Preparing for school is a fun time – probably more so for
parents than the kids – but some kids like Allison cannot wait to get back to
school. It is a wonderful time of renewal; new notebooks, pencils and
backpacks, new teachers and friends to meet.
Yesterday I sat with a wonderful family that is going
through all the excitement of sending their son off for the first time into
kindergarten, so exciting for everyone. Except it is for them, as well as for
us, probably the most STRESSFUL moment in our lives. We are about to send our
child with type 1 diabetes off to school and trust people who in essence are
strangers to us and we trust that they are not only going to educate our child
but also ensure they are safe at school.
I became an Advanced School Volunteer Advocate for the Safe
at School Program by the American Diabetes Association to help others with this
each year. Help them know their rights and get prepared for the regular days and
for the unforeseen days we hope will never happen for their child while at school.
We have to think of all the “what ifs” in life for our child at school. It can
be overwhelming to say the least!
It involves binders of information, supplies in multiple
locations in the school and us parents becoming the teacher to the school
personnel about our child. I started this morning to work on my binders and
decided to start on the cover where I put beautiful pictures of my daughter.
This quest for pictures of her led me down an unexpected path this year – a path
to happy tears - what I found was the amazing support and friends we have
found over the past years of her having this disease.
I came across pictures of my daughter really LIVING life.
She is able to do this because of all those around us. It amazed me – when I am the most stressed about the terrible “what ifs” that must be a part
of my thoughts – I have realized again our family is so blessed. I wish there
were words to describe the feelings I have at this moment. As a mom of a child with a hidden disease, seeing frozen in awesome pictures, that in my little world there are an amazing number of people that hold onto my daughters hand, my hand, my families hands and learn what it takes to
allow us all to LIVE life despite diabetes - it is the most amazing feeling.
As I, and other families with children with type 1 diabetes,
get ready for the next few weeks of stress and blood sugar issues, talking and
teaching all those new around us about type 1 diabetes, I thank all that are
there for us. Those in our lives that let us LIVE and have fun and allow us to remember that it isn't about the "what ifs" it is about living now and allowing us to continue to have smiles in pictures and the precious memories that will last forever.
THANK YOU.
Until there is a cure,
Jennifer
