Diabetes care is non-negotiable. Joe knows it.
If Joe doesn't do his diabetes jobs, checking blood sugars and bolusing, there is a consequence. It is the loss of his phone for the following 24 hours. Some people think this is harsh; like he is being punished for having a disease. Think of it this way, he is a 12 year old with an iphone. It's not a big deal. Not taking care of diabetes is a big deal. It can alter his morbidity and mortality.
A few nights ago, his head was hidden by his
sweatshirt hood. His face was buried into the couch. An arm draped
over a dog; Oscar or Henry, I
cannot remember which one.
 |
| Henry - black/Oscar - salt and pepper |
He didn’t bolus for an after dinner snack. The bolusing is where we are struggling a bit.
I was questioning him on it.
“Why?”
No response.
Head remains buried.
“Why don’t you bolus Joe?”
No answer.
Head buried.
Stroking dog.
“Please answer Joe.
Is it that you forget? Does it
take too much time?”
Silence.
“I’m trying to help us figure this out.”
Joe peeked up from the couch cushions, head still veiled by
the hood. “I don’t know mom.”
“You don’t know?”
“Mom, I just don’t know.”
His eyes shone with tears.
I let it go… for now.
A not so easy day-in-the-life of being a preteen with type
1 diabetes.
2 comments:
We do exactly the same, let's say there's a particular game our son really really loves. If he doesn't do the necessary checks and then subsequently treat/correction then it's sayonara game. It's not punishing but setting boundaries and expectations so when he does what he needs to he gets the reward. If he doesn't then it's game over for a day.
I have trouble letting it go when I get the "I don't know Mom" answer... I think I need to start doing what you do.
This disease... sigh.
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