As a Spanish teacher, it is wise for me to periodically visit a Spanish-speaking country so that I can keep my knowledge fresh and up to date. This year, I went.
Which meant that, since Daddy has to work all day, M was to be left to her own devices for 11 days.
Auntie Jeanne saw the opportunity to spend some quality time with her goddaughter and seized it. The two of them chose to go zip-lining and generally hang out for a couple of days.
Now Auntie Jeanne is a medical professional, and has been asking me good questions about M's diabetes from the start. She files this information away for future use.
But then it comes back to haunt her.
Things that Auntie Jeanne remembers include:
1) M does not do as well managing her diabetes on the road as she does at home
2) M needs frequent snacks when doing physical activity
and for carb absorption:
3) Foods with fat and sugar in them are better than foods with just sugar in them
After a long day of swimming and running around, M informs Auntie Jeanne that she is hungry and would like a snack [2) M needs frequent snacks when doing physical activity]. She states that she would like some ice cream [3) Foods with fat and sugar in them are better than foods with just sugar in them]. Auntie Jeanne agrees and decides to take her to the local ice creamery for what she anticipates will be a small dish of ice cream.
When they arrive at the the ice creamery, M peruses the menu and decides that perhaps she would like a hot fudge sundae. "Uh-oh", Auntie Jeanne thinks, "3) Foods with fat and sugar in them are better than foods with just sugar in them."
But as M continues down the menu, she decides that she will have a milkshake. "Hmm," thinks Auntie Jeanne. "That's more ice cream than I'd like to see her have, but 3) Foods with fat and sugar in them are better than foods with just sugar in them."
As they continue to wait in line, M declares that she would like to have a malted milkshake.
Now up until this point, all of Auntie Jeanne's misgivings have gone unspoken. She is the fun Auntie. The one who lets M do stuff she doesn't always get to do at home. Sometimes "stuff she doesn't do at home" includes extravagant food choices, such as having shrimp for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
But the word MALTED catches Auntie Jeanne's attention. She thinks, "What is malt, exactly? And why does M want it?"
So she breaks her silence and asks, "So what is malt?"
M says, "It's a thickener. It makes the shake taste really yummy."
Jeanne's brain processes this information. It seems to her that malt is some kind of grain, which means added carbs, which means that the rule of small numbers is likely to be broken, which means that M's bg could become pretty high, because 1) M does not do as well managing her diabetes on the road as she does at home.
Auntie Jeanne thinks about this to herself, and makes no comment to M. After all, M is supposed to be having fun. On the other hand, Auntie Jeanne is responsible for M's general health while M is in her care. On the other hand again, M is a surly teenager, and at times grows frustrated when others tell her how to manage her diabetes.
Auntie Jeanne hems and haws about whether to let M know about her concerns.
M interrupts Auntie Jeanne's thoughts. "Do you think I should get the malted milkshake, or just a regular milkshake?"
Auntie Jeanne, relieved, says, "Well, since you brought it up.... I think you should have the regular milkshake, because I think it will be lower in carbs."
M looks at Auntie Jeanne and sighs. "Yeaaahhh. I know." She sighs again.
Auntie Jeanne, feeling badly, says, "Sorry, but somebody has to be the killjoy ."
M says, "Yeah, I have a lot of those in my life."
No, M.
A lot of people have those in their lives. But you have a super-extra-annoying one, that most kids don't. While some girls your age forgo the malted milkshake to avoid packing on extra pounds, you have to do it to keep yourself from getting sick.
Good for you for recognizing the smart thing to do.
Good for you for asking Auntie Jeanne to verify what you already knew.
And good for you for making the better choice.
And nobody is sorrier that you had to make that choice than I am.
Except maybe Auntie Jeanne.
Diabetes: the ultimate killjoy.
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| A malted milkshake, hold the malt. |
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