Carbs: A bit of history, with a little yelling at the end.

12 years ago, when J was diagnosed we were helicoptered (my first made up word...I am proudly announcing there are two in this post:) to a hospital in San Francisco. There we were spun through a ridiculously short synopsis of what diabetes is…and then given a book of which we were expected to read the first 100 pages.

That was it. That was the extent of our education.

Well that, and Nurse Ignorant.

Nurse Ignorant was our nutritionist. She had only dealt with type 2 adults. She only knew of “diabetes.” Not Type 1 or Type 2, just one big diabetes lump. And furthermore she had never dealt with a diabetic under the age of 50.

Regardless of all of this, she was ridiculously confident in her analysis of the situation, she didn’t do any research, she didn’t make any calls, she simply came before us and stated that our newly diagnosed Type 1 Diabetic son, (who when admitted was 8 months old, and down to 14 lbs)…was to start drinking HALF Of the formula that he was before, and never eat fruit jars again. Only meat.

We lived with her rules for the entire week we were in the hospital. But we weren’t completely under her spell…we rebelled.

We fed J when he was hungry. Before schedule, and she would come in and yell at us.

We bought a jar of apples and chicken baby food, and when she saw it she confiscated it.

It was hell. Our social worker took notice. She took me aside and said she was working with our insurance to get us transferred to UCSF/Stanford. She succeeded, and in turn we met Dr. Steve Gittelman and his team who totally changed everything.

They were very clear. They did not want us to eat around the insulin. They wanted the insulin to work with whatever J chose to eat. They told us that he should eat like a normal child. That he needed a healthy balanced diet. (Which included fruit, and surprise surprise! Even eventually ice cream.) They told me that he should have as many bottles as he wanted, and taught us that if we mixed fruit with a protein/fat it wouldn’t spike his sugar.

We have stood by that since the beginning. Let the boys eat like healthy boys should. Do we say no to dessert sometimes? Yes. Not because they are diabetic…but because it is the healthy thing to do. They eat a balanced healthy diet. Sure, when they have higher blood sugars we steer them to lower carb options, but for the most part they eat what any other child would eat.

Trial and error have helped us find how certain foods affect each boy. We have a pretty good idea what will happen after they consume pizza, and even Chinese food. We have special ways to bolus to compensate for the food absorption.

They can eat these foods, like any child…in moderation.

There are a few adjustments made of course…for example, sugary cereals are a rare treat. They are one food that we are just now figuring out. I can get it down pretty good on a special Saturday, but it is so nerve racking I can’t bring myself to let them have it during the week.

And sure, they can’t come home and drink a glass of orange juice, without having a little fat in the mix…

Yes, there are modifications. And yes there are families that choose different diets and different ways, in fact some of these families are close friends of mine, and I love them. And I respect their choice! Because what we eat is personal…and everyone has their own path…

But let me be clear to Nurse Ignorant, and the other self proclaimed food police of the world: Damn straight my boys can have that cupcake at Tom’s birthday party! And damn straight they can have that ridiculously enormous donut Johnny brought for the scout troop! And damn straight I will stay on the phone for 20 minutes while my son describes each and every part of the ice cream sundae his teacher served to the class as reward, and then scientifically-wild-assidly-guess how many carbs are in said sundae!

Because we are not in the flippin’ dark ages anymore! Insulin works quickly and efficiently, and I have a few tricks up my sleeve to avoid blood sugar spikes after these foods…F. Y. I.

We are not perfect. The boys’ sugars are not always perfect…but you can bet a year supply of insulin that we put our heart and soul in keeping their sugars level.

Because I believe that all food groups are important.

Even the food group that includes Ice cream.