The psycho-social-emotional toll of t1d has never been lost on me. The micro-management of food. The time the care takes. The numbers "rating" how one is doing at managing the disease. The stares. The less-than-helpful, well meaning, misinformed comments. And... I am sure the physiologic effects of the highs and lows impacts one's sense of well being. Absolutely.But..
I'm not gonna write about any of that today.
About a week ago.. as I was walking home after a run, I saw Joe headed down the street to our neighborhood. His gait was slow. His shoulders were slouched. He then slumped down onto some one's lawn.
This happens. When he gets a kinda badish low, his legs stop working.
I approached him. "Hey..you low?"
The mouthful of Skittles provided the answer.
"You want me to run and get the car?"
"No, Mom wait...I'll walk home with you."
Once his low released it's hold on his legs, we walked and talked and discussed Joe's day at school and then at track practice. Somehow we got to talking about friends and then diabetes got thrown into the mix. Joe said something like "I just make jokes about my diabetes to my friends."
"What?"
"I try to make them not scared of it. I figure if I make it into something funny, they'll feel more comfortable around me."
This kinda made me mad ...and ... well, sad too. This disease demands enough out of Joe and the thought of him worrying about trying to make it better for his friends just annoyed me. Not at him. Not at his friends. But just annoyed and mad and sad at the situation.
Trying to make his day-in-the-life a little comical for some acceptance from his buddies.
7 comments:
He's so cool. So many continuous irritations. Please send jokes.
I understand his comment. I do the same thing when I'm tired of being "the one with diabetes."
Hugs!
Mags always felt that Joe "got her" and she "got him". She was talking about preschool the other day and that some of the kids would call her monster and run away from her. She said you know because of my hand and because I am crooked. The only friend I had I knew would not have done something like that in public school was Joe because he knew what it is like to be a little different.
Found you through DBLog Week. Another fell parent of T1D with a sense of humor? Sign me up!
I totally get where he's coming from. Even at 30 years old, I make jokes. Not so that I fit in, but so that people don't worry. If people are always worrying about my diabetes they drive me crazy! (There are a handful who have see/heard about the terrible times.)
I love that he insisted on waiting to walk home with you.
I get it. It could be really easy for people around us to be afraid of our diabetes and the last thing we'd want is for them to avoid us out of that fear. It's not a good situation to feel like you have to joke about it though. However being able to joke about diabetes can be a good thing.
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