The Darkness Under the Silver Lining
Had a wonderful weekend with family this weekend. Cousin S got married to a wonderful woman and the ceremony and reception were beautiful and fun. Sister M and Husband stayed at my house and we had a lovely time, attending wedding festivities and shopping with Brother M, Wife and baby and Brother C. It was really nice to see everyone.
This weekend with The Boy was very frustrating, though. Very. I love him so much and the worst thing he can do is harm himself. He skipped checking his blood sugar for both Thursday and Friday and he also skipped a day or two last weekend. The only time he checked it over this weekend was when I asked him to show his meter to me. One of the ones he did check was a 518 (normal range is between 80 and 120). I really found all this out when I sat down to put in his blood sugar levels for the week on a spreadsheet that the hospital sent me on Sunday evening. We just had a talk with the doctor last week about how important it is to test at least 3 times a day.
I feel like there are two major factors to his avoidance: 1, he just wants to avoid thinking about it and maybe it will go away, and 2, he is still embarrassed to be seen as different than other people. There was a brief time when he decided it was "cool" and was even giving himself injections at the table in restaurants, but that time is over. Can't say I liked the "cool" factor, but it was better than whatever is going through his head now.
I wish he could join a support group with other teens with type 1. I just don't see it happening, between his dad's resistance and his sports schedule and living so far out. Sorry, I have to rant a and get this out of my system and make a plan. I know his-step mom will see this, but I already sent the information to their email. I hate being a jailer, but I don't want my kid to die or lose a limb or his eyesight. I am going to check his meter every time from now on, even if he hates it and yells at me. Even if we are out somewhere and he is embarrassed. Even if I am tired and don't want to deal with the flack he gives me. I am going to start filling out the other parts of the form too, where it asks for carbs and units of insulin taken. No more cutting corners and being lenient.
posted by srcsmgrl at
4:52 PM
2 Comments:
I think the "it's okay" attitude of Children's has a lot to do with the Boy not caring, and his dad not thinking that it's serious. Last week, I talked to the mom of one of our patients who, at 19, has been in the hospital 3 times for his Type I in the last two years.
She agreed that Children's puts parents in a tough situation, because you're not supposed to press them to comply, but yet her son never checked his sugar levels. He had the disease for six years and didn't think it was serious until he almost died 2 months ago from a diabetic coma brought on by drinking alcohol.
They need to realize every kid is different and some respond better to strict boundaries, while others will jump right on board. Even in environmental law, I'm never for blanket policy. It fails for the outliers, and in this situation, the Boy is an outlier.
He's not going to do something just because someone tells him to. And since he's always been that way, I don't think they're going to change his attitude towards it until they emphasize just how serious it can be. We just need to make sure he's got it all figured out in the next four years, so he can take care of himself when it's time.
By
Allucas, at 8:21 AM
I hope your new doctor is the jolt that The Boy needs. We all care about him and want what's best for him, even if we don't always agree with how to get there.
By
srcsmgrl, at 1:54 PM
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