Diabetes Blog Week: Post #3

"When you make a mistake, don't look back at it long. Take the reason of the thing into your mind and then look forward. Mistakes are lessons of wisdom. The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in your power."

Hugh White (1773-1840)

This post is titled: "One Thing to Improve". I'm thankful for a reason to evaluate things, even if at times, it's not easy. Diabetes is more than just a blood sugar check every few hours, or tapping a few numbers into an insulin pump for an afternoon snack. It's every day. It's every hour. It's every minute. Sometimes, I think we forget.

As a parent of a diabetic, I put her needs before all else, and sometimes, that's not entirely fair. I find there are times where I'll reach for what's easy rather than what is right. A pack of fruit snacks that are labeled individually over a piece of fruit I have to get the scale out and weigh: this is a fine example of taking the easy route. It's not fair, and it's not all the time, but it's been known to happen. There are things I just won't buy at the store anymore because they're a pain in the ass, like goldfish crackers, potato chips, and canned fruit. These are just mere examples, but there is still truth to be told. When I pack our bags for a day trip to the doctor, shopping, or a long car ride, Laila is always at the top of my list. I find I've forgotten diapers, shoes, even my car keys, all at the expense of being positive I have her meter, glucagon, insulin pen, juice, etc.

Laila does so well managing her diabetes, I hate to place any blame. She's been diagnosed for close to two years, and has had no serious complications as of yet. Her biggest downfall, if not her only one, is removing her lancets from her meter pack when she's done. I find them in there almost every time I check. She doesn't reuse them, she just lets them sit in there until she needs to put a new one in. Occasionally, I'll find strips laying on the floor of my car, next to the garbage bin in the kitchen, or just tossed onto the counter. A rarity at best, but my fear is it'll be a prelude to the future of a teenage diabetic. 

I think we all have things to improve on, this list could go on and on, but pinpointing what we can do better, and actually improving those things, that's what counts. Here's to a better tomorrow, today.