Wednesday, November 16, 2011

L-M-N-O PEE...

It's something none of us want to talk about. It is the one post I probably will get the most flack about when the boys are older, but darn it! It needs to get out in the open! We must unite in our secret shame...

Pee.

And diabetes.

Man, back in the day when my boys were littler and high over night...forget about it!! Accidents galore.

And let's not get into the nights when it happened twice. I've found them curled up in the corner of their bed the size of a quarter to keep away from the wet spots.

And then there is the bathroom.

I have four boys. Seriously, sometimes I think there is a fountain of pee that springs up next to the toilet at night. Yesterday I honestly walked by the bathroom door and gagged a little.

Almost every day. I have to clean it almost every day.

Now...let me be clear. I've never BLAMED the boys.

When they have to go at night, I'd rather they make it to the bathroom blurry eyed and in a sleep trance than not make the trip at all and stay where they sleep. I know they are out of it. I know they are trying. I know it is hard to aim when you are sleep walking.

But honestly...it has been a big part of my life that I need to get out there.

PEE!

There! I said it!

I don't want to embarrass my boys...ok, maybe too late for that...but it took them a couple years after the initial potty training to keep them dry at night too.

Why?

Because they are boys?

Because they have diabetes!!!?

Because the sleep harder than normal people?

Because. They. Have. Diabetes!!!

I can't say 100% for sure...but I can tell you what a relief it was when my youngest announced a couple years ago, "I'm done with these nighttime things. I can do it!"

And he was done.

And he did...for the most part.

I just want you to know if you are knee deep in laundry...you are not alone.

Children with diabetes pee more. It is a scientific fact. It is not their fault...also a scientific fact.

And yup¸ we've always restricted drinks after 7, and had them "go" before bed and at the 10pm check.

It is what it is.

As they get older the incidents are fewer and far between. My T1 teen doesn't have accidents ever, in fact it seems like years and years since he has. (PHEW! I saved one kid from holding this over my head forever.) It is true though. So I know there is a light at the end of the tunnel for all of us.

It just feels like a really long tunnel, you know?

Like one of those Subway tunnels...that smells like urine.

Ok. I'm done.

(This so "eloquently" ends day 16 of National Health Blog Posting Month, where I am blogging everyday in honor of Diabetes Awareness Month.)

12 comments:

  1. I can just picture this post being printed out, laminated, and produced again at each of your boys' weddings... Way to go, Mom! :))

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  2. Truer words have never been spoken!!!

    Pee is an issue in our house, too.

    I can't wait for the day when the accidents are fewer and the bathroom is even just a wee bit cleaner! (Yep, pun intended! ;) )

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  3. 4 BOYS, ENOUGH SAID!!I can only imagine :)

    My oldest wet the bed till she was 10...and thats non-D. -sigh-

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  4. Another thought - now that I'm done laughing hysterically... (sorry, I had two boys, no d, but stinky, drippy bathrooms - oh yeah...)
    The other thought... Somewhere there's a mom of a cute young boy with d who will read this and discover that her son is just like others, and maybe that will help her.
    And your post will make her happy!

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  5. glad to know it's a d thing...I swear we're always having to b-line it to the potty wherever we go!

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  6. hahahah. classic. so funny. but seriously, i think youre onto an important point Im wondering what part D will play in R toilet training he seems so unsure about when he needs to pee, and is so used to being wet, hes almost..er..quit potty training. Oh gosh it seems like a long smelly pee-ish subway tunnel ahead...

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  7. One of my friends married a man from Germany. She said the BEST thing her mother-in-law ever did was to teach her hubby to pee sitting down when he was a little boy! Apparently, he does that most of the time even now, and she has taught their son the same thing. Wish I had thought of that when my son was in that stage! :) Cleaning the toilet (in a home with males) is one of my least-favorite chores.

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  8. My 11yo T1D daughter still has the occasional high BGL related accident overnight - so I hear you on the bit about being knee deep in laundry! Fortunately my 14yo T1D son, like your teenage T1D boy, does not - he was diagnosed a little over a year ago so this has never been an issue for him - but he DOES get up during the night to pee - and even with just ONE boy in the house - cleaning the bathroom is my LEAST favourite thing! Meri - how you do it with all those boys - I take my hat off to you x x x

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  9. I only have one male (nonD) human and one male dog in my house and I get a little gaggy here. Can't imagine. Maybe Santa will bring you a urinal.

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  10. I'm going to leave this comment as anonymous for obvious reasons... I was diagnosed at 11 and I wet the bed not long after my diagnosis. My mom was out-of-town, and I remember calling her collect at my grandmother's house because I was too embarrassed to tell my dad. She walked me through washing the sheets and everything so I never had to tell my dad. Of course, now, I know she did and he never mentioned it to me. I wet the bed once again as an adult and have never been more mortified. Fortunately, I lived alone at the time, and no one ever knew. Now, in my 30s, it's a fear, but not a huge one as I know the other two were results of high blood sugars. Now I have a CGM and hope to never deal with this again. Thanks for sharing this post, but more importantly, thanks for making it funny. Seriously... L, M, N, O, Pee.... goes right in hand with D. :) Love your posts!!!

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