Diaversaries Abound
In the Type 1 world there is a special day that is forever engraved in our minds and hearts. Some of us choose to celebrate it, while others purposefully try to treat it like just another day. Regardless, we all remember. This is the day of diagnosis. For our family it's really more like a season of diagnoses. That season is the summer, as all three of my T1Ds were diagnosed in the summer; Ollie 2 years ago, Walker 3 years ago, and Marshall 28 years ago.
Our summers are spent in Maine surrounded by family, friends, and the beautiful northeast woods. It's fantastic. The first summer we started this annual pilgrimage was also the summer Walker was diagnosed. And the following summer Ollie was diagnosed. Summers for my kids, as they are for most I assume, are a time of huge growth. I believe the summer diagnoses occurred at the exact time they were meant to occur. I see diabetes as playing a huge role in their personal growth. And for this reason, we celebrate.
Yes, we celebrate. We celebrate their strength, their bravery, and their courage. We celebrate the medicine we have access to that keeps them alive. We celebrate the fact that they were diagnosed so that today they are healthy, strong, and beautiful.
We don't have cake and throw a party (though some do), but instead we treasure our summers and pay close attention to their victories. This summer Ollie became a waterbug; water skiing, cannonballing off the dock, and becoming super confident in his abilities in everything "water". He also discovered a love for woodworking. Both these things contributed to a summer of great confidence building, and I got to see this little boy beginning to turn into a really amazing young man. This summer Walker discovered an ability to navigate social situations in ways I can only dream of one day achieving. She made new friends, and strengthened her voice around those she already knows. She has an uncanny way of connecting with everyone. The personality on this little one is strong, and we're in for a wild ride when the teen years hit!
We also celebrate their diagnoses by doing something for the children at the hospitals. When Walker was diagnosed we visited two: one in our hometown in Maine, and another which we were sent to by ambulance in Portland. Luckily, Ollie only needed an office visit at his time of diagnosis since we caught it so early. When Walker had her hospital stay she received a handmade pillowcase. It seems like something so small, but it made all the difference and made a scary hospital room seem less so for a little 5 year old. Last year we made pillowcases for the children, as Walker said, "to make it a little easier for the kids who are scared". This year we made little dolls that stash away in a little carrying pouch, again, something the kids find comforting when they're in uncomfortable situations. The process of creating and then relinquishing these handmade things is cathartic for all of us.
So, yes, we celebrate their diabetes. It's part of who they are, and it contributes to all their incredibleness. I once read a quote that went something like: diabetes does not define me, but it sure helps explain me. I hope the kids learn to celebrate all parts of themselves, even those aspects that seem difficult.
