To understand type 1 diabetes is to understand a life of schedules, “diet” food, shots, meters, medicine, and more. The American Diabetes Association defines it like this: “Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, and was previously known as juvenile diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar (glucose), starches and other food into energy needed for daily life.”
It can be managed but not cured. This autoimmune disease is difficult for the person stricken with it; to know they struggle with it takes understanding from everyone around them. There is a lot of chemistry that goes on in the body and when it gets out of control it makes life hard.
Having a parent with a disease is never easy-it means having compassion, understanding, and knowing that it’s ok to get mad sometimes. I have a parent with type 1 diabetes (lets abbreviate – t1d). So the things that I write will be from the kid point of view. I hope to offer tips and suggestions for families that have t1d in their lives. I’m not a shrink or doc so use advice – as on any site – to your discretion. I’m just a person with experience willing to share if it might help. -pm