Parents of HS Seniors?

[Ellen]

Hi. I'm so pleased to see this forum available for posting about diabetes. My now 17 year old son was diagnosed 16+ years ago. Our next hurdle is getting through the college application process and sending him off to manage the diabetes 100% on his own. Anyone else out there with H.S. seniors with diabetes? What are you doing to prepare for the final transition? Anyone out there with experience to share?
http://www.redsword.com/jbeadles/art/no_freak_shadow.gif

[sbbquilter]

Oh Ellen -
Smile and breathe deep! I think that my sons' senior year of high school were a real challenge, they were "ready to be away" and yet needed a great deal of direct prodding to get the things done in order to be able to go away to college.
You have been dealing with diabetes alot longer than we had (Patrick was dx at 16) but that part was scary and still is. Because he was so much older when diagnosed he had always been in charge of his care and I was just the support which will be different for you. He doesn't log BG so a downloadable meter has been essential. He lives in the dorm and was in a single last year but has a roommate with T1 this year. I resist the urge to call daily (wanted that for the first couple weeks and he hated it- I had to let go and it was very hard). His care isn't perfect but his A1c has been <6 and there have been no missed classes due to D, his grades are great and he is enjoying college- I can't ask for more from any young man in college. He has opted to personally notify teachers / lab TA's of the diabetes issue and not have any formal documentation or requirements. The usual things like carrying food and water or testing/treating are not an issue in college.
The bigger pain for him has been that college food is not great and he knows that he is eating too much fat and carbs but he has been able to balance that with more exercise and concerted effort to have healthy snacks in his room. Good luck with the college search - you has he already decided? Keep in touch-
Patti

[noelphobic]

Hi Ellen and Patti

My son is 17 and will be going away to university in just under a year's time (we are in the UK). He was only diagnosed 16 months ago. I always knew that I would hate him leaving home but didn't expect it to be with the added burden of Diabetes! When he was first diagnosed for some reason one of the first thoughts that came into my head was 'he won't be able to leave home to go to uni now'. I have never told him that and never will! He is predicted to get straight As in his exams and the minimum entry requirement for any of the universities he has applied for is Bs, so no pressure then!!!

[suzyque]

Hi All,

I have a 17 year old daughter who was diagnosed in June of 2004 and now pumping since June of this year, what a rocky road it has been for us!!!!!

She just finished her second try on her ACT's and made it through both with no problems..........:)

But lately has been skipping on testing her BG's or only doing it very sporadically and the other day I found one over 400, so mom freaked...:eek:

So college scares me a lot, how can I send her off if she won't take care of herself now and we were doing so well until lately!!!!!

Will be nice to have someone else out there who might have suggestions to help, if nothing else to calm my nerves........:)

So this week mom will be cracking the whip and taking away priviledges until she gets her act together again............any suggestions are welcomed. ;)

[Ellen]

other day I found one over 400, so mom freaked...:eek:

So college scares me a lot, how can I send her off if she won't take care of herself now and we were doing so well until lately!!!!!

Will be nice to have someone else out there who might have suggestions to help, if nothing else to calm my nerves........:)

So this week mom will be cracking the whip and taking away priviledges until she gets her act together again............any suggestions are welcomed. ;)

It is frustrating, but so is almost everything surrounding diabetes. I've often joked that HIGHS HAPPEN should be a bumper sticker. Rather than freak about the 400...next time, you may instead want to thank her for checking and ask how she handled the situation. Equally important is to acknowledge what she IS doing right re the diabetes.

[Ellen]

:cool: http://spectrum.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/full/18/3/177 (http://spectrum.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/full/18/3/177)

[munchkingirl]

I'm not a mom or parent or anything like that. But, I am a type 1 diabetic who is in college. Actually, I'm still in highschool. My state has a program called running start, and pretty much - if you pass a certain test, you can go to the community college and take classes there which go toward both your highschool credits. it also allows you to earn your AA degree before you're out of highschool.
My parent's have handled it pretty well. It's been really a good experience for us all, being at a college and learning the "life" so to speak, yet still being able to live at home and just kind of ease out of it I guess.

It honestly, has been very difficult for me. My diabetes has never been in good control. And this last year I had the ultimate peak, and the highest ever for my primary doc (not my endo) with a 14.5 a1c. However, the college experience has really taught me and shown me the importance of having good blood sugar control. As I have learned that high blood sugars effect in every way imaginable my ability to study well. It has been an experience I've had to learn a lot on my own. And that may or may not be a comfort to you ladies, but, sometimes - the best and most lasting lessons are ones through experience. My parents have been great at helping out and telling me the importance of things and worrying about me- though i have hated that too. It's all been very good.

Anyways, I don't know if this is of any help or anything... just thought I'd put my 2 cents in.

:)

[Ellen]

Zack was officially accepted to University of Florida yesterday so he'll start there in the summer of 2006. Happy to share the good news.http://www.silversuperstore.com/ornaments/baldwin/sports/floridamascottour.jpg

[karpoozi123]

I want to go away next year but my mom is worried. Any advice?

[Ellen]

I guess you have to prove to her that you're very responsible with your diabetes care and that you take it seriously. It is hard to let go, so it's great to acknowledge that and discuss her fears with her in detail. See if you can have a meeting of minds. Good luck.

[karpoozi123]

Thats part of the problem. I was just in the hospital with a serious infection and uncontrolled blood sugar. My mother says that if I had been away I never would have taken care of it but I am the one who brought the whole issue to her attention. Anyway, she says she wants me close by so if anything goes wrong she can come help me but I think that is ridiculous. How can I ever become independant if every time Im not feeling well my mommy comes to get me. I mean I am not going to spend my whoe life with my mom living next door.:rolleyes:

[Ellen]

Keep the dialogue going with your mother. Parrot her fears and let her know you hear them and really appreciate her love and caring. Perhaps a compromise and a plan would work for both of you...What goals would she need you achieve in order to feel confident that you are responsible enough to venture out on your own?



Did anyone else chuckle at this comic in today's paper? ;)

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/fun/zits.asp?date=20051218


BTW, I have started a blog about letting go:

http://curetype1diabetes.blogspot.com/

[Dreamweaver]

I just got done reading all of your posting’s. I can’t begin to explain how I feel, but it does help me have a better insight to my daughter and what is going on in her head. I am not a diabetic, I will never know what it is like. I know that it is terrible, I know that it is life altering, I know it is a Royal Pain In The Ass. But I only know this from living with my daughter, she has been diabetic for 13 years. I also know how dangerous it is, I know it can kill. Does anyone out there know a “succesful diabetic”? If so, how do you do it? What is the turning point? How can I help my daughter? It is very painful being a diabetic, it is also very painful being a parent and watching your child slowly destory themselves. I cannot be a diabetic for her, if I could, I would in a heart beat. I do not want to outlive my child, I do not want to see her suffer in the years to come. But what can I do, I have done all I know how over the last 7 years, but in reality, I know it has to be her who makes the decision to take care og herself. I just feel so helpless, a Mother is supposed to protect her child, keep them healthy and safe. I can do neither, I just sit and watch it happen day after day. I know how hard it is for her, I really do. The pricking the finger, checking the keytones, no sugar, no pop, no cake, no candy, always having the insulin pump attached to her like a leach, knowing that she is f’ing up her organs but not knowing how to stop herself. I know she just wants to lead a normal life and be like a regular person, like all her friends. I know how badly she wants to be a good diabetic, with all her heart. I know how terribly impossible it is for her to be a good diabetic and how damn frustrated she is with herself for being a bad one. I have seen all the **** she has gone through in her many hospital visits with DKA, her highs her lows, her puking her pain. But still…....she is my child…..I love her so much….she is killing herself. What am I to do?? Thanks for listening…it helps to get it out. I searched for a sight of Parents of Diabetic Children, but could not find one. So thanks for letting me vent. God Bless You All.