So I have a friend that was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes over the summer.

Holy heck it's been awhile! Sorry everyone, I got caught up with school. Now school will be over with for the semester in a month (Halelujia.) I hope everyone is okay and didn't miss me too much, (although, it's kinda nice to be missed ;) ).
I'm now a full year (number wise) older, and I hope a little wiser.

Anyway, before I get to the diabetic, let me just say that in Brass methods the first instrument we were on was the Tuba. I posted about the improbability of the book Karen's Tuba awhile back. Let me just reiterate it. I can NOT see a seven year old having much luck on that instrument being able to play HERE COMES THE BRIDE in just a matter of a few weeks.

Let's just say the Tuba and I did NOT get along.



Okay.

So there's a girl in Vocal jazz choir with me that's a freshman this year. We sit next to each other and share the same voice part (as in Soprano 2), so I've gotten to know her quite a bit. She was just diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes over the summer (or a little before? Whatever.) Having not really met anyone in person with Type 1 diabetes, I was loaded with all sorts of questions because of the Baby-Sitters club and the misinformation I KNOW I was given. (Well, the books DID come out in the 80's).

Like Stacey, she has an insulin kit that she carries around with her (not horribly big. Easily fits inside a moderate size purse). If i'm in the student lounge in the Hett around noon I can usually expect her to whip it out and test her blood sugar. Nah, it doesn't really faze me. I never got the BSC's "omg ew ew ew!" . Sometimes she does have to give herself an injection, but she's got a pen that doesn't look like an actual shot. With the pen she doesn't have to worry about getting rid of the bubbles and it's easier to do. She comes loaded with snacks. Last week she was having a "low" as she calls it (obviously, low blood sugar). It was around 54. Everyone pretty much knows of her situation, and since she was just diagnosed and is still getting used to the situation, everyone in the music department is pretty understanding. A friend of hers put food in the microwave and I called her piano teacher to let her know that she would be late because she had to eat. She said when she's having a low she's usually shaky. High blood sugar would resemble the symptons she had when she was diagnosed. Like Stacey, she'd be thirsty all the time, have to go to the bathroom a lot, etc.

She's on a fairly strict eating schedule. She has a watch that beeps when it's time for her to eat. During performance classes she can be seen eating a pudding cup or eating cheese of some sort. I asked her about eating M&Ms (If Stacey eats an M&M, she'll die!!). Although she has to be very careful about what she eats, one M&M is okay ;). Two won't kill her either, but it's pretty much dependent on the protein.

She'll be getting an insulin pump in December and is absolutely stoked to the point of giddy. She'll have more flexibility about when she eats (Like, she'll have to still eat breakfast, but on the weekends she doesn't have to get up just to eat breakfast. She can sleep in.). She's never read the Baby-Sitters club, and I plan on loaning her my copy of The Truth About Stacey. If I can only remember to bring it.