on the parents' relationship.
3) Continue to live your life - you don't want the kid to think they are different or causing problems.
I can't find such a graph anywhere on the web, but will keep looking.
I still remember it though...the graph showed increases in long term complications versus A1c, and for kids up to pre-teen age there really wasn't much difference whatsoever between like 5% and 8% A1c...
Hi Lynnea,
I love Steven Curtis Chapman! He has some great songs. Fingerprints of God is one of my favorites.
This Cinderella song brought tears to my eyes, too. My daughter got married almost two years ago. While watching this video, I could just see my daughter and my husband doing their father/daughter dance which was so special for both of them. These kids do grow up so fast!
I'm glad you found someone to watch JJ that you feel comfortable with. I love JJ's comment about the dad being "fast at shots". That is so cute! Sounds like he's adjusting to everything real well.
Thanks for all the encouraging words!! I do like to write about my struggles as a way to get through them...it's always been my form of "therapy". Usually by the time I'm done writing I can look at the situation through clearer lenses, and see the Bigger Picture!!
Yes, love Steven Curtis Chapman!! He did sing bits and pieces from a lot of the oldies but goodies!! Fingerprints of God was one of them.
Thanks again!!
P.S. I wish I could respond to everyone individually but I have problems leaving comments....I'm not sure if its our internet connection (we use satellite) or Blogger....but it's frustrating!
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