Outsmarted

When I’m standing in the check-out line at the food store with ketone strips in my hand after a long night of high blood sugars, the very last thing I want to see amongst the Tic Tacs and tabloids, is a little magazine called Outsmart Diabetes.

Really now. Outsmart diabetes? If only I was just smarter. These last six-and-a-half years could have been so dramatically different. Reverse Diabetes with Food? Being that ninety percent of my son's diet has a negative effect on his blood sugar, reversing his disease with food is highly unlikely. When he eats a slice of watermelon, there's no reversing. Just fast-forwarding to ungodly highs. Yes, of course I know the magazine is referring to type 2 diabetes. Then why not say so? Outsmart Type 2 Diabetes. Would that be so difficult?

Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are quite different. Would Prevention Magazine put out a publication that featured tips on how to stop smoking and call it Outsmart Cancer? I’m guessing, probably not.

It’s not a knock on type 2, I just think they should call it what it is. It doesn’t help combat the myths one bit.

So, I’m thinking I’ll drop the editor of Outsmart Diabetes an email and see what we can do.

Checking Sugar

Just when I think people need to be more educated about diabetes ...

I squeezed Ben’s heel into a soccer cleat at a sporting goods store and tied the laces. Charlie said he felt low. I unzipped the diabetes bag and inserted the test strip into the meter, reaching for Charlie’s hand. A boy - maybe 6 years old - stood three feet away, transfixed upon whatever it was that I was doing to Charlie. Charlie wasn’t bothered by the staring boy. We just continued to go about our business.

"Mom, what’s that?" he asked, pointing in our direction.

She responded plainly, returning her eyes quickly to a large stack of Nike shoe boxes, scanning from left to right for the correct size.

"He’s getting his sugar checked."