Diabetes at Camp Bearskin Part II: The Arrival

This is the second in a seven-part series chronicling a week of life at family diabetes camp.

Only a few hours ago, in the heat of the early-afternoon, we had 41 families trickle in to Bearskin Meadow Camp, one family at a time.

Over the course of this afternoon we met 98 children and 71 parents, all affected by diabetes. While they are here from all walks of life, socioeconomic levels, religions, cultures and even countries, there is one unifying, common, undeniable thread that brings these families together in an instant and intimate connection that has forever changed each of their lives. That thread is diabetes.

After climbing 6,000 feet into the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the families are finally here, waiting eagerly to see what the week holds.

Opening day brings forth a mix of emotions and interactions. Today we welcomed families who have been with us for years; who come back every summer to get their "diabetes fix". These families are easy for me to spot on opening day. They are identified as the ones who come running up our dusty path with open arms, ready to greet favorite college-aged staff members. These families know the routine as they get registered. They saunter over to our medical director to get their insulin and medications checked in, and ask what is on the menu for the week. They are already talking about opening campfire and the planned skits and songs for our variety show. This session we have 21 returning families. These are the families who say "it's good to be home".

Then there are our new families. We have 20 of them this session. I can always spot the new families -- they have guarded, almost frozen smiles, and are constantly turning their heads left and right, taking in the surroundings. As many of them approached the registration table today they had a hint of fear and anxiety behind their eyes, and their shy-looking children attached to their legs.

These families looked with trepidation to the group of 30 staff, all dressed in our identical navy blue camp t-shirts, cheering them on. They were the families who were hesitant to check-in any of their medications because their child has never been separated from his or her insulin or blood glucose meter before. They were the ones today who had the "deer in headlights" look, like at any minute they could grab their children, sprint to their cars, pile in, and speed out of camp faster than a bolt of lighting, never to look back again. They were the ones clearly asking "what are we doing here?".

Opening day always feels a little chaotic. At Family Camp, as they register, we help families to their open air sleeping decks, assist them getting unpacked, take them to our Medical Team to check-in their medications, and give them time to get to know their fellow bunk mates. It always feels like we should be doing more, but we know this is a critical time not to overwhelm them. We give them the space to just be and to figure things out.