Monthly Archives: July 2012
Scared
This post is about a recurring fear that goes through my mind. It is something that I think of often, but may not be entirely justified. If you, or someone you know, is actually living the part of the person I fear becoming, please don’t let this post scare or discourage you. You are incredible, and your dedication to your children is inspirational. I may need to lean on you for support someday.
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“Daddy! Daddy!” came the call from my 5 1/2 year-old-son’s room (we’ll call him “Jay”) last night, at 1:30 in the morning. “I’m thirsty, can you get me a drink of water?”
He chugged his cup of water, and went back to sleep. Meanwhile, I lied awake in bed for an hour, worrying about just why he was so thirsty.
Ernest Sterzer, survivor
Yesterday, Kayla Brown of Kayla’s Life Notes wrote a blog post titled “Just a Reminder…” and linked to the story of Ernest Sterzer. Mr. Sterzer was diagnosed with diabetes (Type 1, though it wasn’t called that at the time) at the age of three, just a few short years after Dr. Banting’s discovery of insulin. When he was thirteen, at the start of World War II, he and his family were captured by Nazis and he lived the hell they imposed throughout his teenage years. Somehow, he survived this awful part of our world’s history.
I find this story so captivating; maybe it’s because of the diabetes angle, or maybe because certain branches in my own family-tree abruptly stop at this genealogical time-point. Whatever the reason, it strikes a very personal chord with me.
Reunited, and it feels so good
My high school graduating class totaled 200 students, give or take. Of the 200, three of us had Type 1 diabetes. I had it the longest, since first grade, and the other two got it sometime around sixth. It wasn’t something we talked about much – we all were in different social circles, and in those years (teenage years, late 80s/early 90s), diabetes wasn’t something that you wore on your sleeve – literally or figuratively.
Rolling in the D 