Monday, October 3, 2011

Badass D-Mamas

A couple months ago, someone wrote a blog post about dealing with Type 1 kids at a diabetes camp in the summer. The post went on to lament that some kids are 'pusses' (their words, not mine, and oh, it later got changed to 'wusses' - there, doesn't that make you feel better about your child??!!) because they may need EMLA cream when changing insulin pump sites, or that they may need hand holding, or they may need to lay down to change their site. The point of the post was to tell all of us D parents to buckle up, stop coddling the damn kids, stop creating these pusses and for Gods sake, it's not that bad, doesn't hurt and whoever the hell told you kids need special treatment???

Buckle up, ride the rodeo, stop whining, don't be a puss. Or a wuss.

Whew.

It got to me, that post. I think of it every now and then. And I think that the person who wrote it doesn't have an inkling of what it means to be a badass.

Yep, a BADASS.

I know some badasses. Specifically, some badass D-Mamas.
What makes a D-Mama a badass?
I will tell you.

If you raise more than one child with Type 1 in your family, you are a badass.

If you shoot skittles and other uppers into your hockey playing son and sit through practices, monitoring blood sugars like a honey badger, you are a badass.

If you tell it like it is, and ask others to create videos to help your son realize how great he is, you are a badass.

If you live thousands of miles away, but feel the same same, you are a European badass.

If you have kids with other conditions, and one with D, and you you rock it, you are a badass.

If you have your Type 1 son make videos, so he can help other Type 1 kids, you are a badass.

If your child changes his own insulin pump site, at his own pace, with support, you are a badass.

If you walk for diabetes and form a team, and 119 people show up for that team, you are a badass.

If you remind us all what we need to remember and know about being a DMama, you are a badass.

If you illustrate your life as a D Mama through gorgeous photos that show all parts of your sons life with D, you are a badass.

If you have one child with diabetes, then survive the diagnosis of another child, and maintain your sanity, you are a badass.

If your T1 daughter has a sleepover, and you go with her to let her have fun and feel like everyone else, you are a badass.

If you vlog about your daughters A1C with honesty and emotion, for all to see and to feel same same, you are a badass.

If you check your own blood sugar, to show teachers how to test blood sugar, you are a badass.

If your child has Type 1 and celiac, and you make sure they attend birthday parties, you are a badass.

If your child accepts their diabetes and wants to tell the world that it's OK, you are a badass.

If you share with others recipes that help your Type 1 child, you are a badass.

If you write gorgeous prose and write eloquently and honestly about having a Type 1 daughter, you are a badass D-Papa.

If you rock the shoes and a wicked sense of humor while caring for a Type 1 son, you are a badass.

If you parent a child who speaks up and says "I CAN have that!", you are a badass.

If you manage diabetes and have an 'off' day like everyone else, and everyone who reads it says 'same-same', you are a badass.

If you have sat in 504 meetings and worried about your son or daughter's care at school, you are a badass.

If you have pondered over which insulin pump to get and spent time researching them, you are a badass.

If your kitchen counter looks like all of our kitchen counters at days end, you are a badass.

If you yourself are Type 1, and you are raising a Type 1, you are such a badass.

If you have cried tears about your child's Type 1 diagnosis, and then dried them and moved on, you are a badass.

If you have ever been awake in the middle of the night, checking blood sugars, and decided to blog, you are a badass.

If you use EMLA cream on your child because that is what they need, you are a badass.

If your child lays down to change their pump site, because that is what they need, you are a badass.

If every day, you fight for what your child needs, their diabetic care and do what needs to be done, you are a badass.

If your child relies on you to change their pump site, because that is where they are at, you are a badass.

If your child needs to hold your hand, or hug you, or cry during their pump site change, and you recognize that, understand and provide a hand, a body or a shoulder on which to do so, you are such a badass.

If you encourage your child to do it themselves, when they are ready, in their good ole time, knowing, (much like the old they-won't-wear-diapers-to-college-saying), that they will not attend college with you changing their sites, you are a badass.

If you, every day, wake up, to do it all again, you are a badass.


I know there are tons more of you out there. Badass D-Mamas.
Tell me some more that you know. Provide the link in the comment section with your comment.

We should celebrate that WE are the badasses.

33 comments:

Heidi / D-Tales said...

Amen, sister! This tells it! Badasses are we indeed!!!! Love this post!

Stephanie said...

THIS IS THE BEST POST EVER!

We are total badasses.

And I have read that chick's blog and her attitude disgusts me. Check back in, lady, when YOU are the BADASS PARENT of a diabetic child!

Anonymous said...

Love this! I am not a badass, because I am not a D mama, but I love love LOVE all the Dmamas out there
(and I could pick out almost every one you mentioned just by description) who are making their kids super badasses as well...you guys rock!!

Joanne said...

WOO-HOO! I'm a badass!

GREAT post, fellow badass d-momma!

Nicole said...

If you make an awesome list of badasses and post it on your blog for the world to see and share...then your a badass blogging d-momma :)

Great post!

Our Diabetic Warrior said...

Great post!!!!!!!!!!!

Hallie Addington said...

I was gonna say what Nic said. :) She beat me! And she is right!

This made me smile. We ARE badasses. You don't mess with a D Mama.

It also made me cry. Because we do get up and do it all ov again. And so do our kids.

Now I gotta go out on some black leather and stuff...

Renata said...

Brought tears to my eyes....and gave me some new D-mommas to read about!

Denise aka Mom of Bean said...

Damn Straight, we are BADASSES!

love, love, love it!!

Unknown said...

Oh Penny, Penny, Penny. I think you just made my week...HELL...my month! I LOVE THIS POST. We are bad-asses. Our children are bad-asses. Part of being a bad-ass is having empathy and supporting our children as they struggle, grow, and evolve. That is a true BAD-ASS.

You, my friend, are QUEEN of the D' Mama BAD-ASSES. BTW, I don't think I have ever type the word "Bad-ass" so many times in one sitting as I am doing right now, here.

Love you!

Anonymous said...

And if you tear up while reading this post (ahem, who me?) you are still a badass!

Love not only all the links, but that you often take the time to build up so many of your d-mama friends.

Meri said...

That is it! I am no longer a D mom. I am a Bad Ass Mom!

You made me cry a little bit. Seeing everyone there all together makes me feel stronger.

Next time I feel defeated I'm going to repeat over and over..."I am a bad ass. I am a bad ass!"

Love you Penny! And thanks for this awesome post! You are right there on top of my badass list!

Tracy1918 said...

Penny you are fantastic! The best part about reading this great post was that I feel such a sense of community. I'm really not alone on this journey. We are all walking this road together. And we are amazing! ( Just trying to keep up with you!!)

Unknown said...

I'm a badass? ME?

I AM A BADASS!!!!!!! Penny said so :)

Thank you for this awesome post. Seriously...uniting bloggin' D Mamas in one place...it's brings a tear to my eye.

xoxoxo

So thankful to have so many other amazing Mamas to share this journey.

Denise said...

Such an awesome (and true) post. I am so lucky to know (even if just in my computer) all these BAD ASS Dmoms!!!

April Nothdurft Zieger said...

Here's to ALL of us Badasses!! We rock!!

Heather said...

Thank you!! I don't always feel like a bad ass but I needed to hear that today! You rock! :)

Anonymous said...

i do not have a diabetes child, but i know what it is to have an ill child and worry constantly and do what i have to do for him, and the person that said all that awful stuff should rot! all children are wonderful and special and i <3 them all! and may karma sneak right up on them!

Tonya Myre said...

I bet that other lady wouldn't have the balls to call me or my kid a puss in person. For her own safety she should keep hiding behind her chicken shit blog. Thank you for standing up for all of us and our bad assed kids!!!

Lori A. Willey said...

I'm not a D-mama, I am a D-gal, but still a bad ass who kicks ass, and I know you D-mama's got it right where you need it. All the time! I LOVE this, it makes me cry!!! Tears of joy, to know you ALL have your act together. D-mama's are the BEST!!

nicole Ellis said...

AMAZING!! just BADASS AMAZING!!

KerryC said...

I like the intention and the sentiment behind this post. But did you realise that the lady in question has T1 diabetes herself (grew up with it from childhood) and is married to her endo (who also has T1)? Perhaps she does know what it's like to be a "badass" but expresses herself differently to some others. Perhaps she was just looking for some support on that day - she definitely didn't get much.

Personally I like her style and her spirit, and I think she has a point - although it could be expressed far more sympathetically.

Sorry if I've offended anyone by commenting thus, but the recent conflict in the DOC is a real downer. Why bring this up again? You could have just listed the "badass" D-Mums above (who are all wonderful people and wonderful mothers and are all to be applauded indeed) without having a dig at anyone. Let's celebrate our achievements and our successes and stand together!

Tonya Myre said...

Fine, she had a bad day...but bad day or not, fellow type 1 or not, she'd get knocked down for calling my child a puss in person. We all have bad days, but to judge others in the process, especially a child!, is unacceptable and indicates her lack of bad assedness and speaks volumes of her pussyfied character.

Unknown said...

I love this post it so true we are all BADASS moms of diabetic kids. Makes me so mad when I hear of others almost making fun of the kids with D. I know i have fought my fair share of fight with people about it.

shannon said...

i totally played the 'guess where the link goes' game while reading your list. a whole buncha bad asses up in here. :)

Lora said...

YOU, my friend, are a BADASS!!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE this post!!!!

Here's to badass d-mama's raising some badass kids :}

Misty said...

Love this Penny! Thanks for uniting the baDass mamas here. You rock!

Jules said...

i feel right at home here with my fellow badass d-mamas and papas and... great post xx.

LaLa said...

I love being a bad ass with you! This is my most favorite post ever --- totally needed it so much today.

I love you, Sweet Penny.

Don't let anyone glitter on your parade baby --- you are a bad ass for being honest and putting it all out there!

Michelle said...

Great post! Lots of badass D-mamas out there...love them all!!!

Kimberly said...

Love this post!!!! Thanks for including me in your badassness!!!! I am still clueless on what happened or what was posted...as usual. But I still love the post!

Anonymous said...

Thank you from one badass to another badass! XXXOOO

Steve said...

Love being part of this D-awesome, kick-ass crowd. Thank you so much for including me.

Also, enjoyed sharing space with you today over at A Sweet Life!