Heroes

This morning I was changing my infusion site and I fired in the needle.

I let out a yelp because it stung quite a bit. My mum was next to me reading her magazine, when I said "ouch" all I heard was my mum say quietly with her head still down as she read "don't tell me..." I looked up briskly and I said "huh?" then she simply replied and said:

"I don't want to know that this hurts you"

And at that moment, I hardly had a reply but to say "aww" because I was sort of lost for words because I forget that, when I go through tough moments with Diabetes, so do my parents.

They have seen me at my worst and they have seen me at my best with Diabetes. My parents were there when I was diagnosed, they sat as the doctor told me the life-changing diagnosis. They have seen me hooked up to an IV laying in a hospital bed, twice since I was diagnosed. Sleep has been sacrificed just to make sure that I am okay during the night, stress has been endured as I run out of test strips while we're out and my mum or dad has to drive back home to get me some. Time has been spent by them as they take me to hospital appointments and go out to buy me dextrose tablets. My parents have been my biggest support system in my life with diabetes and have done so much more for me. They are MY HEROES.

And to all of you out there who have a child with Type One Diabetes, you are your child's hero too. Don't ever forget that. Even if your child doesn't show you appreciation all the time, know that all children with Type One will hold a special place in their hearts for their parents because all that parents of type one kids do for them, is a testimony to their incredible strength and courage.

The courage that it takes to inject your child, to prick their finger, to watch them go through DKA, to see them struggle daily with blood sugars, the endurance of sleepless nights and more; is one that only ones with kids just like us will harbor.

I went through a stage in my life with diabetes when I didn't test or inject, I also lied to my parents about my blood sugars. I lied because I wanted to make them happy and tell them what they wanted to hear; because I didn't want them to hear a high blood sugar because I know that it hurts them more than I could imagine when I tell them a high reading. All my parents want for me is to be healthy. I used to have a lot of arguments because of my blood sugars with my mum and dad and they would always say to me "we don't want to see anything happen to you" 

I know my mum and dad realise the harsh realities of Type One Diabetes and so do I. I know that every parent with a child with Type One Diabetes knows it too. All they want is for their child to live as normal as possible, to see them grow up and live their lives as they should.

My parents mean more to me than anything and I couldn't live with out them. They have caught low blood sugars in the middle of the night and driven me to the hospital with high ketones; and for that I guess I could say they have saved my life and so has every parent of a child with Diabetes.

I will be forever grateful from the bottom of my heart for all that my parents have done for me and do for me and to those who work so tirelessly every day just like my parents, to make sure their kids make it through the day.

You are all our heroes, parents of type one diabetic kids.

"Because not all heroes wear capes"

-Ellie
[Peace&Insulin]