So last week my best friend planned a bon fire night at the beach with some girls, complete with hot dogs, s'mores, and campfire tunes. Caught up in the moment, I didn't bolus for my food, two hot dogs and two marshmallows, or 56 carbs. Funny how I remember exactly what I ate...I probably intended to bolus at some point, but I got wrapped up in cooking hot dogs for everyone else and just enjoying myself. There was also sand everywhere...like...all over the place, so I didn't really want to get my meter out to test.
So I just tested when I got back to the car. I told the girls in the car that I was high and that they should guess how high I'd be after not bolusing. I thought 250 max. Nope. 370. Who was closest to guessing my sugar? The other type 1 diabetic in the car.
Having friends with diabetes is special. Having her there with me made me laugh it off (give insulin) and move on, rather than wallow in my terrible error of not bolusing for my food. It's rare to have someone there with you who knows exactly what you're feeling when your meter says 478 (which it said a few minutes later). A failing pump site and no insulin for food at the same time? Awesome.
A lot of diabetes bloggers talk about how fun it is to see another diabetic "in the wild." But it's really true. It's a feeling no one can describe. It may be Empathy, Friendship, or something more like Kinship...feeling a part of the same family. Whether it's my buddy who forgets to put a new insulin pen in her bag the same night in question, or the friend at work who you can talk pumps with, we are in the same family.
We're dia-buddies.