Diabetes Hero

Our last prompt for Diabetes Blog Week is to blog about a "Diabetes Hero".  Again, there are so many of them out there.  Jeff Hitchcock remains a hero for all that he has done for children with diabetes and their parents. Without his website, I would not have met the many Parents of Diabetes who also remain at the top of my hero list. 

I have never really been one into the "hero" concept.  So many people struggle each day.  So many people do amazing things. They awe me.  They may make me proud to know them but what really is a hero? I headed off to Google once again to search for a definition. They defined a hero as "a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds or noble qualities."

I began to think of my sons...first they were male so that allows them into the category but did they fit the rest of the definition? Are they courageous or do they have amazing abilities? Yes, they fit there too.

My youngest son has faced diabetes with courage every day since he was two years old.  We have had our battles but he rarely ever cried when injected. I never had to chase or bribe him to test him...until he was older.  He inserts his infusion sets with only the occasional bit of theatrics (that I am sure are well founded but I won't tell him that).  He has faced blood tests and blood squirting across the table from "gusher" sites.  He nobly sits through diabetes conferences despite not wanting to be there.  He rarely, if ever tells me that he hates diabetes. Its part of his life. He is quiet about it. He does not like to bring attention to himself or his diabetes but that is just him. He is my strong, silent son.  

My older son doesn't have diabetes but he has had to live with it in the house nonetheless. He has had the ability to watch out for his younger brother when in school and help teachers make diabetes related decisions.  He has gone to diabetes conferences as well and made the most of them, making friends and becoming a part of the events.  He has not grumbled much about the energy his mother puts into diabetes advocacy and knows that when he needs help on his own issues, I am there as well.  He is patient. He is kind. He is confident and outgoing. He treats his brother like anyone else.  He torments him when high.  He brings him juice when he is low. 

My boys have handled diabetes in our lives with as much poise and grace as can be expected.  They have not screamed or truly rebelled. They have made it a part of their lives, rolling with each new challenge and forging ahead. They are my Diabetes Heroes.