5 weeks

It's that time ... Back to School.  While usually this is a bittersweet occasion for me, this year I'm feeling sick to my stomach about it.  I always knew sending my baby girl to Kindergarten would be tough on me - and it was.  I then said I would have no problems sending Trey to school - wrong.

In five weeks Trey will be attending all day, every day kindergarten.  It's not sad because he's my baby boy, or even sad because I want to keep him home with me to help me with daycare (OK ... So maybe that's a little true), but I'm sending my chronically ill child to school and asking someone else to watch over him for 7 hours a day.

I've seen posts about mom's buying their children's school supplies and how 'difficult' that is.  Let me tell you, I wish buying school supplies was all I had to worry about sending to school with my child.

As soon as we had Trey's diaganoses, we informed the school district.  OMT did not have a school nurse on staff, but they do now.  We spoke with the principal briefly about Trey coming to Kindergarten and he would need special requirements that we would talk more in depth with as the time got closer.  The school does in fact have WIFI, so we will be able to connect his CGM to it allowing it to send me and Jordan his blood sugar numbers during the day.

Trey's medical team from Sioux Falls writes up a healthcare plan for the school to have.  It has direct orders from his Endocrinoligst as a to how to care for him.  Jordan and I will need to meet with the school and discuss with the teacher, nurse and principal how to do what needs to be done and what to look for in case of a high or a low sugar reading.  We will have a Care Box in both the nurse's office as well as his classroom with extra medical supplies, snacks, juice boxes, sugar tablets and the (God forbid we need it) Glucagon kit.  He will have to take extra water bottles and his own snacks in case his sugar is too high to have the classroom snack.  He will have to take time out of his learning in order to get his sugar checked.  When and where do they plan on doing this?  He will need to have an insulin shot after his lunch - will he miss the recess? (Because that's not fair). If his sugar is too high or too low, he will loose the ability to concentrate.  If his sugar is above 250 at PE time, he probably cannot partake in the actives as exercise above 250 can make you go ever higher, but would have to sit and watch the other kids

You see, when my child is in my care 24 hours a day, I know what to look for and how to react.  I know what foods to try in an event of a high or a low.  I don't know everything, I never will, but I'm turning my care over to a whole school full of students, teachers and staff and trusting them with my little guy.  Trusting they will do their research and know what to look for in signs or what to do if he drops over during PE.  If he starts to get shaking in Music, I hope he knows to tell the teacher or she can see it.  In a classroom of 25 kindergartens, I know the teacher cannot focus on Trey.  I don't expect her to.  It's not her JOB to focus on one kid.  But I hope it's always in the back of her mind and I hope as the year goes on, she too is able to know the signs.

There is a 504 Plan which is part of the American Disability Act which protects my child in school.  It makes sure he is not left out of any activities because of his diabetes.  I'm sure the school would never do such a thing, however, I will not wait to find out.  We as parents have to be strong for our kids and fight for our kids.  If I don't stand up now for Trey as he enters kindergarten, how will he ever learn to stand up for himself and have that voice?   This is an agreement written up by the school  and parents.

So 'back to school' isn't cool for me this year.  I'm not ready for it.  I want to keep my baby home where I can watch him and protect him.  No one can take care of your baby like his/her mom can. It's going to be very hard for me, I will not lie.  I will continuously wonder "did she check his sugar?" Or "is he going to eat cheese or can he have trail mix" at his snack.

5 weeks ..... 5 weeks to worry about it, pray about it, and then a whole new set of worry sets in .....