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When I sat my cutie down on Monday to tell him my intentions, he pretended to faint back onto the couch and said I was the most awesome mom ever.
Yeah, so I knew I was doing something right.
I want to start out by saying that I really didn't expect to see anything eye opening here...I mean...for YEARS I did do everything. I did every check, opened every apple juice box, bolused every meal and correction...everything when they were babies. My boys, on their own, took it over when they turned six. They each expressed their own interest to push their own buttons and check their own sugar. Hey, who am I to stand in the way of their taking control of their life?
If they WANTED to do it...all I could do is assume a supporting role and let them fly.
It has been a good year since I have had all three of the boys doing their own "work." J even counts his own carbs now, and boluses for his own meals...leaving me with nothing left to do but check him at night.
If I'm being honest, it has been a bit heavenly for me to let go of all the button pushing and such. Sure, I count carbs for the two younger guys, I watch them to make sure they are pushing buttons, I field no less than 5 calls from school every day since we have no school nurse help...I still do A LOT...but I think I have underestimated how much work the boys are putting in.
Scratch that...I KNOW I have underestimated how much work the boys put in.
I kinda feel like I've had a bucket of cold water splashed on my face.
You know what? Yes...checking sugar only takes less than a minute...but the interrupting is SO annoying! I found myself in the middle of something numerous times this week...and I had to stop cold, and go get the monitor and check L. Although I was happy to do it for him, it really opened my eyes to what a pain it must be for him to leave his television program, or stop riding his scooter, or stop his art project...to test and treat. He is 7, stopping is a total bummer! When he was a baby, this wasn't an issue...babies change what they are doing at the drop of a hat, but now that he is older...well...this isn't as easy as it used to be. It seriously is a pain in the arse for him.
Even taking the time to figure out what to feed him in a low. L always goes to the low cupboard and picks something out. This week if he was low, I would have him sit back in a comfortable chair and I would serve him his low snack. I would take off the wrapper on the straw...I would open his apple sauce pouch for him, peel the banana and so forth...
I wish you could have seen his smile. I am not kidding, all week...pure joy.
He is enjoying every minute of it...and I don't blame him. I caught myself a couple times asking him to come to me so I could bolus him...and each time stopped myself when I realized I needed to go to him.
I took the advice of a great mom on facebook, and checked his morning sugar before he woke up so he wouldn't have to start his day with diabetes on the brain.
BIG HIT. I recommend to all! Every time I told him it was already done, it was like Santa came to visit.
Sure...there were some misses. I didn't bolus him Monday night for dinner, because I was so used to him asking me, "How many carbs mom?"
He also forgot, and checked his own sugar when he felt low once. He came out and sheepishly told me he forgot and I whisked him to the couch to put his feet up and served him his snack on a platter.
Hey...it is a vacation!
Sure, he had to check his own sugar at school. Sure, the other two boys are like WHAT THE HECK?! We want a vacation!
Which...they will get one.
Because seriously...this is the best idea ever!
I had NO IDEA what a big deal it would be around here. L is appreciative of every little thing I do. Lesson learned...I'm going to check his sugar for him more often at home so he needn't stir when he is in the middle of something.
I'm humbled by my boys' strength. They never complain about the monotony of it all. I don't know why this experience was so powerful for me, like I said...I've been down this road before. But man...mama has seen the light.
I have been putting a lot their plate. Diabetes has been putting a lot on their plate.
Time to lessen the load a bit.
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