a conversation with kids about diabetes

This afternoon the conversation came up amongst the kids as to what would happen with their diabetes supplies if a cure for diabetes was found.  My non diabetic son asked if we could return their pumps and meters and all the other supplies and get a refund!  What a nice thought!

I then suggested that if the kids suddenly had a cure for diabetes they might do more than just think about mailing back their supplies for refunds.  I suggested they might take everything they can find that is diabetes related and make a pile in the backyard and set it on fire!

I suggested that there might be such a joy and sense of freedom that they may dance and sing!  Imagine a life free of all of the duties and worries of diabetes!

My son then suggested that maybe the pumps could be shot into the air like rockets and explode!

But then my daughter said that she doesn't want to be part robot with an artificial pancreas.  She'd rather stay as is with her own body parts and  manage diabetes.

But then I shared that there are so many doctors working today that by the time the kids are grown ups the doctors might have a solution without artificial body parts and then we discussed all the work being done with cancer.  Then my son remembered a story of cholera from the book The Secret Garden and how so many people died from that disease and how sad that was.

I then reminded him that we have ways to vaccinate against these diseases and many diseases are not problems today and hopefully diabetes will be one of those one day too.

Such a conversation for lunch after church and for future problem solvers that are also compassionate as they live it everyday.