Diabetes at Camp Bearskin Part II: The Arrival

Once we got our families settled onto our 12 sleeping decks (3 to 4 families per deck), we rung the bell for insulin consultation. During our four-times a day insulin consultation, families have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with our health care professional staff about insulin doses, blood sugar patterns, or any other diabetes issues that may be affecting the families. As families lined up to meet with the doctors and diabetes educators in what appeared to be a never-ending first-night line, they began chatting with one another. Questions were typical of strangers encountering strangers and consisted of the "where are you from?" "how long did it take you to get here?" and "when was your child diagnosed?" variety.

Dinner is always homemade pizza and our salad bar on the first night. Every food item offered was marked with its carbohydrate value. Pizza was worth two carbs (30 grams). I could see the surprise on many of our new families faces that the food was indeed marked and that they did not have to try and figure out values themselves. They were not yet used to being at diabetes camp, where all things diabetes are the norm, not the exception.

After dinner we held our camp orientation at our amphitheater. We separated the kids from the parents so that the campers could meet their counselors and prepare their opening skits for campfire (usually somehow diabetes related) and so that the parents could be oriented to the upcoming week. While this is one of the most stressful processes of the week for some of our families, this is truly when the magic begins. As each counselor stood up, he or she introduced herself. Jen, one of our counselor supervisors and an honors student, started, "My name is Jen, I am from Davis, I have been coming to Bearskin for 18 years, and I have had diabetes for 21 years". "My name is Eric, I live in Sacramento, I have been diabetic for 14 years, and have been coming to Bearskin for 9 years". As each counselor stood up and introduced themselves and kids were called down one at a time to join their counselors, parents responded with applause.

I watched closely and saw some mothers with tears in their eyes. After working with these families for years, I know where the tears are coming from, and I am touched. Some tears are coming from seeing young college-aged healthy people with diabetes stand up and introduce themselves with eloquence. Other tears come from fear as for many of our new families, this is the first time since their child's diagnosis that they have allowed their children to go with anyone else. And yet, other tears were simply a feeling of overwhelming relief. Many diabetes "firsts" were happening tonight, and the week had hardly begun.

Once the kids went off in their groups to prepare for campfire, parents were introduced to the schedule for the week and the camp rules to keep all safe. Then it was Dr. Mary's turn, our medical director. Dr. Mary is a bit of an icon here at camp, and families generally love her. With a sometimes gruff exterior and a very warm heart, Dr. Mary has had diabetes for 30 years and runs her own diabetes practice for children and teens. Tonight she introduced not only herself and her medical team for the week, but began teaching. Glucagon was the subject, and treating nighttime low blood sugars.