I don't want you to feel alone.
March 6, 2008 1:48 PM   Subscribe

Dad, do you ever wish you had diabetes?
posted by swift (40 comments total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
[this is weird]
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 1:52 PM on March 6, 2008


uh...
posted by Dave Faris at 1:52 PM on March 6, 2008


that made me smile :) thank you.
posted by By The Grace of God at 1:52 PM on March 6, 2008


What they don't tell you: Charlie is 14.
posted by mr_roboto at 1:53 PM on March 6, 2008 [9 favorites]


The way the quotes are arranged, Charlie is the one who says, "Those are your testicles."
Makes it even weirder
posted by mrnutty at 1:54 PM on March 6, 2008 [1 favorite]


I found this funny, and touching since my 8 year old son was just diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.
posted by JibberJabber at 1:56 PM on March 6, 2008


Metafilter: Those are your testicles
posted by mr_crash_davis at 1:57 PM on March 6, 2008 [3 favorites]


Holy paragraph breaks. The carriage return after every sentence made that story almost impossible to follow. And what does "because of the site changes" mean?
posted by Pastabagel at 2:06 PM on March 6, 2008


I think he means "sight" changes. Like going blind. And Charlie is 5 years old.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 2:16 PM on March 6, 2008


I'm pretty sure he's referring to injection site rotation.
posted by mr_roboto at 2:19 PM on March 6, 2008


I thought site changes referred to changing the position of the needle for his insulin pump.
posted by fuzzbean at 2:19 PM on March 6, 2008


He meant changing the site of insertion for an insulin pump. It can be pretty painful plunging some needle/cannula business into oneself.
posted by Jenafeef at 2:20 PM on March 6, 2008


I think he means site changes, as in, changing the place his insulin pump goes into his body, or the variety of places he has to inject himself. At any given time, the kid probably hurts in two or three major muscle groups.
posted by headspace at 2:21 PM on March 6, 2008


And what does "because of the site changes" mean?

It's might also be that he changes the site he injects the insulin in each time.
posted by karmaville at 2:22 PM on March 6, 2008


or what everyone else said.
posted by karmaville at 2:22 PM on March 6, 2008


I stand corrected.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 2:23 PM on March 6, 2008


smart answer by the dad - the one where he says he kinda wished he had Diabetes so that his son wouldn't feel alone.

I probably would have said "No, why would I want that?" and then watch my son/daughter (if I had one) feel terrible about their condition.

Then again, maybe if I had a son/daughter, this would also be the answer I would give - it would just naturally come out.

But nonetheless, it is still a good parenting lesson learned.

Sorry about the paragraphs Pastabagel, but it just wouldn't look right without the space in between!
posted by bitteroldman at 2:24 PM on March 6, 2008


Wait, wait, wait...is he changing his injection site to his testicles? 'Cuz that would just seem, ya know, extreme.
posted by never used baby shoes at 2:25 PM on March 6, 2008


These moments are important because at some point he's going to be teenager and hate you.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 2:27 PM on March 6, 2008 [2 favorites]


'Site changes' refer to the site of the cannula, which delivers insulin from the insulin pump to the diabetic. Every three days, you have to refill the pump and change the site, which involves putting in a new reservoir of insulin into the pump and injecting the new cannula into your skin. It has to be in a different place than where it was last to decrease the chance of infection and allow your skin to heal. Most diabetics (like my wife, for instance) have two or three sites they rotate around. In the ten years I've known her, she's used her butt, her stomach, and her sides. It can be pretty painful, and often finding just the right site can be remarkably frustrating. At times the cannula can not inject quite right, but you won't know it until you've had a day or two of highs. Site changes are a pretty big deal to a diabetic who wears a pump, and the audience meant for this article would know that. 'Sight' changes are far more rare, especially in diabetics who are managing the disease (and aren't quite old).

But yeah, that was kinda weird.
posted by incessant at 2:28 PM on March 6, 2008


What happened to the rest of the post? I just see a single link to a blog.
posted by oaf at 2:36 PM on March 6, 2008


"What happened to the rest of the post? I just see a single link to a blog."

Eponysterical!
posted by mr_crash_davis at 2:44 PM on March 6, 2008


Eponysterical!

Only for non-standard definitions of that word.
posted by oaf at 2:47 PM on March 6, 2008


I'm going to have to disagree with everyone previously, I think he was talking about the place where the insulin is injected into the body.
posted by blue_beetle at 2:54 PM on March 6, 2008


That would be the spectacles?
posted by maudlin at 2:59 PM on March 6, 2008


pennylane said: You know Riley is always available to be a pal if Charlie ever changes his mind.

I'm sure they'd find out really quickly that they have much more in common than just diabetes.

For example they both like Star Wars. And they both like their testicles.


I feel so uncomfortable. And now...so do you.
posted by rokabiri at 3:08 PM on March 6, 2008


It can be pretty painful, and often finding just the right site can be remarkably frustrating. At times the cannula can not inject quite right, but you won't know it until you've had a day or two of highs.

Amen to that. I wear an insulin pump, and it requires a good deal of effort and expense. All in all, though, it beats carrying syringes and injecting four or five times a day.

Diabetes can make you feel a little lonely, sometimes. Sharp kid. Cute story.
posted by Benny Andajetz at 3:13 PM on March 6, 2008


Testicles.
posted by BeerFilter at 3:45 PM on March 6, 2008


I don't get it. Why was he holding his dad's testicles?
posted by ook at 4:44 PM on March 6, 2008 [2 favorites]


Mom, you ever wish you had testicles?
posted by Astro Zombie at 5:30 PM on March 6, 2008 [2 favorites]


Thanks for this post. I have recently been diagnosed with Type 2 myself and that whole 'feeling alone' thing hits home :(
posted by UseyurBrain at 5:34 PM on March 6, 2008


Book me a window seat, please.
posted by evilcolonel at 5:46 PM on March 6, 2008


(I kid. Best wishes to everyone who has to deal with this.)
posted by evilcolonel at 5:46 PM on March 6, 2008


What are site changes
posted by Joseph Gurl at 6:04 PM on March 6, 2008


Having Type II makes me click on any posy with "diabetes" in it. I wasn't expecting this story (though it was funny. Poor kid is forced to know about diabetes and doesn't even know what his testicles are). So many people in my family have it though that I don't ever feel alone. We could form our own club. Thankfully, so far my kids favor my wife in being free of the disease.

And I have to say the comments here so far have made me laugh. Thanks for that everyone.
posted by genefinder at 5:49 AM on March 7, 2008


Gah! "Post". Not posy.
posted by genefinder at 5:50 AM on March 7, 2008


I don't feel alone with it, I just feel pissed off. Sometimes I think a prankster replaced my glucometer got replaced with a random number generator.

Maybe Gary Gygax did it. "Okay, roll 35d6..."
posted by Foosnark at 7:30 AM on March 7, 2008


I really can type can type, really really.
posted by Foosnark at 7:31 AM on March 7, 2008


What an odd ending. That last bit was not really what I would call a "bloggable moment."
posted by chinston at 1:32 PM on March 7, 2008


The last moment is very much what talking to kids is all about. Super serious heavy stuff, major revelations about how they see the world and other people, and, suddenly...testicles.
posted by batmonkey at 4:03 PM on March 7, 2008


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