School’s out for the summer! While Kay will be attending Extended School Year (ESY), it doesn’t begin until the end of June. I went back and forth on whether or not to sign her up—because every kid deserves a break—but ultimately, I decided to enroll her. Kay truly loves school, and I really believe the routine helps her thrive.
Thankfully, she still gets some downtime in the meantime. No early wake-ups (even though she’ll probably still be up early anyway—ha!), and no rush to get out the door for school.
What made the decision easier was finding out that her teacher’s aide will also be part of the ESY program. That bit of consistency will be so comforting for Kay, especially since she’ll have a new teacher she isn’t familiar with yet. As much as she loves school, I’ll admit—I was a little nervous about how she’d handle that change. But knowing someone she trusts will be there gives me peace of mind.
Interestingly, Kay was originally signed up for ESY last summer, too. But just a few weeks before it began, she was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. I ended up reaching out to her teacher to cancel her spot so we could spend the summer learning everything we could about her diagnosis and how to manage it.
And now… I can’t believe we’re coming up on a full year since that day. In some ways, the time has flown, and in others, it’s felt like a lifetime. I’ve learned so much—but I’m still no expert. And I’ve come to realize, maybe I never will be. And that’s okay. Diabetes is constantly changing. No two days are alike.
I’ve read stories from others that confirm what I’ve seen firsthand: you can give the same amount of insulin for the same meal at the same time every day, and your blood sugar can still react completely differently. So many factors are at play beyond just food. That’s something I never thought about before Kay’s diagnosis. I never realized how much the pancreas actually does—or how hard it works, every minute of every day. But now I do. Now, I absolutely get it.
Here’s to nearly one year of navigating diabetes—through all the highs and lows, the lessons, the wins, and the setbacks. Thank you for being here and letting me share both the celebrations and the challenges along the way.