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"I wish I didn't have diabetes!!"

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H

Hanmillmum

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Parent of person with diabetes
This is the first outward sign that little one is fed up today. It was tea-time sat at the table with the food being dished out then..." I wish I didn't have diabetes!" Well it punched the wind out of me, I hadn't seen this coming, it's been a run of the mill day. So what do you say ?

My immediate response would have been "well I wish you didn't have it too!" Not helpful though to anyone. Instead I asked her "why" and she said she didn't like to have her "beeps"* done when she wanted to eat. So I said " well what does it take?, all of 1 minute then we can forget it, that's really no time at all and you can eat just like everyone else. There are lots of other boys and girls just like you having their "beeps" done but it so happens that none of them go to your school, remember when I showed you the girl with her pump on the computer?..... "Can I watch that again mummy?"

So we spent a good 40mins later on looking through children with T1 vt's on Youtube. She then tested herself for supper (new skill :D) and has a smile back on her face... til next time :(


Any other upbeat suggestions appreciated

* beeps means BG's tested.
 
You can always tell her that she's inspired a grown-up to also call his blood tests 'beeps' from now on!
 
Lol, I will thanks :D
 
I like 'beeps' too! :D Great response and good to hear she has started testing herself! 🙂
 
Thanks, I hope I am more prepared for the next one x
 
That is just heart breaking Hanmillmum :(

I think you handled it perfectly. And from time to time I guess she will feel like that living with D, it seems to be pretty unavoidable.

Sounds like maybe some sort of conference/camp might offer support/sense of belonging a little further down the line?
 
Bless her! You did the right thing of course, making light of it. The "beeps" (love that!) are a nuisance, but sometimes it's the perception of not being able to have something that gets to them too. My son was 4 when diagnosed, and started off on mixed insulins which were dreadfully restrictive - he used to say he wished he was back in Nursery and could eat sweets, meaning before the D came along - not that they ever had sweets at nursery (I hope!). He used to call the tests and injections "prickles" and got a "prickle penny" for each one, to go in a piggy bank. When this was full he got a trip to the toy shop, so something good was coming out of having D!

These days he just gets on with it, and has even said "I like having diabetes, it's part of who I am". But as his Mum, I still wish he didn't have it!
 
Oh bless her. Is that the first time she has voiced negativity over it all? Must have been so hard for you to hear. Very impressed how you handled it though.

I was going to say the piggy bank idea sounds brilliant, but maybe that's worth keeping in the bag for the future, should things start to get really difficult. I think having shown her others dealing with it via the internet was an inspired idea, hopefully has stopped her feeling so alone with it.

I also agree with the comment about trying camps with her soon. My team offered holidays for the children, and day trips (Thorpe Park etc) for the teens, but my lad being as old as he was when diagnosed was most definitely NOT open to any of that. He wouldn't consider it in a million years. My friend's son though, diagnosed as a 3 year old, went on holidays annually as a young boy and got so much out of it, and it gave mum and dad a well earned break from it all as they knew he had trained staff with him 24 hours a day. I know she is still so young, and I don't know at what age they offer these things, but it might be worth discussing with your team soon. For her to meet other T1's will be so good for her too.

Keep your chin up, sending you both lots of hugs. You are doing a BRILLIANT job.

Take care.
Tina xx
 
Another person who wil lbe adopting the term "beeps" for blood glucose testing, especially as it sounds so close to "bleeping" which is a good substitute for "bl##dy". 🙂
 
Awwww bless her.

My bleeps usually covers what follows from testing my bloods.

But one point, she is cooler than other kids as she has a pump
 
Thanks for the replies folks, means a lot 🙂

Well I'm glad you all like "beeps", it's stuck with us since toddlerhood and have a feeling it will stay. Yes, very "bleeping" appropriate isn't it Copepod?

Thanks for suggestion EDUAD, think a camp or something of that ilk (sp?) would be good for her in the future.

I like your prickle penny idea Redkite, may well employ something similar esp if this feeling hangs around!

Thanks for the support Tina.

Laura - I agree, and she is very lucky to have the pump 🙂
 
Wow - I think you handled that brilliantly. Brought a lump to my throat, I hope if my kids ever get it I'll be able to think up things like how you dealt with your daughter's feelings, the lovely name 'beeps' 🙂 and the prickle pennies (Redkite - genius!). The camps sound good, I guess the more you can normalise it the better really. You D mums are awesome, you have my total respect. Xx
 
Wow, that made me feel very humbled... you handled it brilliantly! I can't imagine what my parents went through with 2 children with diabetes but I do sometimes think it must have been worse for them than me at the time! My brother and I went on a few diabetes weekends with other families and although we had each other it was good to see other kids going through the same as us. My mum and I also set up a charity at our local hospital for children with diabetes and their families to just have days out together, parents to chat to each other and kids to play normally with each other... so I def think this is something you should consider in the future

Off to do my beeps now 😉

Xx
 
Thanks Twitchy and Vix,

Hats off to your mum Vix, very dedicated!


Yep, Mills reacted very postively to seeing the kids on Youtube so mixing with others would be a good thing me thinks. Will see if there is anything local now she has a interest, if not I am prepared to travel if it makes my little one happy.

Up until now she has not known any different with having being dx so young but she is very aware being at nursery that her experience is different to her peers (some of those little ones are very nosey 🙄 and she does get asked about her pump, I'm not there to know how she handles this)
 
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