Fast Forward

The end of the school year chaos sneaks up on me every year.  Hence the lack of blog content this week.  At some point every May, weeks become a blur of school, softball games, day trips, school parties, after school parties, pool parties, field days, recitals, concerts, carnivals, field trips, impromptu after dinner walks, backyard games, gardening and so much more.  It feels as though the fast forward button has been pressed.

Life takes on a regular rhythm during the school year and then a different, but similarly predictable pattern in the summer. We're not opposed to the occasional early dinner or spur-of-the-moment scooter ride, but there remains a comforting regularity to our days.  A loose schedule of meals and activity is helpful.  In the absence of schedule we must keep a closer eye on diabetes. If we don't, it can easily get lost in the shuffle or stage an untimely outburst, derailing our plans.

Each of  these spring days requires a different game plan, both logistics-wise, and diabetes-wise.  Some mornings, I can look at the calendar and map out an approach.  On other days, spontaneity wins.

On the day of the 9 a.m. class party, we'll negotiate a lighter breakfast and lunch attempting to account for the carb-heavy treats in between.

Before the day-long field trip, we'll try to find out the lunch schedule, but will be aware it's not set in stone.  I'll send plenty of test strips and glucose tabs and sound like a broken record with reminders to check often throughout the day.

 Then there will be days like this: 'PLEASE can we go to the carnival today?  EVERYONE is going this afternoon!!!"  Suddenly, there will be unplanned walking, ride-induced adrenaline, and a bag of powdered-sugar covered zeppoles will appear 'for everyone to share.' 

Or we'll decide to take a walk to the park in the afternoon, run into a friend, and dinner time will arrive with nothing on the table.

It's all fun, don't get me wrong.  I love the longer evenings.  It feels good to come out of hibernation and become reacquainted with nature and neighbors.  The concerts, softball games, parties and carnivals are all the stuff that makes childhood particularly wonderful.

So we do it all, the best we can, while all the time dragging diabetes behind us like a disagreeable toddler, determined not to let it have its way.