Are you alive?

I woke up at 1:30am in a panic. I had had one of those dreams that you are being chased and was still a little freaked as I tried to get my bearings. One of my rules is that if I wake up for no reason I need to test my son.  He had probably only gone to bed just before I woke. Did I really need to test him? Well, a rule is a rule and it has served me well all of these years....

Off to his room I went. As I fumbled around with the meter he woke and stared at me.  "What are you doing?"

"Testing you."

"I just did that."

"How long ago?"

"Around 12:30 or so"

"Well I am doing it again. Its your fault for waking me up. I had a nightmare. We were being chased so now I am awake to test you."

I could see him silently thinking that I was nuts but whatever worked for me. He rolled over and the meter said that he was fine.

Two hours later I woke again. I got up and headed to his room.  He had been in that absolutely perfect range that makes me nervous so I wanted to see where he was then.

I fumbled with meters and made a mess of things. My son again woke up.

"What are you doing? You just tested me five minutes ago!"

"Actually it was two hours ago and I was just checking to make sure that you were alive."

"Oh. Was I low?"

After the words left my mouth and I heard his response, I wanted to cry. It was an innocent phrase that I would say to anyone.  I  simply meant that I wanted to check to see that he was okay.  In his reality, the statement was to be taken literally.  He was matter of fact in asking about his readings. I was so sad to think that this is our lives...fear of lows and the reality of death every time his eyes are closed.

Once again wishing for a cure to take away fears that should not be.