T1D Perks

Thank you to Mott's Childrens Hospital and Dreams and Wings!

In living with type 1 diabetes for such a long time, the girls have discovered that sometimes, there are certain fun things that come along with having an autoimmune disease.

We call those fun moments 'T1d perks'.

That ability to understand that having T1d perks is also a wonderful coping mechanism helps to stop the burn-out from answering those 800 daily questions that living in the T1d world demands.  

A couple of weeks ago, we visited our local airport, courtesy of Dreams and Wings through U of M Mott's Childrens Hospital to tour their helicopters and take a flight over the town in a little four-seater airplane.  Since the event was through the hospital, children from all over attended.  Some were diagnosed with T1d and some were diagnosed with other ailments.  All were excited to be there.

That T1d perk not only brought smiles to everyone that attended, but also lifted up my girls and gave them another view of how many different diseases and struggles that many children (and adults) face.  

This is not to say that it diminshes what they go through while living with T1d, but it reinforces empathy and compassion for others.  Everyone has something....

By the days end, both of my girls left convinced that they are sure of their future calling and surprisingly with as much fun as they had, it wasn't becoming a pilot. 

Both daughters explained that they decided to pursue a position within the medical field.  My oldest daughter spoke quietly about becoming a doctor and the youngest said that she wanted to "Do something with research.  There has to be an answer to 'why', mama."

It's too early to tell for sure, but my hope is that they do continue to follow the road that leads to happiness.  That would be the best T1d perk!