Camp Was Fun... But Kinda Sad

Hey fellow TuPeople! I have been offline for about three weeks. Camp took up one week and right after camp I stayed with my aunt, uncle, and cousins for two weeks. First off camp was sooo fun and definitely plan on going next summer! While I was at camp I was thinking about my uncle back home (not the one I stayed with after camp). When my grandparents and sisters picked me up from camp they told me they had some bad news. While I was at camp, my Uncle John died. I was devastated! He did have a tumor and T2 D which he didnt take very good care of, but it wasnt any complications dealing with either of those two. They said he went down stairs to get a drink during the night and had a heart attack! The next morning, his coffee buddies were worried because he wassnt at the usual starbucks in the morning. So one of them knocked on his door and he didnt answer, so the guy went around the back and saw my uncle in the kitchen. I couldnt even imagine! Did he suffer? Was it diabetes complications? Or did the tumor cause it? RIP Uncle John.



But I do have to say, camp was pretty fun. And it was a coincidence that I was thinking about John at camp. Anyway, here are some of the activities we did at camp:

arts and crafts archery zip lining... TWICE!
swimming every day
paddle boating
fishing
a dance
a carnival
and many more!

IT WAS SOOO MUCH FUN! I also stayed in Lubbock for a couple of weeks and met some really fun people that I hope to see next summer! I went shopping with my cousins, football scrimmages, and does anyone know what coning is? :) I had a blast! We also went to a water park, saw some prairie dogs, and watched scary movies! I wish I could stay longer, but school is starting on the 22nd :(

By the way, I would recommend for every person who is able to attend, even as a camp counselor or some kind of staff. You will love it, I promise!




RIP Uncle Johnny Rabbit

Wow! I wish there were camps for adults with Type 1 too!

I am soooo sorry for your loss of your uncle. They say that heart attacks are more common with diabetes, but they are very common anyway. The way to go is with a heart attack because he is unlikely to have known anything about it. He would have been unconscious before he landed on the floor. I know because the same thing happened to my grandfather - I was talking to him on the telephone (an unusual occurrence since he was deaf as a post and never answered the phone, but he was at my house when I was ringing home and picked up the phone!) Suddenly he stopped talking and that was it. Another person more recently was standing joking and talking with a market stall holder, then he dropped to the floor and was gone. Heart attacks are generally very quick when they happen and it is rare, unless someone with medical equipment for someone with a severe heart attack will survive. You can comfort yourself with the fact that it would have been quick and he would not have known.

Your uncle’s coffee buddies were great friends to have to be concerned enough to go round so quickly and have the prescence of mind to not take no for an answer and found him. It is always a shock when someone dies and is worse if you think that they have been there for a long time.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this time.

I’m sorry to hear about your uncle but I’m glad to hear about your happy camp experiences. It sounds like a great time!!

Sorry to hear about your uncle. It’s really hard to lose someone you love, and the fact is that we never know when that might happen. So please cherish your memories of him – he would probably like that!

I’m glad camp was fun – was it a diabetes camp? I remember going to camp as a child (not yet diabetic) and always had a great time – there is something neat about hanging out with others your own age and doing fun stuff and just being one of the crowd!

Take care!

Julia,
I’m so-o glad the camp experience was great! Was it a D camp with others on here and D ideas along the way? It doesn’t sound like it, so I’m wondering!
Your Uncle John will be remembered by us all - no, you can know he didn’t suffer.
So tell us what coning is!

Thank you for your condolences. I miss him a lot and I visited my aunt yesterday. She seems to be doing well and so are Johns step kids. It will take some time though. After living with him for 2 years, I got really close to him and its harder than losing an uncle who you visited every once in awhile.
Yes, it was diabetes camp, but it didnt really focus on diabetes. We had a diabetes class everyday for about thirty minutes and sometimes we didnt even talk about diabetes. It was one of the best experiences of my life… so far. We even learned a song in sign language, because the camp before us were for deaf people. Sign language is so beautiful!
Coning is when you go to drive thru at McDonald’s for example and you order a vanilla cone. When yo pull up to get it, you grab it by the ice cream and and drive off… but you have to make a serious face the whole time. I guess it sounds kinda dumb, but what can you do in a not so big city and you are bored! Oh, and try to do it at night, it gives it the full affect!

I think one of the hardest parts of getting older (which we’re ALL doing) is losing the members of the generations before you that you love. I finally lost my last aunt at the age of 92 last year. I miss all of them so badly, and the only way I can give back that love is to offer it to younger people. I think that is what they would have wanted, and I’m SURE your uncle would have wanted that.

Maybe you can take some time to volunteer to mentor a child with diabetes, or to be a counselor or volunteer at a diabetes camp. Pass Uncle John’s love forward! :slight_smile:

Just finished teaching at camp last friday… glad to hear it was a good time. Sorry to hear your Uncle died. Remember him, the good things… it will be a start.

Stuart

That same thing happend to me except my aunt died. I am going to camp again this year. r u?

Yes! I went to camp in July and I loved it! I cant beliveve it was my last year :'( How was your camp, Anna?