The Homecoming

     As we pulled into our driveway, several of the neighborhood children and their parents  came out to greet Kelsey. Some had gifts for her,others carried poster size signs saying “Welcome Back, Kelsey ! We Missed You!” The outpouring of kindness and concern was overwhelming. While Kelsey was impressing her friends with the horror story of her IV, the parents were asking me questions about Kelsey’s diabetes.
 Once something like this happens to someone you know, you all of a sudden take a different look at it. I saw the fear in their eyes-wondering -could this happen to my child too. Everyone thinks they are untouchable and that things like this happen to other people’s children. I know I did.
     By the time we unloaded the car and dumped all of our diabetes “stuff” on the kitchen table Kelsey said she felt shaky. Michael and I looked at each other and quietly panicked. This can’t happen now. We aren’t ready yet. I haven’t reviewed my notes yet.Where were my notes ? How many carbs do I give her? Should we just give her dinner since it’s almost 5:00? Should she take her blood sugar? Where is the glucometer?  Oh my God, did we lose the glucometer already.? How can we possible handle this when we can’t even remember how to treat a low blood sugar.
   By the time we found the glucometer,  tensions were high and Michael and I were extremely irritable with each other. Luckily, Kelsey’s low blood sugar was treated quickly and without incidence. It was actually reassuring to see how easily Kelsey pricked her finger and inserted the test strip in to the glucometer. It would be the first of many times. that she would amaze me with her strength and determination. .This is when we came to the realization that -diabetes waits for no one. There are no lesson plans that script your day into a nice tidy routine.Test blood sugar from 9:00-9:15, eat 15 carbs from 12:00-12:20. Have a low blood sugar from 1:00-1:30 Treat the low blood sugar from 1:30-2:00. My nice organized,controlled life was no longer. It was time to change plans.
    I immediately got my self as organized as I could. I cleared out two cabinets for Kesley’s glucometer,test strips, lancets, and syringes. I started files on all of her paperwork, and  posted cheat sheets  for high and low blood sugar treatments on the refrigerator.We went through the pantry and threw out all of the food that were no longer diabetic friendly and headed out to the grocery store to restock it with the proper foods.
   We took Kelsey with us so she could be a part of this and pick out the foods she liked. I think she was afraid she would never be able to eat anything “good” again and we wanted to put her mind at ease. Before we left we had to pack  a small blue back pack with her glucometer, juice, crackers, and her glucagons shot. I learned  the hard way that diabetes can be unpredictable and didn’t want to be caught unprepared again. That blue backpack would soon become a permanent fixture accompanying us to every outing  or event she went to.
     A typical 30 minute trip to the grocery store took us almost two hours. We went aisle by aisle,reading the nutrition labels and carbohydrate grams. We bought low carb snacks for Kesley  as well as a supply of juice and crackers for the school nurse’s office fro when she got low at school.
 Like anything unfamiliar , I knew this would take time getting used to but at this moment in time I was completely overwhelmed. I couldn’t imagine reading every label and counting every carb,  calculating her carb to insulin ratio, and administering the correct amount of insulin for every thing she ate. Our life now revolved around numbers. Blood sugar numbers, grams of carbohydrates, correction factors,insulin doses,and hours until she needs to eat so her blood sugar won’t drop.She would no longer be able to eat even the smallest of snacks  without taking her blood sugar,counting the carbs, and giving the insulin. 
    I’m thankful that Kelsey seemed unaware of what I was feeling. She actually seemed to enjoy picking out new snacks and drinks. We came home with every diet soda flavor you could think of as well , string cheese ,ice pops, and popcorn. Knowing she had a variety of food options made her feel that this diabetes thing might actually be do-able.
  Our next stop was a meeting with the school nurses. We were surprised to find out that there were two other diabetic children in Kelsey’s elementary school. It was hard to believe that these families have already been through what we are now experiencing . I was now wondering if there were any diabetic children in the school I taught at.. Shouldn’t I know that? How could I have been so unaware of a disease that is reaching epidemic proportions?
    The nurses showed me the drawer where Kelsey would keep her supplies and informed me that she would come down to their office 5 minutes before lunchtime to check her blood sugar , record it in their log,  count her carbs
 With the nurses’ help we had to inform every adult Kelsey came in contact about her diabetes.. Her teachers,the cafeteria workers,her cheer leading coach,the band instructor-even the bus driver. She had to wear a medical id bracelet at all times and carry her necessary supplies in her book bag.
 Kelsey was starting back to school the next day. Was she ready for this? There was absolutely no easing into this. I hope and prayed that it wouldn’t interfere too much with her academics and she could go about business as usual. Kelsey has always loved school and it would be devastating if her diabetes took anything away from that. I guess only time would tell.
   Michael and I drove Kelsey into school the next day . I walked her to her classroom, kissed her goodbye,got in my car, and cried all the way to work.