I don't know if it the length of time Khaleb has now been diagnosed or his other problems but I've developed a really good attitude towards diabetes. Khaleb is well controlled and mostly stable but even when he is sick and blood sugar levels get erratic I just deal with them one by one. I've always got a fully equipped bag ready to go so our day can function. For the most part I don't notice that a corner of my brain runs a log book and how I notice Khaleb's low levels with a glance. I do not care about other people's opinions at all. Diabetes is complex and you can't explain it to people in simple terms. You can't explain to someone that good levels are between 4mmol and 8mmol but if they are 5mmol 1 hour after a Novorapid injection, or at bed time, that's a bad level. What did you really think diabetes was like before it moved into your home? I thought people took their insulin and ate a healthy diet and all was well
I think it is important to portray diabetes (especially T1) in a more postive light so our kids don't grow up to feel that they have done something wrong or looking after themselves it too hard and not worth the effort. We all need to vent now and again but we should never feel guilty for an immune system that either made a mistake or was tricked by some virus to attack a vital part of anatomy.
As for staying at other people's places I must say I much prefer when my older son's friends come here. One of his friend's comes from such a broken and stressed home I think he wants to move in (and no - my son has never stayed over there).
Diabetes puts us through all the stages of grief and I suppose I have made it to Acceptance. I do remember the first year was the hardest adaption but every year after has got a little easier. I've been through vomitting, the runs, all sorts of viruses, hundreds of new foods, theme parks, swimming, giving the long acting dose of insulin with short acting pen, having to raid a battery for a glucose meter out of my car key when 3 went flat at the same time, a couple of fairly serious hypos, too many sleepless nights to count and a natural disaster.
Sorry I've prattled on but just recently I've only been hearing people saying diabetes s--ks or how terrible it is and I think back to a documentary I watched on Banting and Best and the discovery of insulin in 1922. We've never had it so good and our kids have the greatest chance of leading great lives with diabetes.