Diabetes is facing your own mortality on a daily basis, looking it in the eye, and saying not today! How can you stomach hearing a 9 year old, who just brought home straight A's for another semester say "As long as I live to find the cure". Not until a cure is found, as long as he lives to find a cure for everyone else.
If diabetes has succeeded to accomplish anything in my son's life, it is this. We now have a determined, SMART young man, out there wanting to be the one who finds a cure. We will have a doctor who will stop at nothing but to have no more fighting diabetes for his patients. How can you hate a disease that has created this individual.
Before diabetes he was still destined to save others, he was still going to make a difference. That was because he wanted to serve his country. But since Diabetes has taken that option away from him, he is now destined to serve others just like him, and make their lives better.
Have you stopped and thought about your own mortality and what it would be like for those around you? Chances are you may have from time to time, chances are you have even come to terms with dying. But try being a child who has come to terms with dying. A child who hasn't even really lived yet. I can as an adult living 30 healthy years so far, come to terms with my own mortality. But I cannot fathom or even consider coming to terms with my son's mortality. Some people may think I'm strong, and from time to time I consider myself to have gone through hell, and bounced back looking forward to what's ahead, and for that I am strong. But I have no where the amount of strength that my 9 year old boy has. He lays his head on a pillow every night, knowing full well he may not wake up in the morning. That is hard for me to swallow, but imagine being a child and having to swallow that.
I write this not for those that have diabetes, because they have lived this, some of them as children, and are still living it. I write this for others who do NOT understand just what diabetes is, and what it does. Take a moment to think about everything. Try living your life from this moment forward like someone with diabetes does. Go to bed thinking you may not wake up in the morning, so it is your duty to live your life to the fullest, not to let any opportunity pass, and fill your day with nothing short of pure awesomeness, and make a difference in the lives of others.
Our kiddos continue to teach us lessons every day. Their strength is inspirational!
ReplyDeleteHi misty! Thank you for commenting. Most definitely ! It's amazing how strong they are and what seems to not bother them now.
DeleteBridget, this is an amazing post. It's a heavy topic, yet you've managed to fill it with hope and desire. Your son sounds incredible. I can't wait to see him on TV talking about way back when he cured diabetes. :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you Scott! He's definitely dedicated to finding a cure. He always wanted to be in the military, when Diabetes came into his life, the doctor told him "You can do anything you want to do except be in the military". He was needless to say devastated. But he's got a new goal and career path in mind. And I know if he puts his mind to it he can achieve it.
DeleteI live it daily as well, since I was 5 and I will be 50 this year. I lost my twin sister 20 years ago this coming May to complications. I also had an out of body experience during a really bad low and almost did not make it back. Any time I feel that "sinking" feeling I never know if my time is up or not. Sucks that no matter how good you try - there is no perfect way to live with Diabetes. We hae to just keep on trying and going day after day.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading and commenting Sue. I cannot imagine how it feels to experience the lows and the highs. I am sorry you lost your sister to this horrible disease as well. We have twin girls and at such a young age (2) they are connected more than we know, so I can imagine how hard that was. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
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