Wandering Around Town

The latest bit of independence I've allowed my daughter is the freedom to wander around town with a friend or two.  The middle school is in the middle of town, and our house is just a few blocks from the main drag.  After school, the girls will sometimes stop to buy a snack before walking home.  On a half day or a weekend, they may walk around the park or go for lunch. 

We had this past Wednesday off for Yom Kippur.  My daughter and a friend walked around the park in the afternoon and headed home via the convenience store.

The phone rang an hour and a half into this expedition.

"I just stopped to check and I'm 62.  We're sitting on the grass at the edge of the empty lot."

"You had juice?"

"Yes- a whole box and I bought mini York Peppermint Patties at the store.  The whole bag is...let me check..."

"49,"  piped up a familiar voice in the background.

"Yup...49 grams...thanks. I'm only going to eat about half of it.  It's a lot."

"O.k.  Stay there for another few minutes and check to make sure you're coming up.  Then you should probably bolus for some of the candy if you're going to eat it on the way home or you'll end up high."

She was fine.  She was fine because she stopped to check her blood sugar.  But also because she had a friend with her.  A friend who knew about her diabetes, and who'd even learned to read a nutrition label.

I worry about her wandering around out there without a diabetes-savvy adult.  But in a way, I'm happy when something does go awry.  Because it gives her a chance to prove she can take care of it, and because it's so reassuring to know that her friends have her back.