Not Your Average Audience Members

For the record...

I wanted to title this post "Taking It In The Ass At The Arts".

5-4-3-2-1...the glucometer counts down. Looking down at the "Hi Glucose" on the monitor and at the finer print "Blood Glucose is greater than 600", I couldn't help but think of the new record we were setting. Joe's previous "High Record" was 506. That record was set in December of 2006, just over four years ago.

The new "High Record" flashed from the One Touch Ping Remote as we were just getting settled in our seats, rearranging our coats, waiting for Bridget's first band concert to begin. My mother and step-dad were in town. They took us all out to dinner for the event. Joe had just polished off a rather large (for him) sundae. There were M&Ms involved and some marshmallow sauce. Dear God, the marshmallow sauce...Is that where I went wrong in my wild ass carb guesstimate? Perhaps? No matter, I suppose.

As you can imagine...

I ushered the 600+ Joe to the bathroom to urinate. For non-D peeps, high blood sugars make you have to pee (osmotic diuresis), often and alot. Joe also needed to belly up to the drinking fountain to replenish the fluids that the glucose was drawing out of his cells, out of his body. He was conscientious to plan his bathroom visit and drinking fountain visit around Bridget's performance. He also "held it together" amazingly well for a 600+er. He was a little "bouncy", otherwise just fine. He did mention, more than once, that he did not feel well and that all of his muscles hurt. During the ushering of Joe to toilets and water and the worrying, I could not help but chuckle a bit.

You see...

We, Joe and I, experienced the opposite just the day prior at a musical. Well, not a record Low. Unfortunately, we have already had a low so low that the glucometer will not read. We did have the kind of low where you need more than just some glucose tabs crammed into your mouth by your pancreating mother.

See! The title that I wanted to use, the one about taking "D" in the "Ass" at the "Arts", would have been perfect ... and "catchy" too.

Earlier this week I had attended a field trip with Joe and his class. We went to see "Suessical The Musical". The school staff and I corralled the children into the rows of seats. Coats were removed. Hats and mittens were stuffed in arm sleeves. Children were asked to "please stop bouncing" on the chairs. Children were told to "sit down", to "keep their voices down" and blah, blah, blah. After 10 to 15 minutes of the previously mentioned tasks, the lights dim and the play begins....and... a.... "mmMMOOM, I FEEL Loooowww", was whispered in the ascending then descending octaves that we all know that Joe is low...low voice. Ok, luckily it was a well lit part of the musical so I could see my "d" goods in the "Woodchuck" (our Diabetes Supply Bag) without needing to use my phone for illumination. I check Joe's number. Yep, he is 60. I become the life sized Pez Dispenser that we all know and love and I start dispensing those glucose tabs with efficiency and care, ensuring that Joe's fingers do not touch the glucose for the recheck that will need to take place in 15 minutes.

I sit. I watch the musical. I watch Joe in the seat in front of me. He was slumping. He was slouching. He was somewhat glazed. He did not look good. I asked him, "buddy, is your low feeling better?" His answer and his demeanor alerted me that this was not gonna be an "easy" low. He and I left our seats. He then found a place to crumple down on in the lobby. I rechecked his blood glucose and he remained in the 60s. He was pale. I spiked a juice and had him chug it. We then sat...alone...side-by-side in the lobby. Waiting. Waiting ...for the low to go. Waiting for the juice to work. Waiting for a better place. Waiting for the sugar to take. Just waiting... With the low demolished and a more "perky" Joe, we head back into the theatre.

We then head back to the audience, back to living life to the fullest with type 1 in the mix.

A day-in-the-life enjoying the arts with my number 1, type 1 kid, Joe.