Day 21: My Amazing Girl

Five years ago, when Tessie was 10 years and 9 days old, she was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. I remember everything about that day. I remember being at work and our school secretary coming into my room to tell me my husband is on the phone because I haven’t responded to his text. I remember I was teaching writing. I remember asking him Are you sure it’s not a mistake? I remember walking back into my classroom to grab my things and trying so hard to keep it together in front of my students. I remember stopping by our school social worker’s office and telling her about Tessie and her saying It will be ok. She will be fine. Call me if you need anything. Three days in the hospital learning about how to take care of Tessie once we go back home. On the 3rd day when she was released I was too nervous to leave, so I asked if we could stay until after lunch. Then it turned into leaving after dinner, and then I didn’t check out until 8:00 pm. Instead of taking her home, we went to my parents’ house. I guess you’re never to old to want your mom and dad!

I was invited to join a Facebook page Touched by Type 1 as a support group. They have been a wonderful resource for me. I would see many people post about their child’s Diaversary. I didn’t understand why anyone would celebrate the anniversary of being diagnosed with a lifelong illness. I asked Tessie if she wanted to “celebrate” her Diaversary and of course she was all about a celebration. My husband couldn’t understand why either. After thinking about it, I decided that I will celebrate March 21st with her for as long as she wants to. We’re not celebrating her diagnosis. We are celebrating another year of her being tough. We are celebrating another year of her remaining healthy.

This year we did not do anything to celebrate the day. She mentioned it briefly last week saying, “I’m kind of glad it happened right after my 10th birthday because it’s easy to remember how long it’s been. I know you’re doing college visits and honestly I can’t miss a day of school because I’ll be way behind, but maybe we can do something over spring break. You know, not really to celebrate diabetes, but to go shopping.”

I am so proud of how independent she has become. I woke up this morning to her expired sensor in the garbage which means that at some point after midnight when I fell asleep her sensor expired and she changed it without waking me up. She really only needs me when she’s “had enough”, or to remind me that her supplies are running low, or at night when she is asleep and her blood sugar is low so I need to bring her something to eat or drink.

But Tessie was also sharing with me how if she’s tired at school and they aren’t doing anything major in class that day she will tell the teacher she needs to go the nurse’s office, where she then goes to take a 45 minute nap.

“What? What do you mean you go and take a nap in the nurse’s office?”

“Yeah! I go and take a nap. Who cares? The nurses don’t. I drop off my coat every morning and I go to their office to use the bathroom too. It’s much cleaner. I mean, there has to be something positive about diabetes.”

“Tessie, I don’t like you using diabetes for special treatment.”

“Please don’t make me stop. They obviously don’t mind because they would have called or emailed you about it. It’s only for four years.”

I guess she’s right. There should be something positive that comes out of her Type 1 Diabetes.