Caleb writing today’s blog post.

I want non-diabetics to know that even though I have diabetes, I can do anything I want. Non-diabetics should also know that diabetics are the same as all people, just they have to monitor their blood sugar.

Non-diabetics shouldn’t think that we got diabetes from eating too much sugar; it’s just a disease that scientists haven’t discovered a cure for.

They should also know that diabetes isn’t contagious.

Diabetics are the same as everyone. Just because we wear pumps and take carbs to treat lows doesn’t mean we’re different.

It makes me feel sad when people go around thinking that we ate too much sugar so we deserve this disease.

We don’t deserve it. It just happened.

by Caleb

Caleb and I got a hoot out of Ginger Vieira’s post last week. Just the night before, Caleb was talking about how he and Ironman were similar because they both checked their blood for their health and they both wore Pods to keep themselves alive.

So today’s pompt was right up his alley…

My fantasy diabetes device would be The Ironman Suit (used by Tony Stark) with diabetic supplies in it.

The suit would have an insulated inside that would hold and automatically deliver insulin and it would never have to be refilled. In addition to that, it would have a liquid glucose case attached to his unibeam that would deliver glucose if his blood sugar drops. Tony’s helmet would also have sugar tabs if he wanted to use them instead. When Tony checks his blood toxicity, it would also tell him his blood sugar. That would happen by him saying, “Update.” The screen in his helmet would also show him his blood sugar graph as well as other graphs that he uses for being a superhero. Jarvis, his home computer, would remind Tony of all the things he needs to do to take care of his diabetes and also provide hiim reports of his blood glucose trends and map out changes to his basals and insulin to carb ratios.

That is my fantasy device and I hope that it is produced for anyone with diabetes by 2020.

Like last year, Caleb is writing the posts this week. I do the reading of blogs, not him, so yesterday he was silent.

Now for Tuesday’s post…

This year I am taking more control of my diabetes, especially at school.

For example: I call my mom to tell her about my blood sugars, I do my checks, administer corrections and determine my lunch bolus by myself. I am getting better at treating lows. Sometimes my suggestions don’t work out so we change stuff for the next day. Now, when my mom tells me to up or lower my basal, I know what to do!

If feels good to do more on my own and I hope to keep taking more control of my diabetes this school year and the next.

by Caleb

Because I have diabetes I was able to meet Nick Jonas. I liked meeting him because he’s a famous rock star and he likes the Yankees. I look up to him because I want to be a singer and I want to manage diabetes like he does. He was nice to me and he made me comfortable to be there. What I remember the most about meeting him is when he walked into the room, walked right up to me and said, “I know you’re a Yankees fan. You’re a good man.” It’s a great memory that I will always remember.

The prompt for today is “Ten things I hate about you, Diabetes”.

Caleb was quite eager to respond to this, but he started to struggle for ideas after number five.

I HATE

1. Changing my Pod

2. Changing DexCom

3. Having to wake up in the middle of the night to change my Pod

4. Feeling low

5. Not being able to eat right away when I’m high

6. Having to always prick myself

7. Feeling lousy when I’m high

8. Having to explain myself to other people who ask me what I’m doing when I’m checking my sugar

9. Having to deal with my blood sugar in weird places and weird positions like at a party

10. Having to change my Pod every other day

That’s Caleb’s list, now I’m going to insert my voice on this one. I think the thing that I hate most about diabetes is that even when you follow all the rules, and you’ve spent countless – and I mean countless – hours analyzing data, trends, etc., and you put forth more effort than you’ve ever put into anything in your life, you still fail to achieve the desired results.  If diabetes played fairly, it would still be a royal pain in you-know-what, but it would be much less so.

Background – This happened at the beginning of the school year last year. We started the year with a new nurse and a new protocol regarding Caleb’s diabetes. All of Caleb’s teachers were on high alert. For a couple of weeks in a row, Caleb had to check his blood sugar during art class due to feeling low. The event he writes about happened shortly thereafter.

One day at school when I was in art, I raised my hand and my teacher, Miss P, asked, “Do you have to go??”  I said, “ Yes.”  Miss P called Mrs. M, the nurse, and told me to check my blood sugar. My blood sugar was fine so Miss P sent me to Mrs. M’s office. I did what I was told.

When I got to Mrs. M’s office, Mrs. M was confused. She looked at my blood sugars and was about to ask me to check again when I told her all I had to do was GO to the bathroom.

HAHAHAHA!

Poor Miss P was trying her hardest to be quick to address any issues Caleb had. Her unfortunate choice of words, “Do you have to go?” had dual meaning in this case. This time, he did NOT have to go to the nurse, just the regular old bathroom.

As I did last year, I am letting Caleb author the Diabetes Blog Week posts.

Since Caleb has no appreciation or lack of thereof, for that matter, for the differences among people living with diabetes, there isn’t much to say on yesterday’s topic. He just simply isn’t aware enough about what is different about being type 1 versus type 2 or being an adult versus a child versus a caregiver. He doesn’t really care. I see that as a good thing. At his age he’s just living life, not focusing on it and I think that’s appropriate for an eight year old.

He was, however, willing to write a letter to diabetes. Here is is:

Dear Diabetes,

Sometimes you get annoying like when I am high or low. Sometimes I wish I didn’t have diabetes. It really sucks, but I got used to you. I want a cure. Please go away. It would help.

P.S. I want to let you know you’re not going to bring me down, – I’ll always be standing up!

Your owner,

Caleb