Celebrate the Small Stuff

A friend recently posted on Facebook that nursery graduations and anything before a high school graduation was unnecessary. This person has children, and several others on Facebook who I assume have children felt similar about the subject – that it was not necessary.

I used to think the same thing.  Enter children.  Even when my son was younger and I would see the older class holding graduation, I wondered.

Just a few weeks ago, my son had his first graduation as he moves on to “big school”.   The program was really cute.  It wasn’t an overly emotional affair, but a very nice end of year program.  

They recited poems and sang songs in their little blue gowns.  Of course we, the parents, loved every minute of it.  When I was finally able to get into the pictures I took that day, I could feel how happy and proud the children were. 

With my son’s graduation looming, I responded to my friend’s Facebook comment.  If anything, I am sure a nursery graduation will remind me that my son is growing up too fast.  And it did exactly that.  

As I watched him as he sat there next to his first crush at the “ceremony”, I realized the last five years have flown by.  And as much as I do not want them to, the other years may go even faster.  For that reason I think celebrating these milestones are important.  I always try to pause and not forget that. 

It will not come again; they will not be that age again.  Don’t take that for granted.

Fast forward a few weeks later.  We had to endure our somewhat regular, very tearful and painful blood test to check Erin’s hemoglobin a1c.  This is the protein in the red blood cells that carries oxygen.  It is a very important indicator of how well diabetes is managed.  Too high a result means correction or improvement is needed.  It is a serious indicator because over time this is what causes damage to the body.

As I was working Thursday morning, I got the call from the nurse with the results.  Much to my surprise, the a1c result is very good for a Type 1 diabetic.  So good in fact, that I could have immediately closed my computer and left as I felt I accomplished the most important thing I would do that day.  Nothing could really top that in the next 24 hours. 

A good lab result is often no big deal for most and doesn’t deserve a gold medal, but this is still no minor accomplishment.  It is the result of a lot of hard work and effort over time.  This validated all of that effort. 

Fast forward two days later.  It always seems that we pick up some kind of virus in the doctor’s office.  Children that have diabetes that is the result of an immune system issue typically get sick easier, and are slower to recover than the average kid.  This doesn’t slow us down too often, but when it hits, it hits hard. 

While we are used to it and know what to do, it does not make it any easier. That amazing hemoglobin a1c result is now a moment in the past.  We only want to get through this night then start working within a new time bracket to see the next a1c result just as good if not better. 

So as I sit here at some odd hour after midnight, waiting for my alarm to indicate the next blood sugar check on this sick day, I think I have concluded – graduation or glucose – we should also celebrate the small things.  Celebrate the small things as much as possible.

We are all always trying to accomplish big things.  I am all for celebrating those, but we should also celebrate that life is made up of the little things too.  Sometimes, it’s the little things that really are big.

Sorry Whitney

Don’t get me wrong, it is very tragic that Whitney Houston is dead at such a young age, BUT……

I am not a crazy judgmental religious person that is speaking out against how we worship drug addicted, famous people, BUT……

She will be mourned by many, and having a televised funeral like the Royal Wedding is interesting, BUT……

Whitney had many adoring fans.  I am sure they feel close to her through her music and having it in their lives.  I read an article today that said fans were disappointed there were barriers near the church so they could not go in and grieve with the family.  WHAT?!.....

Maybe had that day started differently for me, I would feel differently about Whitney Houston’s death….

My son woke up that morning telling me his eyes were shining and one was still sleeping.  After discussing this with him for a few more seconds, I confirmed he was telling me he could not see out of one of his eyes.  Closing the working eye, I tested him with a magazine cover that has 2010 in huge font written across the front.  When I took only a few steps back, I asked him if he could see it.  “No”.  I know that eye issues can be a complication for diabetics, but I also know from his physicians that it is likely too early for this to start showing at age four.  Concerned was an understatement at that point.

I waited two hours for the Moorfields Eye Clinic to open in Dubai, which felt like forever, and got an appointment that morning right away.  When we arrived they showed us to a waiting area that had a television tuned in to CNN.  Of course all that was showing were clips of Whitney Houston and press standing outside her hotel.  I was surprised to hear of her death, but honestly, I did not care.  That morning I was not praying for Whitney.

My son saw three doctors and they ran all eye tests possible.  After a long morning, he was given a clean bill of health.  Everything was perfectly fine.  The doctor said it could have been the result of an infection brewing, or the result of an off, high blood sugar throughout the night.  But all tests were fine and his vision was good as well.  Relief was an understatement.  Since then he has been fine.  I am leaning toward the infection brewing theory as the cause because a few days later he had a bit of a red eye.

As we left the clinic, CNN was still on.  They were still talking about the tragedy of Whitney Houston’s death.  Yes, it is tragic, but really in the grand scheme of things in my life it is not that relevant.  I am sorry for her close friends and family.  I hope I never have to experience what they have been through and what they are going through now with her loss.  For them, I am truly sorry.  However, as far as the event’s affect on my life personally, I do not really know how to eloquently say I am not that interested.  I cannot care about it on the same scale that the media and entertainment industry wants us to.   For me, that day that started out badly turned into a great day.

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

Something happened to me about one year ago. Life was unexpectedly put in perspective – I mean really put into perspective.

At the end of August of 2009, my son was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes, or Type 1 diabetes. This is not something that runs in our family so to say it was a shock is an understatement. Immediately he was admitted into the hospital because his blood sugar had been high for who knows how long and needed to be corrected immediately before it caused serious damage to his little 20-month old body.

Like any mom in the same situation, I experienced the emotional roller coaster of feelings - upset, angry, wondering if I did something to cause this to happen because it was so unexpected. Since my husband and I both work in healthcare, we immediately called all our contacts in the UAE, Turkey and the US to determine what we could do and where we could find the best treatment. Texas Children’s Hospital was the end result.

Having worked in hospitals and consulted to various healthcare organizations, I always thought that TCH and others like it would be an amazing place. And it was. Such dedicated staff like I have never experienced before. After spending some time abroad I forgot how good healthcare could be. Don’t get me wrong, there are great doctors and good facilities everywhere, but when everyone in the system is at the top of their game and giving so much, it is an incredible experience to receive that kind of service and results in the best healthcare you could possibly receive.

Erin and I stayed in Houston for almost a month – at the advice of the doctor to extend our stay that we naively planned for about a week or 10 days - to ensure I was comfortable enough with what I would need to do to manage Erin’s disease for him. Not that I didn’t understand what needed to be done, but he knew there would be no healthcare providers here to provide the support or follow up required. He was right.

As angry and upset as I was at this disease throughout the experience, there are absolutely no words to describe what you go through when you get in the elevator with your child and you are surrounded by children and their parents who are facing much more challenging conditions.

On the particular day in mind, I entered the elevator and there was a child in a wheelchair that had obviously lost their hair from chemotherapy. Just as the elevator doors were closing, someone pushed the button and another patient entered. This time a boy on a stretcher entered with his mother and his personal nurse. He was connected to a very large medical device. I do not know what the machine was for, but obviously, he also had a very serious illness. I am sure no less serious or difficult than the family to my left who was dealing with cancer.

That was the longest elevator ride in my life. The feeling of being in there comes back to me often. How did I ever get so lucky? How was my son blessed with a disease that was manageable? That enabled him to live a full, normal life? I was numb because for days I was so upset that my child had diabetes. The harsh reality of this was realizing that we had won the lottery.

This did not make me jump for joy by any means. My heart ached for those other parents. I didn’t pity them as I was still coming to terms with my own situation. On the contrary, I was in awe at how they were handling everything under such difficult circumstances. I continued to experience this throughout our visit. The children and the diseases they had, it was all so random.

I returned to Dubai with a lot to learn, but at least with the knowledge to become Erin’s pancreas and manage his diabetes for him until he is old enough to do so himself. I have learned many things from this experience in the last year and on some days feel like a pseudo endocrinologist, nurse, dietician and more. But still, nothing is as profound as the 15 seconds I spent in that elevator that day.

Do not sweat the small stuff people. Every day really is a gift. Think you are having a bad day, or angry about something? Think again, because in the grand scheme of things it is often not as significant as you may think.