happy camper

last night I got home from camp. I promptly fell asleep on the couch. It was a camp for 6 year olds and since I wasn't 6, it was too much for me.
We are lucky to have as a resource, Gales Creek Camp for children with diabetes a little over an hour from here. As a parent of a diabetic child, with no family in close proximity, this disease is ours alone to handle, with no back up 98% of the time. I do have a good friend that helps out a couple of times a year, and my mom is usually good for a week or so break every year as well, but the other 355 days a year, it's just Alan and I, on our own, us against diabetes. This year, Layla is 6, and that is old enough to go to family camp. Family camp is when your family gets to come to camp with you and see what camp is all about. This is because 6 year olds haven't been to camp before and they might be nervous about being away from home, but I think really it's so the mamas can come, and see what goes on, so they might have a lower incidence of nervous breakdowns when they leave their babies behind for a week the following summer.
Camp was awesome. Really, unbelievable. The counselors were amazing (especially considering they were probably all between the ages of 19 and probably about 23 or so) they had endless energy, patience and understanding. Remember these kids were all around 6, which is really young with a pretty short attention span. We were constantly entertained with skits, hikes, songs and games, I was impressed. These counselors were always kind and smiling no matter what they were asked to do (and in the 2 short days I was there, the task list was long, and included everything from acting silly to distract campers to mopping up scrambled egg barf-really).

There was a pediatric endocrinologist there (I learned that all of the staff docs are volunteers) the entire time, and he was who decided how much insulin the campers got and helped them make their meal choices, ok.....please hold...this is HUGE!!!!! for those of you not familiar with specialty doctors, you really have no idea, so let me try to begin to explain it....(catching breath) These are not just doctors, but SUPERdoctors-they have been to school longer, studied harder, and taken a lower paying job than surgeons, even though that job is more prestigious and pays better. They know almost more than anybody about this disease, and they are here, for us and our kids-in person-for the entire time-unpaid. (and since it is during the week, actually have to take vacation time to be here). I Almost cried. (or maybe I did, but just a little,when no one was watching) I don't care about celebrities, I have met a few, and found them, for the most part, not to my liking, but being able to hang out with an endo! I felt like a groupie. Poor doctor, I was stumbling around behind him the whole time, just to try and absorb a little of his awesomeness. I wanted to hear everything he had to say, I wanted to hear the stories about the 90 year old lady that had diabetes since she was 6 in the 1800s (or whatever) and how the cure really was right around the corner, since he knows the fellow that is going to find it (ok maybe not, but close enough-eep!-a CURE!) The story that follows is true and accurate (according to me) and was the highlight to my camping experience: during our only night at camp, the counselors put our kids to bed (sounds dreamy already right!?!) and we hiked across the creek and down to the lodge where the doctor was waiting for us WITH chocolate bars. (this may have something to do with me asking the counselors at every possible chance if there were any cocktails available, and them laughing, and me responding with, well, I could make do with some chocolate). There he proceeded with candor and honesty to talk to us. To us, not at us, not to someone else while we were there-but TO US. (sidebar, if you have dealt at length with doctors, you know that this DOES NOT happen). He didn't even ask for our insurance card or anything. He was not in a hurry, he did not have an agenda, he just sat there, open, and answered questions that we had. And then---when we were out of questions--he brought up things we hadn't thought of. For me it was worth the cost of camp just to hear what he had to say-it was amazing.
When the talk was over we headed back to our cabin to try and get some sleep. I knew this probably wasn't in the cards for me, as I had the top shelf of a rather high bunk (with a 3 inch plastic covered mattress), the room was full of other mamas and daddies and kiddos (all making various sleeping noises), and the staff came through twice in the night (at midnight and 3am) to do blood sugar checks. On top of that Layla had lost a tooth during story time, so the tooth fairy made the rounds as well. (not me-the REAL tooth fairy, she left a note and a goody bag and everything) I was glad when I finally rolled over once and realized that people were stirring, it was time to get up. Day 2 included swimming, a hike to the magical bubble gum tree, games, food, awards and things I can't even remember since every minute was more fun than the last.

I went to camp every summer when I was a kid, and I loved it. I remember crying the last year I went, knowing I wasn't going back since we were moving. This camp blew my mind. I still can't believe everything that goes in to making this process work, and succeed. The camp is just a place, the heart is the people there. I left camp knowing that now I have a place Layla can go-without me-where she will be safe. Not only will she survive there, she will have a great time, and they have the resources to take care of her there, even better than I can. I cry when I think about it, just that she can go and have fun like regular kids, that I don't have to worry, and how lucky we are to be able to take advantage of such a wonderful program. Camp has now been added to the list of things that diabetes can't stop us from doing. take that.