Darien Lake (1995-ish) |
I remember the days of packing just my clothes and what I felt I needed pre-diabetes diagnosis. Fifty tank tops and twenty dresses, costume jewelry and books I'd never read. I knew that if I forgot something, it wouldn't actually matter because likely my mom had it anyways. I would take hours just picking out what I thought I'd wear - only to wear the exact same bathing-suit everyday. It wasn't a huge hassle or worry, it was exciting.
Packing with a chronic condition is a lot less exciting. You feel like half your luggage is packed with medical supplies, leaving you with just a portion to pack with the 'fun' stuff. Everything is strategic.
"If my luggage gets lost, how many supplies will I need on my person?"
"If my site rips out twice, and one malfunctions, how many sites do I need for my trip?"
Trying not to get too wrapped up in the what-if's you try to pack practical, but with caution. It is so easy to get caught up in what could happen, and begin to panically throw extra vials in your carry-on and enough sites for a round-world trip. It's not easy being practical because emergency situations happen all of the time. How many times have you been at a friend's house and had a site ripped out or you realized your reservoir is holding only five units of insulin? Now place yourself on an island in the Caribbean and imagine that scenario.
I have travelled many times since my diagnosis in 2009, far-away places like Australia and Tanzania. I've managed to always come back with plenty to spare, but I rather that be the situation. I am not sure the practicality of packing diabetes supplies ever comes. There are always those thoughts that make us grab for more 'just in case' and I think that's okay. After all, my mom did that long before I had diabetes. She was literally ready for the plague if it was ever to hit Disneyworld.
Kayla
No comments:
Post a Comment