Slumber Party... with the big D

It's a rite of passage in every little girl's life, but especially in the life of a girl with a chronic health condition... the first non-family slumber party.

Last weekend my daughter attended her first slumber party.  It was just around the corner from our house, which helped a lot in making the decision to let her go.  DD had a great time.  I stopped by to give her injections as needed, and she checked her own blood sugars throughout the party as needed.  She felt a little low soon after I dropped her off, so she checked her own blood sugar, and then ate a couple of glucose tablets, exactly as we had discussed for days before the party.   I was so proud of her, yet a little sad at the same time, because at seven, I wish she could just worry about her sparkly pink and purple pedicure rather than having to think about her blood sugar, too.

This post at My Diabetic Child  made me think about these extra milestones our D kids have.   The first play date, the first time with a babysitter... every child will have those experiences, but they're a little different for the child with diabetes.   And the first time injecting herself... the first time correcting her own blood sugar with glucose tablets... the first time explaining to a new friend why she has to make herself bleed before she can eat... well, those are milestones we would have happily done without.