Over the past few days, I've read quite a few "discussions" online about whether or not to test your diabetic child at night. Parents of children with diabetes are a passionate bunch...we have strong beliefs, strong feelings, and strong experiences...so naturally, when it comes to something like this...we all feel the need to put our two cents in.
I am all for expressing your opinions. I am all for listening to what you have to say and hearing about what your reasons are for checking at night or not checking at night. I am an information addict. From the moment Emma was diagnosed, something switched in me....I needed to know everything...absolutely everything there was to know about type 1 diabetes. It made me feel better I guess....to have all of that information in my back pocket. It was a comfort. It made me feel like I had some sort of handle on things and some sort of control over the situation placed before me.
My personal belief is that I wouldn't go more than 6 hours without checking Emma's blood sugar during the day...so why would I at night? I feel like I would rather take the 5 seconds to check her number and see what it is and go to sleep feeling ok with where things are at....as opposed to blindly trusting that the basal rates I have set are perfect and the number will stay even all night. Again, that is simply my own personal opinion.
The thing that I don't agree with is all of the arguing that I have read lately about this topic. I feel bad for the newly diagnosed parents happening across these debates and getting overwhelmed...or scared...or confused...or swayed...or misled. I read comments from some parents that come across as attacking those that choose to check during the night. They seem to belittle these parents by calling them paranoid...or OCD...or even crazy. These parents...like myself...that choose to check overnight, are left feeling hurt and like they need to defend their actions. On the flip side, I read comments from some parents that seem to attack others for not checking...saying that they don't get it, they aren't good parents because they are putting their child at risk, they are naive, they are blindly trusting their doctors or nurses and having too much faith in a disease that is more often than not usually unpredictable. These parents that don't check must be left feeling attacked and like everyone thinks they are ill-informed and that the world thinks they are horrible neglectful parents.
I wish everyone could take a deep breath....pause for a second before they choose to unleash their fury on the keyboard in front of them...and try....just try to see things from the other side. We are all in this together. We are all individuals fighting the same thing. We are all unique in our approach at fighting this. We are all doing what we feel is best for our children. We are all different. Instead of turning things into a debate causing hurt feelings and harsh words.....I think we should all have respect for the fact that we are doing this...we are all living it every single second of every single day.
I guess I just wish people would choose their words more carefully. Think back to where your mind was at during those first few days...it's a scary place, right? Choose your words carefully...gently...kindly...because you never know who might happen to log online in that exact moment and wind up having your words be the first thing they find after being thrust into this life with diabetes.
Great post! People need not to argure over points like this. We all must be cognisant in these facebook groups of newly diagnosed people reading them. We were all to easly influenced in the first few month of the T1 journey. Thanks for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. I recently left one such board due to the amount of dramatics happening on it. We've been at this for two and a half years. While I learned a lot on the board, I certainly don't appreciate emotional arguments/personal attacks based on what works for you and your child.
ReplyDeleteAMEN! Its okay to share your opinion, but not okay to tear someone down for theirs.
ReplyDeleteI.cant.stand.that!
Like you, I feel that if I wouldn't go that long during the day... why would I do it at night? It is what works for OUR family. What someone else chooses to do with theirs, is just that, their choice. It is what is right for THEM.
We should not be passing judgement on those we are suppose to be supporting.