December 2, 2007

How you see youself

One of my friends over at Children With Diabetes (CWD) has started blogging about diabetes. He is an adult onset T1 and has a young T1 child. Great guy. Great perspective. Check out his blog www.diabetes360.blogspot.com

Both he and his wife participate in the CWD forums. I hope they come to one of the CWD conventions I am sure I would enjoy meeting them and we can always use more people at the pool side parties.

It common at CWD for parents to create user names that include their T1 child's name. For example Bobbysmommy would be Bob's mom. My friends wife, following this practice, is Emmasmom. Now here is an interesting choice he is Brensdad after his non diabetic son - right form his signature "Brenden, age 8 non-D. (That's where "Brensdad" comes from.)"

We are the parents of all our kids - even when the D kids take more maintenance. It is a dangerous trap to let the diabetes disproportionately distribute our parental attention. (How was that for alliteration?)

So hats off to Brensdad for making that distinction in his user name.

OK in all fairness there is also a Emmasdad at CWD but Brensdad signed up before Emmasdad or Brendensmom. Some times the who is who is it confusing - but I digress.

Diabetes puts enough strain on a family. Don't let diabetes care be seen as favoritism. No matter who you are or how you define yourself, be sure you are mom and dad to all the kids.

3 comments :

  1. If they'd quit having these conventions on the coasts we'd be there for sure. Doesn't anyone one to have a convention in say, Denver?

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  2. Good point on non D kids.
    Brenden and I have always been very close and I love him very much. We even have our own little handshake - punctuated with a loud "Buds!". That having been said, it is still very hard not to pay more attention to his "D" little sister. Part of that is the "D" factor, part of it is that she is a baby, and part of it is that she is so darned girlie-cute!

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  3. I am kel4han at CWD and Maddison is my "D" child.....the Han comes from Hannah, my 1st born, no "D".....I think the parents at CWD list the "D" childs name in the user name because that is why they are there silly!

    All of us "D" parents worry about the "D" child being too "specially treated" I think only a small portion of us parents actually treat them that way.

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