I posted this a few days ago but i think i posted in general as opposed to a parents group, can anyone relate, i actually am feeling a bit better but still like to share experiences!
Every year it happens, how will school go this year to snack or not to snack, telling all the teachers, will this be the year my son will feel comfortable testing, bolusing discussing his diabetes with his peers? This is a big one this year, new school, jacob is starting a technical high school and running cross country, he hasn't done sports since 6th grade. So I am nervous! His school nurse seems nice and we have all discussed preliminary plans aside from a real conversation with his coach we have established a workable plan. Today we are doing the fasting morning test for no morning snack routine, since jacob doesn't like being different and snacking in class. He assures me this year he is going to try to be more open but until it happens i am nervous about how this will all pan out. I talk to my nonD affected friends about my anxiety and just end up feeling unheard or to focused on my child. Can anyone relate. I know once school starts and things go well, as they usually do i will feel much more at ease but for now there is a knot in my belly! amy Tags:
I wish the summer could last forever. I feel like the time it takes to plan and prepare for school steals part of the summer. And it's not only the time, but the mental energy it steals from me. Each year seems to be a little better. Caleb is starting fourth grade and last year was a very pivotal year of D growth for him. I also met with administration of his new school before the end of last year and that went a LONG way to alleviate some of the stress.
Hugs. Hang in there. I am trying to force it all to the back of my mind for now. The sooner I let it in, the more it with steal from our summer. :)
Amy! Feeling that knot in the stomach right along with you! We too are moving to a new school (from elementary to middle) a new campus, teachers, routine, sports,etc. It is enough to worry a mom/dad crazy! Hang in there, we will survive. And it sounds like you and your son are doing a great job!
Totally! My son starts his first year of college this fall and he is really on his own, at this point, even to the point of deciding whether or not he evens wants to disclose his health challenge to any of his teachers.
As for high school, I sweated bricks when David enrolled in his first personal fitness course in grade 10 and started training for 10K runs and other such activities. Do we get a CGM? How will he manage the activity? How will he stayed prepared? The backside of his first race bib had Type 1 diabetic, on insulin pump, written in permanent marker and Mom's cell number for an emergency.
In the end, he handled the himself just like he does every other day, and I got used to it. He continued taking challenging fitness courses throughout the rest of high school and I in turn was no longer bewildered wondering about where a low came from as he was either running, doing weights or cario, playing rugby or playing hockey, ALL THE TIME.
I know, he knows, what to do to take care of himself, the only assistance I provide these days is to do an overnight BG check.
Try to relax (I know, too easily said) and try to have Jacob take over full control, to decide on snacks, how to handle lunch, and all decisions on managing his health while participating in sports. High school passes quickly... before you know it he will be entirely on his own with school, and with your help letting go, he will be well prepared.
Ugh, I feel your anxiety. My son is going into 8th and I'm already thinking about high school. I am anxious every year and this will be his 9th year (including kindergarten) with diabetes in school. The middle school was a lot better about his diabetes than elementary was so I'm not so nervous this year but high school? I dunno. He's been heavy into sports since I can remember so we're used to the craziness associated with sports but I worry about the overall teenage years.
He's really good at self managing and at some point I need to learn to let go. Although we all know we can't. I even told him I'll be moving to where ever he attends college! Maybe...
We all just have to get through the first week or two and then we can relax again when we see they're managing just fine. Right?
letting go is hard! jacob wants to take over more control he still doesnt have all the subtle things down and tends to just do what the pump says which as we know isnt always the correct decision.. i guess he cant learn if he isnt given the opportunity as cheryl suggests it is time to start letting him learn! college eeekkk by then i think i might be ready! oh and stephanie do you have any good suggestions regards to after school sports esp snacks! it is hard to find something portable, that doesnt need to be refridgerated that may have some nutritional content about 20 carbs, we ussually go with a granola bar but he has been fussier with that. any ideas would be appreicated. thanks all, amy
My son is also headed off to college 5 hours away from us on August 24th.
He has handled all of his care the last year and his numbers are great for a teenager. I am in charge of keeping all supplies and snacks stocked so he will have to adjust to keeping inventory of everything. I just ordered 2 new glucagon pens - one for the dorm room and one for the hockey bag. He has his own fridge for sugary drinks and insulin even though their suite has a full size refrigerator.
He has decided to file with the Disabilites Dept who will notify his teachers but it was his choice.
I will miss checking on him during the night especially 6 hours after hockey when he was likely to be low.
High school may actually be better. Our high school is large so there is a team of nurses and always someone in the nurses office. They had several students every year with diabetes so they did not have to be educated. They required a Glucagon Kit and they kept all of them by the door in an emergency bag in case they got a call from a teacher. In any emergency, one nurse went to the room and another called 911 and met the ambulance to get them to the room quickly. They did this with asthma and other situations including diabetes.
In sports, they had licensed trainers with medical training. My son became a student trainer and the teacher trainer became one of his biggest advocates with the other teachers when he missed a lot of class during his clinical trial.
you sound like you have done a great job educating him and alowing him to be responsible for his own care, i'm sure he will do great in college as he has all the tools to succeed as well as a great mom cheering for him in the background, i know this will be a tough transition, especially for you, but it seems you've prepared him well, i hope my son will be as confident some day, he wants to go to MIT, god bless him and me, well it is only about an hour away and close to his endo in boston! time will tell. i will still feel better in a few weeks once he is all settled, at least for now it seems i am more nervous than he, best of luck! amy
My son plays baseball year round and then lacrosse in school. Lacrosse drives me crazy because it’s non stop. We always keep a juicy juice box with him and those small Glucerna bars And of course glucose tabs. He loves the bars and they’re not as obvious. And they really keep his blood sugar even while he’s playing.
no worries, ask him to listen to his body....he ll know when he s high or low...always make shure he has enough money to buy (carbs) what he wants when he s low..when he s high he need s to work out...thats not to hard in school...here my son can do test over if he discovers he was too high/low during a test...it s a great asset if it was a bitt difficult...and let him use it in his advantage..have fun!!
I hear you I was just looking at the date and realized that I have to meet with my 7yr old Diabetic Daughters teacher soon. I have an appt. with her endo. at the end of the week that I am not looking forward to since I swear she is in the middle of a growth spurt and her numbers have been all over the place. I have to make an appt to meet with her teachers and call the transportation department about bussing and all. I had issues with her teacher last year so lets hope that this year things ar better. I am lucky because my DD will tell anyone and everyone that she has diabetes and celiac and exactly what that means. She asks her friends when she is testing if they want to watch. Usually sometime during the beginning of the year she will get up in front of the class and explain what she has and let the other kids ask her questions. She is very upfront about it. I am hoping that stays with her and she doesn't get embarrased about it. School prep is always fun. I don't even want to think about high school and college. I may have to move with her to college like one of the other mom's mentioned. :)
I see no problem moving to where ever they go to college :)
Holly, my endo doesn't really say anything about growth spurts and his diabetes but I truly believe it really screws up my sons numbers. His A1C usually stays around 7.3, it's been as low as 6.7 but his last one was 8.9, his highest ever! I noticed that I had to let his baseball pants out 2 inches so I attribute it to a growth spurt and not being as active during them summer. We've made some adjustments to bring it down but he starts travel baseball season outside of school this week and shortly after baseball in school so when that exercise starts I'm going to be chasing lows....it never ever ends.
holly, you are lucky your daughter is so "out" i think that is the advantage ( dare i say) to being diag. younger, jacob was diag. at 10 so that made a difference, plus personalities certainly play into this as well. as stephanie just said growth makes things challenging, we have been dealing with that, i think trying to get the night time basals tweaked is the best help because when they start high it doesn't set the day up well, also a good endo doesnt expect perfection, i think being part of tu we see alot of adults with really great A1c's and expect this for our children when in reality it is not always possible, jacobs most recent was 7.9 his endo was happy and said he was the best of the day!) we saw jacobs new school nurse today she was really great and with high school they promote independence, at that age they should be prepping for the real world anyways eeks i will be camping out at college as well, no honestly i think you do see them as more competent and able to deal with all of this on their own as they grow and prove themselves. lets hope for a good school year for us all! amy
Yes lets hope for a good year for us all!!! :) I think her being diagnosed at 4 has helped her be so "out" and her personality is definately a plus.
Last week at Karate she had to go to the bathroom (just know the dojo is all one room and the bathroom is in the back corner) the instructor begins class and you hear this singing. YES it was her in the bathroom. AT THE TOP OF HER LUNGS! When she came out he asked her if she wanted to come and sing to the whole class.(she almost did all boys mind you)
She is a big ham with a big personality. I am glad I think that will help her in years to come. The issue I am having now is her realizing that this sucks but there are worse things. I understand how she feels I hate it too but I don't want her to dwell on it. Know what I mean???
do i ever know what you mean! carrying all the anxiety about him starting school but trying to pretend to him that he can handle it all! i do think it is important for us as parents to put on a happy face through most of it so they can feel like it is just part of their lives, we can handle it for them and they can handle it for themselves down the road, there is no other real option, i guess. when jacob gets down on D i just say I know how you feel, he says i dont but as a parent i feel the burden as much as he does but have to act like it is not a burden. aaagghhh the emotional end of things can be far more taxing than treating a high or low. that is why we connect and share, it helps. hope your little bundle of JOY continues to lift your spirits holly! amy
I am so very new to this, my son was diagnosed August 26th, and tomorrow he starts school, 11th grade. I hate not having control. But honestly, so surprised at how well he has done this past week. All his own checks and gives himself his own insulin. And I make sure it gets logged.
I am so nervous.
worrie is not going to help..praise him...he has to do it on his own..maybe talk t some one else in the school who has it but never overreact...contact the mentor/teacher.....but keep cool...and slowly it will go away...
All my sons friends are now totally ok with it...onther wise they r no friends!...
If he tells friends dont interfere....they hate that...let him do it his way...
The first days are always the hardest for me, but then all starts to go well (always a bump here or there, but overall, it goes well) and I can breath a sigh of relief. I hope you find the same by the end of this week!
