D Blog Week, Day 2: Poetry Slam

Today's topic for D Blog Week is this: "Write a poem, rhyme, ballad, haiku, or any other form of poetry about diabetes."

It blew in on a summer’s day

So quiet I did not see

My baby lapping up the juice

And diapers full of pee.

It swirled by and tossed our days

Into a sea of questions

We swam with heads above the current

How thin he is, they mention

As mothers do, I felt the pang

That something is not right

But each appointment we’re told to go

Now he won’t sleep at night

Later his chest inhales so deep

He can’t quite fully breathe

The cries don’t stop, he will not soothe

And then he starts to seize

In the deep dark night we wrap him up

And take him to the car

The foggy fears surround our hearts

We sprint through the ER.

The doctors say it’s just a virus

He’s fine, but now…oh wait.

He’s dehydrated and his veins collapsed

The mood changes to a harried state.

A mother hysterical on her knees

She prays for him to live

The doctors don’t know why he’s sick

They say something’s going to give.

And then hours later a voice speaks up

A quiet boom of thunder

Do you have Diabetes in your family?

Yes, but how? He runs leaving me to wonder.

That night the word rolled off my tongue

I hated when it was said

I wished it were me, and not my boy

Our future seemed one of dread

He’s flown to San Francisco

As we drive helplessly behind.

His life’s path changed forever.

But solace we will find.

There is no cure, but he can live

And run and jump and swim

It won’t be easy, that we know

But it’s worth it to have him.

Diabetes has flown in two more times

Each time we saw it coming

We braced our hearts and resolved our minds

And continued on just loving.

16 years we’ve lived this life

With needles, pumps and meds

But all the dread’s been washed away

As happy lives are led.

They are smiling and alive

I can think of nothing better

Than having my boys by my side

We can do this…together.

Forever.