bravery

Have you noticed a trend this summer in the DOC (diabetic online community)?



The theme?  The overall take-away?  What am I talking about?

B-r-a-v-e-r-y

So much, I declare 2011 as the 'Summer of Bravery'.

My first example is my Giggle Girl, Ellie, and the bravery she displayed today while pressing the 'insert pod' prompt on the Omnipod PDM.

We spend a week with the Omnipod full of saline while continuing her multiple daily injections of insulin.  We go back to the clinic in a week to fill out paperwork and face insurance battles to be approved.  Crossing our fingers we will go 'live' with insulin by the first week in August!!!

This is brave stuff for an 8 year old.

Speaking of brave, here are some really cool and brave things I have read about so far this summer.

Diabetes Camps:

Some T1D kiddos went for the first time, and others went back for another round of fun-fun-fun!  Denise, Misty, Tracy, Lorainne and Diane all wrote beautiful posts about the emotional struggles of sending your child, who has a major medical need, away for overnight camp. 

Reyna is taking it a step further by 'braving it up' and sending her sweet Joe to hockey camp.  While not an overnight camp, it is a full day of pancreatic challenges.

Insulin Pumping:

Beginning a new T1D management regimen is bravery to the nth degree.  Sure technology is great, but changing over to something new and unknown can rattle the best of pseudo-pancreases.  Two sweet Mama's are writing about how their family is adjusting to new technology this summer; Amy and Nicole. 

Placing her trust in a new company, Hallie wrote about the bravery involved in switching insulin pump companies.

Traveling:

So many T1D families hitting the open road, air and sea!  How encouraging it must be to a new family diagnoses with diabetes to read about how Heidi,  Joanne, Jules, Jenni, Candy, Stephanie, Penny, Leigh, Sarah and Holly put on their 'brave' super suits and traveled with style.  From Alaska to Disneyland, T1D families showed this disease who is b-o-s-s.

Gaining Independence:

Taking an interest in more self care and the brave mommies who are letting out the leash include Candy (Sugar making decisions), Pam (Grace trying new pump site) and Jen (showing D who is boss as they explore their city).

Moving:

As in moving residence.  Home.  Packing and hauling and settling in.  Yep, that is some serious bravery if you ask me.  In true DOC style, however, Joanne and Shannon are handling it with grace. 

Accepting:

Accepting that you child has been diagnosed with a life long disease with no cure is tough.  Worse than tough.  Nikki and Lexi work through their grief and anger by bravely blogging t-h-r-o-u-g-h it ALL. 

Family Changes:

When another member of a T1D family has medical needs of their own, the bravery required by the parents to step it up and cinch the belt back is huge.  Tracy handles Princess's illness with Herculean strength and Laura writes about her sweet Sophie's (Hi Super Squirt!) battle with what might now be Crohn's disease.  Heather received stunning news earlier this spring when her Princess was diagnosed with T1D . . . just like her sister Lovebug.  Having two T1Ds in one house makes for a brave Mama.  I encourage each and every one of you to go and visit these brave Mamas and lift them up in prayer.

Also in need of lifting up is lovely Lora.  Justin was diagnosed with Epilepsy earlier this Spring and Lora writes about how life just goes on.  Brave words from a very brave Mama.

Growing:

Growing is brave, you ask?  If it means adding a four legged pup (training to be a service dog) to your already busy T1D household then you bet your britches it does!  Heidi writes about the brave fortitude it takes to raise money for their daughter to gain a friend and helper.

A Category all her Own:

Meri.  Or, MMmmmmeeeeerrrrriiiiiii, as I like to call her.  The queen of the DOC because this brave Mama bear tends to 3, count 'em 3 handsome T1D boys.  Meri is brave not just during the summer, but all year round!

I realize this post may look a lot like the monthly Blogger Basal, but it's not.

It's just a partial and incomplete list of the 100's of DOC blogs whose writers bravely document their lives for others to connect, communicate and feel a sense of belonging.

Yep!  The Summer of 2011 has a theme . . . . and it is bravery.

Specifically, the D-Mama blogs; since those are the blogs I stalk read the most.