Saturday, August 13, 2011

Betrayal?



"I just don't understand it..." Joe was sitting on the bench rink-side last night. He had been over for a total of 4 blood sugar checks during an hour and a half period of time. He was uneasy with how his body was feeling.

"My body is playing tricks on me Mom. I feel low." His numbers during Power Skating Camp ranged from 170 to the 220s. Not low.

After each check, he sat on the bench; he drank some water; he put on his gloves; he grabbed his stick; he stepped out on the rink; then, he skated; he skated hard.

I did not know what to tell him. I said something like "It must be really frustrating to think you are low when you are not. Maybe you are just having an 'off' day Joe." Such a ~parenting~magazine~quote~of~an~explanation~, I know.

I wish I knew what it was like for Joe. How does it feel when he is high, low, climbing, and dropping? He almost sounded "betrayed" by the numbers displayed on the glucometer screen. Is that what it is like? Is that what it is like to have diabetes? Do you, at times, feel betrayed by your body? I dunno. He handled it with grace. He pulled himself together and he carried on.

A day-in-the-life.