When Is Enough Enough?

After our last endocrinologist appointment at the end of the school year, we decided it was time to look into a continuous glucose monitoring system.  We also decided that we'd wait until fall.  This decision honored my daughter's concerns about having things stuck all over her during bathing suit season as well as my concerns about keeping things adhered to her during the season of water and sand. 

At the end of the summer we visited the orthodontist.  The idea of some kind of braces sometime in the future transformed into definite braces this January.  These won't be just run of the mill braces.  We left the appointment understanding that she will be chewing with only her four back teeth for between eighteen  months and two years, and that she will be wearing head gear, thankfully only at night.

So here she is...about to turn twelve.  She's growing quickly, and at that adorable-only-to-parents awkward, gangly stage. She already has an insulin pump toggled to her at all times.  She already has to carry around a bag full of accouterments everywhere she goes.  Now we're going to fill her mouth with metal, make eating anything coarser than applesauce a challenge and attach head gear to her at night.

Can you see why her enthusiasm about the CGM is waning?  Tacking on another bionic piece and adding another item to her already overloaded purse doesn't sound so appealing, no matter the benefits.  Lets add that it will probably beep at the most humiliating times.

Can you see why, if she knew anything about 70's television, she would be asking why we want to turn her into the bionic woman? 

We'll still proceed with the CGM.  Once those crazy braces go on, it will probably be even more important to keep a closer eye on those blood sugar numbers, at least until she gets used to eating with them. 

But from a psychosocial perspective, I'm reluctant.  Everyone's awkward at 12.  How much equipment can we adhere to her before the balance tips from awkward to crazy robot girl?  When is enough enough?