It is truly a blessing to be chosen as a child’s godmother. It’s a privilege to share in the up-bringing of another child while the parents shoulder the heavy lifting. It’s an honor to be chosen to be an active participant in the faith journey of that child. So, why does it suck?
In November of 2012 my godson, Will, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Of course, upon getting the call, I sprinted to the hospital, comforted my friends, and hugged Will. I remember thinking: they will get his blood sugar in control and then he’ll just get a shot once a day to regulate his insulin. Right? I wish.
I knew nothing about this chronic, life-altering disease: the testing 10 to15 times a day, shots to take you up, shots to take you down, getting up EVERY 2 hours EVERY night, counting carbs, formulas, and, oh yeah, the fear. Fear that permeates each day for my friends when they go to bed at night. Fear that now creeps into my godson’s mind when he thinks about his future: playing sports, driving, taking tests, being treated differently by his friends.
It sucks watching one of my best friends feel powerless to fix this for her child; watching her grieve the loss of family life as they knew it; seeing the guilt on her face for unconsciously ignoring the lives of her daughters; seeing her frustrated and anxious as she had to learn so much so fast to be able to care for her son and the pressure of knowing she had make sure he knew how to effectively manage the disease.
It sucks there is no cure for type 1 diabetes. It sucks this disease carries with it the potential for death every night Will closes his eyes. It sucks knowing type 1 diabetes is part of every day for Will and 221,000 kids, and it will be forever.
Okay, being Will’s godmother doesn’t really suck, but being a loved one of a type 1 diabetic totally does. Being Will’s godmother is one of the greatest joys in my life; watching him suffer is anything but joyful. But, it is truly remarkable to watch the young man he is turning into. He could have felt sorry for himself, or plummeted into denial. Instead – he felt called to do something for others like him so that they too could have the choice in how they manage their disease.
If you want to join me in helping another child, just like Will, get the supplies he or she needs to be healthy and make type 1 diabetes suck a little less for them and their loved ones– please consider giving today.
