I’m not so great at this whole blogging everyday thing… nope not at all- but I’m trying to write as much as possible when I can! There is just so much to do- I don’t want to miss anything!

too come soon- running in Paris and a post about the people around you can make all the difference. Then I’m off to London Wednesday- and you know there will be a post about that!

for now though- I’m going to tell a story- let’s delve into the past

so we’re going to go back to when I was 7 years old- specifically to three months after I had been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes- (side note- my dad had won this several months before I was diagnosed)- My mom, my dad, and I were preparing to go to Paris- I know… Crazy right? But like I said- my dad had won the trip- and we could not move it.

We were still learning about Diabetes, and I still looked ill and severely underweight.

We stayed at a Hilton by the Eiffel Tower- the hotel has changed names since then- but it was super nice. None of us spoke any French, and I was young. My parents had been out of the country before, but we were not ready for the weather or the culture….. or my Diabetes being a nuisance. But now, what do you expect from Diabetes sometimes?

Well- to say the least the trip was not as great as it could have been. The weather was awful- my dad had to buy us winter coats and rain jackets- hey it reminds me of the weather right now! luckily I was prepared this time, and the sun finally came out! We didn’t get to see the Eiffel Tower really- I only wanted to touch it then- but no. It didn’t happen. My dad had also had it with me and my over packing- thus the rule of you pack it, you carry it was born- and I’ve lived by that rule ever since.

We loved EuroDisney/Disneyland Paris- I’m a Disney kid, and most of the employees spoke english  very well- which my mom and dad loved.

But there is more to the story- of course- you all know what that more is- Diabetes.

My mom and dad were still learning how to count carbs. I was still on shots, and back then you had to feed the insulin. I was supposed to eat a certain amount of carbs at certain times (more on this later). We were still learning everything- symptoms, carb counting, blood sugars, tips and tricks, you name it. Well we learned a VERY important lesson while we were in Paris- Insulin can go bad – usually after being open for 30 days or not staying the right environment.

We had no idea.

We were not prepared.

I was super high almost the whole entire time- well maybe half the trip,.. I remember feeling absolutely terrible.

We called Emory from the Hilton, and my doctor figured out what was going on- and told us to open a new bottle of insulin- problem solved.

Now onto my favorite part of the trip- one of the clearest memories I have from being a kid. I need to back-story this though.

When I got diagnosed- not everyone was super great to me- we received cookbooks on how to cure it- people would hint that my parents weren’t taking care of me the right way- people would say it was my fault- back then most places didn’t have carbs listed (nutrition facts), and they were hard to find- diet soda wasn’t a big thing- I was a kid- most people wouldn’t learn- my school didn’t have a nurse- etc etc-

Basically the past few months had been hard- we finally knew what was going but it was kind of like a “now what?” moment. We had stuff to learn, we had stuff to do, and we had a huge wide world out there- that was usually…. not very understanding to say the least.

Well, I believe it was the second night- we went to this cafe nearby. I wanted to eat outside- but the menu was all in french and the servers only spoke french- inside they had an english menu and the servers spoke it as well. I ordered a grilled cheese sandwich- so I thought. Note to the world- don’t assume food is the same everywhere you go- well this grilled cheese had- ham on the inside, and cheese tomato, egg, and lettuce on top- I was not pleased. I threw a little fit.

Our server- was WONDERFUL about it. He took my sandwich away quickly, and he got an “american” grilled cheese. He also heard my parents talking about Diabetes and the carbs in what I was eating.

You know what he did-

he got at least an estimate of the carbs I was eating. What???? 🙂

then for dessert- he got me a sundae with a firecracker in it.

We ate almost every meal there, and asked to eat in his section- and he figured out an estimate of the carbs for all the food I was eating.

I will ALWAYS remember this and his kindness. It was my first positive experience involving Diabetes and the rest of the world- he gave me and my family a lot of hope for the world.

so of course- on my list of things to do- was to find that cafe. AND. I believe I found it. I found the hotel (I think). I remember it was a large cafe, and the awning was blue. I think I found it- it felt right to me. I kept walking just in case- but I ended up turning around and going there.

I ate there, and read my book. My gut told me it was the right place- maybe it wasn’t, but you know what? It doesn’t matter to me- the sense of joy and a good memory and a sense of calmness is what matters in the end.

so to the world- a small act of kindness- can mean more than you could ever know. No act is too small- to a child (or anyone)- it may mean the world.

Love, Words, Inspiration, and Insulin. -Until Next Time! and Until There’s a Cure!

 

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We’ll both be glad you did! -Mindy