June 23, 2003
Other
Question from Norway:
My almost 15 year old daughter, who has had diabetes for three years, is not very well regulated (A1c: 10%), and I find myself actually depressed, angry, and very often obsessed with helping her keep her values down. I hear some parents of other teenagers with diabetes say that it’ll get better when they are older, but I’m afraid my daughter will already have signs of complications by then. How do I as a mother of a teenager with diabetes child deal with my own fears and worries?
Answer:
It is so very hard to “let go” of our children, especially when they have diabetes or any chronic condition. Have you considered counseling for the two of you prior to her leaving for college? If you both could work on your anxieties, it might make for a less stressful transition. Your child does not seem to have worked out the kinks in her self management yet and that contributes to your fear level. I strongly suggest joint counseling with someone familiar with diabetes soon. You may just cut off any catastrophes at the pass!
CMB
