Somehow we make it through.

A fellow t1d mom and I were talking about the difficulty in managing the endless amount of 'stuff'. 


OK, let me be honest.  I was really whining about how it seems like I am constantly toting a bag of medical junk.  And if I am not physically toting it, I am thinking about the two girls that will be and strapping survival bags to their petite frames.


Hey, one of us has to be prepared.  What is that warning about kids bearing too much weight in their back packs??  Weight load, schmeight load.  I kid, I kid.  Sort of. 


It.is.exhausting.  Who wants to pack like they are living for doomsday?


Yet, this is not a new problem.  It happened when we first had babies.  Remember those enormous diaper bags?  It became worse when the toddler years came along with bottoms that spouted like faucets while potty training AND never-quite-full-requiring-you-to-pack-a-mini-fridge tummies.  Around grade school, however, most of my parenting friends were able to ditch the suitcases and start carrying impossibly tiny and adorable handbags.  I think one of my besties even got away with a cell phone pouch with two types of ID delicately tucked away.  Her purse was so small, it could actually dangle from her wrist.  Yes. Really.  I am still jealous! 


The ongoing baggage issue is the same for all of us with kids that live with type 1 diabetes.  Like plotting strategy in a game of chess, we are anticipating and hoping to predict the outcome. Thus, the need to pack it all, just in case. That tricky type 1 diabetes!  You just never know in a world full of highs and lows!


The interesting part of all of this brain packing wizardry is that sometimes it works and sometimes, unforeseen issues thwart our attempts - BUT SOMEHOW WE MAKE IT THROUGH!


That's right.  We make it through.  I don't know how exactly, but we do. 


At that moment in our conversation, we suddenly realized that the most successful moments in the world of type 1 diabetes happen after veering off-course.  And we shared a few of our favorite stories.


Like when we went swimming and realized that the sticky side of the infusion set wasn't going to hold for much longer and we were also out of IV3000.  That taught us that in a pinch, duct tape from the kids craft project will keep the site on until we can finish the drive home.


Or when we forgot to bring tweezers and an itty bitty wooden splinter had somehow worked its way into the bottom of a tender toe.  That taught us that we could use a sterile lancing device to carefully work out the sliver of wood - without tears too.


And the time the bee sting hurt so much that we were glad to have a bit of EMLA (numbing cream) crammed into the bottom of our purse.


I would be remiss without sharing my personal all-time favorite story which was the time when we were too far from home to get back without missing the fun and we realize that we have NO more insulin for oldest daughter's pump... so we hooked up the second sister and let her have a bolus or two until we could get back. 


(Disclosure:  clearly I am not a doctor, nor am I advising you to do this.  Consult your endo if you find yourself without insulin)


On this journey, we will always be learning as we go.  Maybe that makes a bit more interesting. 


If you have any stories to share, please feel free to leave them in the comments or on our facebook page at facebook.com/naturallysweetsisters