Field Trip

Daniel is going to Boston on Friday on a field trip with his church class. It's a whirlwind Unitarian weekend, visiting many Boston/Unitarian sites. My husband is one of the chaperons.

I'm nervous! I won't be there! Yes, my husband is going, I know. But his internal alarm doesn't go off at blood sugar testing times. I told Daniel yesterday that he really has to step up and take responsibility for setting alarms, remembering to test, not losing his testing kit.

I called the airline, and the customer service agent was very helpful. We've never before had to deal with carrying medical supplies on trips. If anyone has any tips/suggestions, I'd certainly appreciate it. He will also be carrying some gluten free breakfast bars/power bars in case there's any delays and he needs food. And, of course, pockets full of candy. I have also been online researching gluten free choices in the Boston & Quincy Market areas.

It is so hard to take my sticky fingers off the controls. It's like the whole damned world would just stop spinning if I stopped juggling for a few minutes. Yet... I'm also going to have 3 days where I won't have to check my watch, nag about blood sugar testing, check the travel kit, prepare the gluten free stuff.

I'm going to go wild. I'll turn off that alarm clock...

Field Trips

This week Daniel brought home two different permission papers for field trips. One is to the Chesapeake Bay, the other is a physics field trip to Six Flags (yeah, right, just an excuse to ride the roller coasters).

I filled out the forms, an activity that takes longer than it used to last year, because there's lots of medical info to add.

I feel funny about signing off on the trips. I offered (enthusiastically) to chaperon them both because of "Daniel's medical condition." I'm so torn. Part of me wants him to travel the world like Amylia, because diabetes should in no way limit his activities. And part of me wants to reattach the umbilical cord so that he can't stroll more than a certain distance away from me and my desire to manage his disease FOR HIM.

This is what I imagine for the Six Flags trip: I have images in my head of him riding the roller coaster, lifting his hands over his head in glee as he is flung at great speed down an awesome hill. I can see his diabetes kit flying up above his head and, since it was not zipped properly, I see the needles, glucose monitor, insulin pen, and all the other small pieces spraying out in an arc above the park only to rain down somewhere in the toddler section.

I need to chaperon only so I can be the pack horse. Oh, and of course Six Flags says that you are not allowed to bring any food into the park. When I looked online at the food choices available, there was nothing that stood out as celiac safe. I did find a statement where they say you can bring in food if the person can show they have special dietary needs, and you must check your food with Security on the way into the park. Yes officer, this bread is gluten-free.

The Chesapeake Bay trip has no food issues (bring your own), but I have to hope that the bg monitor doesn't end up swimming with the crabs.

Yes, I'm allowing Daniel to go on the trips. I hope I can chaperon at least one of them. Baby steps. These are my baby steps. One day he may go off to college, and I better learn to let him stand on his own two feet by then.