Another Step Towards Growing up

My first question to my son each morning when he reaches the breakfast table is "What was your reading this morning?" There are a number of reasons for this greeting. First is the fact that he has been known to get up, eat his breakfast and forget to test.  Another reason is that he also will forget to prebolus when he is high before breakfast or correct for a reading that is high but he thinks is okay.

This morning he hadn't tested when he woke. I said it should be done before he leaves his bed each morning. He said he was too tired. He had been up for over an hour last night because of a high.

Whoa! What? How did I miss this? Was this before I tested him? Was it when he first went to bed? Did he need to do a new site? What was going on? Instead of peppering him with all of those questions, I first asked "What time were you so high? and what is high?  I had tested and corrected a 20 (360) at 2:30am maybe we need to do something." 

He explained that he was up at 4:30 and his bg level was up to 25 (450).  He had air in his cartridge that was creating all of the havoc.  He was pretty sure he had fixed the issue but it took him an hour (so he claims) and he was not a happy camper this morning. He proceeded to correct the 14 (255) that he was down to and bolus for his breakfast. 

I watched him both proud and sad.  He had woken up (at least he wakes for highs if nothing else).  He had taken charge of his care at a time when we all want to sleep instead of engage our mind.  He had not come and woke me up.  He dealt with this on his own as he had been taught.

He is not yet 15.  He should not have to be getting up at 4:30am to fight with air getting into his body.  He should not have to feel the ramifications of a high blood glucose level.  He should not know what any of this means and how dangerous it can be. 

But he did. But he does. This is his life. This is his disease. This is part of growing up as a child with diabetes...and I still hate it.