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| We're here! |
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| The beautiful road that leads to camp. |
It's July and that only means one thing, well actually two things, in Grace's world. One, her birthday and two, diabetes camp. She just returned from a week away at Camp Setebaid. Of course Lily was there with her, what would camp be without her DBFF (Diabetes BFF)!
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| The annual 'exchanging of the gifts.' |
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| In front of their cabin, Sproul. |
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| The annual goofy shot. |
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| The recreation of their first picture together, 7 years ago. |
We did the usual drop off. She handed over all her supplies. I told them she is independent in her care. If they want to know what to do about a high or a low, just ask her. Her doctor was very nice, dutifully wrote down what I told her about carb ratios, temp basals, correction factors and the like. I wished them luck as I always do.
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| Darn right they lug their own stuff to their cabin! |
In her cabin, I helped to make her bed, which of course was right across from Lily's bed, so they could look at each other and chat all night long. No top bunk for Grace this year. I think how wonderful it is to have someone you love so much as a friend that you want to stay awake all night talking to them.
Fast track to six days later. Pick up day. Grace spots me getting out of the car in the parking lot and runs to me and hugs me. That never changes. I am warmed in my heart that she loves to see me. I've missed this sweet goof. Soon we group hug - Grace, Lily, me and Lily's mom. The gang's all here.
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| The 'after' camp pick up photo. |
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| The response to 'Where's your sites?' |
She is sweaty and dirty and smells a bit. And it's all good.
'Did you have a good time?'
'Yes, a good week. It was HOT.'
The end of camp brings a circle of campers and counselors. They make announcements, and they sing their songs. Some are half hearted attempts, but they all sit together in a circle. Pumps everywhere. They all look tired and done with it, but it occurs to no one to not try and sing the songs, even if you mouth the words. They sing one that involves a dance challenge to cabin after cabin, and they stand and dance when their cabin is called. Dutifully, as if it's a Godgiven automatic that one stands when one's cabin is called. This is camp.
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| Everyone sign along! |
We collect her medical supplies and check out. Grace tells me her doctor in her cabin changed her insulin to carb ratio during the week. It has made Grace upset, as she ran pretty high at times because of the I:C change. Grace tells me she should have spoken up about it. I reassure her they were just doing their best to keep her from going low. She was 1:8 for her carb ratio when I dropped her off and it's been changed to 1:20. I ask her doctor about it when we check out, and she explains why. It's not what I would have done, but they are in charge for the week. I explain another way of dealing with exercise and it's impact on BG, including temp basals. But part of camp is letting them be in charge, correct? Camp is a learning experience for me too.
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| Grace's spreadsheet of her BGs at camp. |
Her pod is falling off and I suggest we do a quick pod change before we hit the road. A clear table and three minutes, and we are on our way.
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| Three minutes, tops. |
Grace and Lily hug goodbye, for now. Grace hugs friends and counselors and says 'thank you' again and again. Soon, we are pulling out of the lot and picking up our goodbye backpack.
On the ride home, Grace tells me she already misses camp. Like 'I want to go back to camp right now, Mom' missing. I laugh and she does too. She tells me it's the tired talking.
I ask what she learned this year at camp.
'I learned I should speak up when someone tries to change my insulin to carb ratio.'
Diabetes camp, good for learning self-advocacy skills too.
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| What a great group of gals! |
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| Community |
