Kay and I enjoyed another sweet family engagement event at school—this time, waffles on the playground. With the school year winding down, I find myself feeling extra thankful for the school Kay attends. The staff goes above and beyond for these kids, always promoting inclusion and advocating for every child. I know not every family has that experience—many are constantly fighting for their child to be seen, supported, and included.
Trust me, I advocate for Kay all day, every day, whenever I need to. But I’m so grateful that, at least for now, school isn’t one of those places. If something does come up, it’s usually minor and gets resolved quickly. From spirit weeks focused on inclusion to recognizing months like Autism Awareness and Down Syndrome Awareness, they create an environment where all kids are celebrated.
Taking Kay to events like this fills my heart. But I’d be lying if I said diabetes wasn’t always lingering in the back of my mind. Honestly, when is it not on my mind? I’m constantly doing mental math—How many carbs are in this waffle? What about the strawberries? And if she adds whipped cream and sprinkles like she asked, do I dose for the full amount or just half in case she doesn’t finish? But what if she does eat it all, and her blood sugar spikes and stays high for hours?
I’m always checking her numbers, trying to keep her in range and avoid those stubborn highs. Even almost a year in, there’s still so much to learn. So while I love taking Kay to fun events and birthday parties, I also stress about how they’ll affect her blood sugar. Should I feed her before we go? Pack a separate meal? But will she even want it once she sees all the other options?
I never want diabetes to take away her childhood joys or make her feel different. I’ll always look for lower-carb alternatives, but I don’t want to restrict her so much that she misses out—or worse, that it leads to an unhealthy relationship with food down the line. I’ve already noticed her reacting when her phone alarm goes off. She’ll panic, grab it, and hand it to me. While I’m glad she’s beginning to understand that the sound means something important, it breaks my heart that she’s already developing that kind of stress response at just four years old.
Managing diabetes is overwhelming. It’s always on my mind. But I’m learning new strategies every day—ways to catch highs or lows earlier so we’re not riding the rollercoaster for hours afterward. I try to remind myself: one day at a time. That’s all I can do. And hopefully, with time, I’ll become even more confident in handling it—for Kay, and for myself too.