Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Your Reflection



The other night, as I was getting you ready for bed, I was preparing to wash your hands (anticipating the middle-of-the-night checks).  You seemed to be in a good mood, as you usually are.  I lifted you up to the sink and turned on the faucet.  You looked at your reflection in the mirror, then out of the blue, you said, "Diabetes."  It's a word we've practiced with you only a few times, but I was shocked to hear it come out of your mouth, especially with your limited 2-year-old vocabulary and ability to form words.  

Immediately my heart sank.  It ached with sadness once again.  

It begged the question: Is that what you see when you look in the mirror?  Is it the disease?  Or the boy?  

My challenge is (and will continue to be) raising you in a way that you will see so much more than diabetes when you look at your reflection.  I hope you will see a confident, active boy.  A boy like every other boy, able to do anything you put your body and determined mind to.  I hope you will see the boy who loves cars,  Buzz Lightyear and every other Super Hero, a boy who loves to swing, blow bubbles, swim, run and mimick everything his older brothers do.  I hope you will see beauty in God's creation of your body, ever-grateful to Him that you have a healthy body thanks to the advances of modern medicine, again provided by Him who knows and loves you dearly.  I hope you will see that you are my son, a brother, a grandson, a cousin, fitting into this family perfectly, like every other child.  Above all, I hope you will see Ty, a boy who is loved like crazy, by everyone around you.  
Because you are.  

So, Ty, please don't see diabetes when you see yourself.  You are so, so much more than that.
Please see you.

2 comments:

  1. Your son is absolutely precious! My daughter was diagnosed in January, so we are fairly new at this as well. I have a 2 (well, almost 3 now) year old, Livie, who has tested positive for the autoantibodies through TrialNet and has a slightly impaired OGTT so it looks like I'll have 2 with diabetes. I'm going to add you to my blog roll and look forward to following Ty's diabetic journey!

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    1. Krissy, thank you for your comment! We are in the same horrible boat together, but we will make it because there are many out there who have and do every day. I'm beginning to find some hope through it all. I have heard of the TrialNet and we plan to do it, but not even sure what OGTT is, but if indeed you do end up with 2 diabetic, God bless you! It is a fear of mine and not sure how I'd do it, but I've learned there are many out there with multiple diabetics. I sure wish research would find a cause and a cure. I have hope they will. Yes, please lets keep in touch and thanks again!

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