The old bait and switch!

Last night I laid in bed and realized that my son could easily be a used car salesman...any salesman. He could probably sell ice to Eskimos. 

Exam week for both of my boys is next week. I have said that I am glad that they live in two different homes because my stress level for both of them would be through the roof. For my oldest...well this is for all of the marbles. Its his final set of final exams in high school.  For my younger son, its his last set of exams before he officially begins his high school years. Either way, I will worry and I fret knowing that both of them can do well and praying that they won't cave under pressure.

It was this mindset that took me into my son's room last night. We went over his science information. He aced it. How was math coming along? They had had extra periods and he had a firm grasp of the concepts.  I asked him about social studies. He didn't have any books to study with...he hadn't bothered to bring them home yet but he swore that he knew what he needed to study. I told him to bring home books!

I then moved on to  diabetes care and his glucometer. "How have your readings been?"

"Pretty good actually.  Well, except for that last reading. That one was pretty high but I am sure it was an error. I think there was something on my hands."

"Did you retest?"

"Yeah, but it still read kind of high.  There is no worries about my social studies Mom. Its all about World War Two and I know it cold.  I know everything there is to know about Hitler. He was born in April of 1889.  His mother died of breast cancer when he was 16 and his father was dead when he was 12...." and the conversation went on. He wowed me with his intricate knowledge of the life and times of one of the most evil men to walk our planet.  He continued right up until the time of Hitler's suicide, highlighting salient points and noting theories such as his cruelty was driven by the damage syphilis had caused to his brain.

I left his room amazed and impressed. If he was right and this was the focus of his exam, well he will ace it! As my head hit the pillow I realized that I had been duped. I had fallen for the old "bait and switch" and swallowed it hook, line and sinker.  I never asked if he had checked his pump. I never asked if he had corrected. I never asked when the last site change was. He managed to move my mind away from the issue of why he was high. I just listened to the huge wealth of information that he had in his head with pride and blissfully left the room.

At 1:30am, I woke wondering if we would pay for me being snookered and my son would still be high.  Sure enough, Mr. 22 (400) was still rearing its ugly head!  I checked his pump and he should have changed his infusion site days before. I got my own revenge as I prepared his exposed arm and did a site change right there and then.

I stumbled back into bed and shook my head.  Yes, my son had managed to wow me with his knowledge of history and distract me from his poor diabetes care with the ease of the slickest of sales men.  He may need to rethink his career plans yet!