This week our whole family is in Orlando at the Children with Diabetes conference. It is week full of education, support and all things diabetes. (By the way, it's pretty awesome.)
Yesterday Jeff, Ben and I met up for lunch (Garren and Cole were off with their friends pretending they didn't know who we were.) We had just finished our first conference sessions. Jeff and I had listened to a talk about carb counting and Ben had spent the time talking with other T1 10-year-olds.
As we were unraveling our napkins and getting ready to eat, I asked Ben, "How was your session?"
He responded with a quick, "OK."
That wasn't enough info for me so I pressed on, "Did you talk about anything interesting?"
Quiet pause.
"Well ... There was one interesting thing."
Knowing Ben I had a feeling this was going to be really interesting. For a quick moment I considered recording what he was about to say, but I was on the edge of my seat, so I quickly asked, "Ah ... What was that?"
"At one point Joe asked everyone, if there was a cure for diabetes discovered today, raise your hand if you would want it."
"That is interesting. Did everyone raise their hands?"
"Nope."
"Really? Did you raise your hand?"
"Nope."
"Really? You wouldn't want the cure?"
"Nope."
"Why not?
"I think having diabetes has made me a healthier person. I know what to eat. If I didn't have diabetes I would probably eat too much junk. I would probably be really fat. I am smarter now."
I knew I should have recorded this conversation!
I was surprised, maybe a little shocked. There is so much negative that comes with living with T1, but Ben is right, there are so many positives too. Ben has identified one. And he has chosen to focus on that. Ben is a cup-half-full kind of guy!
Eventually, we did finish our lunch and then ran off to more sessions. I spent my afternoon listening to a talk about managing diabetes and exercise with a smile on my face, knowing that Ben was OK. Ben is completely OK with his diabetes and who he is.
Wow...great answer and great confidence! I wonder if that answer comes -- in part -- from the setting. He's in a place where the PWDs are the heroes, the "in-crowd", and the non-D's are outcast (sort of).
ReplyDeleteIf you asked him a month from now, I wonder if his answer would be different. Seriously though, if I were cured I honestly don't know how I'd live my life. There's something comfortable in familiarity (though I still would've had my hand raised)
That is a good point ... The thing with Ben is that he rarely ever complains about his diabetes and I always thought it was because he was tough but when he told us he didn't raise his hand I thought maybe he never complains because he actually doesnt care
ReplyDeleteAlso thinking ... Maybe I shoud ask him in a oouple months ... I feel a future blog post coming on
It was really great seeing you guys at FFL!
ReplyDeleteAnd wow - what a wise answer from your little guy. So impressive!