Happy Tuesday!
Before I get into the discussion about maturity, I have to say that I am so excited to see Alice in Wonderland tomorrow. I know I should have seen it already.
I know this has nothing to do with diabetes, but I am really excited for nachos and extra bolus. 
Ok maybe diabetes is sometimes like Alice in Wonderland. Other days it seems more like the Twilight Zone. Sorry I digress.
The weather has been quite lovely for outdoor activities. Not too hot or too cold. I see more exercise in my future.
However, my eye allergies have been worse this season than any other year.
Last Spring I caught an eye infection and I fear that I will be getting another one. I am using RX eye drops, which help tremendously but the annoyance and irritation is still very much present.
A friend of mine, who was diagnosed with T1 as an adult, asked me if I thought there was a difference between those who were diagnosed at a young age and those who were diagnosed as adults.
When I am sometimes told that my behavior belongs to someone who is older than 23, I wonder if it has anything to do with being diagnosed at the age of 5.
For me personally, I believe children and teens who are diagnosed with diabetes mature very quickly. I think this is true for most children who have to live and struggle with a disease every day. They still go through the same milestones as other children and teens, but there is still something extra that has to be dealt with.
I think young people with illnesses develop a certain relationship with their bodies that require a deeper understanding than it would otherwise.
A child with diabetes has to know when they feel “funny” or “weird” and how to express it in their own way.
The child who has not yet learn to talk has to express themselves someway, even if it is throwing a fit in the middle of a supermarket or grabbing food when having a hypo.
Some children begin to learn how to use pump functions at an early age. I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot children understand their pumps before learning their ABC’s and 123’s. I know a few.
Most of these children start to recognize what symptoms they get when something is just not right, whether or not their caretakers know. Children even learn under supervision how to inject themselves.
At 8years old I was already learning what foods would spike me and what I needed take extra insulin for.
This is all really complex.
Yes some go through a rebellious phase in their teen years. Hell, don’t we all know some adults who do it?
But even rebellions take a certain amount of maturity and advance thinking. To understand what you are up against and to devise a plan to not test often or just skip insulin completely takes sheer courage and strength
*I am not at all supporting this or saying it is smart. But I am saying it takes a lot out of a person in some way shape or form . Just ask any diabetic who has forgotten whether mistakenly or willingly, to take insulin when needed*
I am always amazed when I see teen diabetics testing their levels while out with a group or taking insulin in a pizza shop.
To some this is something that the diabetic must do. To me, it is not only a requirement, but it is also one less worry if they didn’t have diabetes, especially at an age where other concerns like hide and seek, sports and dating are on their mind.
I agree that maturity comes early to those of us diagnosed young. I was 4. And my pre-school teacher (whom I still talk to occasionally) tells me stories about me talking about what I could and couldn’t have to eat and/or drink. Who knows these things at 4? Only a diabetic child.
Since I am about to be a mom, I think about whether my child will get diabetes and how she’ll handle it. The only comfort I have is that the people I’ve known who were diagnosed early were able to not only survive but even thrive while managing their illness.
I totally agree. Diagnosed at a young age made us mature (in certain ways) much earlier. I think it also helped me be more empathetic towards others facing challenges too. I am very grateful for that!