We are 42 weeks down the road today. It has been incredibly difficult at times and it seems as though we still have so much to learn. We have made the decision to transition our daughter to an insulin pump. We feel as though this is her best chance of minimising any possible long term complications.
Our daughter created a list of what she wanted in a pump and what was going to work for her. This was a great strategy because when she had the opportunity to look and hold the pumps, she already had an idea of what she was looking for. We told her that the pump has to work for you. Not the other way around. We don’t want her to feel as though she has no control over her diabetes. She can manage it to a certain extent and we want her to feel empowered to do so.
It was our daughter that came to the decision that she was ready for a pump. I couldn’t have been more proud. It is not an easy choice to make for a 14 year old girl. At this age, girls don’t want to be different and they don’t want to stand out. Unfortunately, my daughter doesn’t have a choice. She is different but wow, what a difference having a T1D diagnosis has meant for her.
She now sees the world in a different way. She takes opportunities despite being afraid. She uses her voice to ask for what she needs and she understands that things don’t always go your way. She has days when having T1D is really hard. There are also days when it really doesn’t interfere too much. She has matured into a beautiful, more confident young lady.
All this, thanks to T1D.