Thursday, July 10, 2008

Another lesson learned.....

Today we spent the day at the Omaha Zoo....in 90 something degree weather!! YIKES WAS IT HOT!! J.J.'s number's were good and all that.....we handled it......but this evening as I thought about the day I wanted to kick myself.

We were eating our $42 lunch of nacho chips, popcorn, 1 hot dog, 1 pretzel and 6 small pops...forty-two dollars!!.....when the kids said to me, "Mom, she has diabetes. They just checked her blood."

I tried not to stare.....or even look in the direction they were indicating....but I was curious, so I kept saying "The child or the mom?.....The child or the mom?......hello, someone answer me?"

Finally they realize it's the little girl....probably not much older than J.J....maybe younger.

We finish our meal, figure out carbs....(Yay for CalorieKing!!....Superpretzel's are listed!!).....and give J.J. his shot. All to the watchful eyes of this "other" family. My children overheard the little girl (Or was it the Mom?) say "Look, he gets shots in the stomach like I used to." Or something to that effect. So my kids are assuming she's on the pump.

We then walk away......

WALK AWAY!!!!!

What was I thinking!!!?? This is the first time EVER...o.k....it's just been 7 months....but the first time EVER we have been out and about and encountered another child with diabetes just like J.J.. Why didn't I walk over to their table, introduce myself, take pictures of this little girl.....take more pictures with the girl and J.J....and then more pictures of the parents with the little girl? What is wrong with me?

So I think I've learned another lesson......I will put away my introverted personality the next time we encounter another family living with diabetes. I will introduce myself and hopefully offer encouragement to this other family.....just a simple "I live it, and I know" kind of thing. And if I think about it....take plenty of pictures to add to this blog..... for now I can only offer a picture of my little monkey......

3 comments:

Donna said...

Your little monkey is so cute! He looks so happy. I love it!

Oh, I would have been like you and not said anything to the other family. Then I would probably think of all kinds of things I should have said to them later on. Now that you've seen another family like that, you will probably be more prepared on what to say the next time the opportunity presents itself. Maybe that's why you saw this family - to get you ready for the next time. :)

Scott K. Johnson said...

Awesome picture!

I think those situations are harder than you would think they are. I know I've seen adults with pumps and chickened out on introducing myself...

Cara said...

It's so funny. I find myself doing the same thing when I see other diabetics. I was at a concert last fall and saw a person sitting not too far from me that got out a meter, tested her blood sugar, and gave a shot. I don't think anyone noticed it but me. I wanted to say something to her, but, like you, walked away. Sigh.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...