Saturday was my first meeting of the local Juvenile Diabetes Type 1 Parent Support Group.
That is not the official name..in fact, I don't know that there is an official name.
Hmm...Let me think about a good one, I'll get back to you.
I have never been a "joiner"- I hated Girl Scouts, I could NOT sell those cookies door to door, so this goes wayyy back. But I thought I should try because I am finding that I need the support of people who have been where I am now.
No one likes a Debbie Downer, and so I think people around me expect me to be upbeat and say that things are going great, and that diabetes is no big deal. It's easier and easier allllll the time.
But it isn't.
It's hard every single day. There is SOMETHING every single day. I can't talk to most people about this because they don't really want to hear it.
And I get that.
But our reality is hard. My son's reality is hard.
It's not going to go away. We will find ways to manage. We will find ways to adapt, but there will always be SOMETHING.
I thought this group would be a good way to network.
Back in Uptown, I did a lot of networking..............today was not like THAT kind of networking believe me. Although by the end, I could have used just a smidgeon of wine..just a smidgeon..
Group dynamics are interesting. The members seem to fall in to several categories. There's always a loony loose member, a "I can one up you and your story" member, a quiet, passive martyr member, and the LEADER.
I am none of the above right now, mind you. I was the "observer" member, I guess.
Each of the gals had a child about Keegan's age. Most had been diagnosed in the last year or two.
Everyone was pleasant and welcoming. Everyone had a little tiny cloud of sadness above her head. It's something I've come to realize about meeting parents of Type 1 kids. Everyone smiles, affirms, welcomes, shares, but every single ONE has a little pain and sadness that you can almost reach out and touch..
It's inevitable. We don't want to see our kids suffer. We don't want our kids to be chronically ill.
For the most part, I enjoyed the meeting. I mean I didn't LOVE it, but it wasn't BAD.
I think it would be easier to meet over wine than coffee, and I think if I stay, I will suggest it. Caffeine just keys people up. Alcohol is a niiiiice mellower...
We didn't talk THAT much about Keegan. Well, I couldn't because the one upper asked a lot of questions just so that she could get to her stories and the leader was really excited about the fact that her husband had gotten rid of the old mini van and was upgrading to a used Mercedes...................................................
I kept my mouth shut during the ENTIRE mini van vs other forms of transportation conversation.
I didn't need to make enemies on the first day.
However, 40 minutes of talk about luxury sedans got a little old...just sayin'.
The loony loose member was probably my favorite. At least she told stories about her naughty kids and wanted to go drink wine sometime.
I came away from the meeting feeling better in some ways and worse in others. It's hard to talk about Keegan's diabetes because it's still so new and raw and painful. There are so many things I don't know yet.
I am sure I will never get to "one upper" status, but it will be nice to be a little more confident someday.
I was grateful to have a group to share my story with. I was sad that I had a story to tell.
This is just part of the journey. I know.
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