Tuesday, May 11, 2010

An open letter to Glucose Tablets:


Dear Tabs, (Can I call you Tabs?)

Hi there! It’s me, Meri. I want to first of all thank you for all the hard work you do for the diabetic community. You save lives. What can I say? I think we both know- that you know- how wonderful you are. It’s kinda’ obvious you KNOW the good that you do. I mean look at you sitting there…you look like you mean business, and your label is so smugly appealing! You’ve got it going on!

Yeah, but here’s the thing…You are chalky and gross and my boys hate you.

I KNOW!! Craziness! How can it be?? You are like a nutritional staple in so many diabetics lives…how in the world can my boys shun you? How can they reject you when you come in so many amazing flavors? Hello, Sour Apple…I mean, I would eat you in a heartbeat.

But not my cutie patootie boys. Honestly, I’m not being dramatic when I say they would rather pass out than eat you. Harsh I know…but when they are really low, and I shove one of you in their mouth, you are rejected every time. They won’t have you. They push you out with their tongue, they spit you out, OR…they gag.

They would rather have apple juice when they are really low. Who woulda thunk it? Sweet silky satisfying apple juice…sounds gross to me. But what ev’…I’m not diabetic.

And when they need a boost with a little fat, (because apple juice may get the job done, but it’s not gonna bring em home if you know what I mean…Do you know what I mean? I mean apple juice will bring them up, but won’t keep them there, so it’s good, but not great)….anyway if they are above 70 and want to go up and stay up THEY CHOOSE three different options. Yogos, pudding or a banana. These guys bring my boys bloods sugars up…and KEEP them where they are supposed to be. How can I argue…it works. They aren’t all my first choice of food groups for my boys, but the results are so satisfying, and the boys happiness IS the most important thing to me in the world...so...

Not that you wouldn’t do the job too, it’s just that…it is what it is.

And what it is…is…they hate you.

And I can’t MAKE them like you.

So please. Stop jumping into my cart at Target…because no matter how many times I bring you home…they WILL NOT CHEW YOU!

Someday, when they are older…they will find you much more convenient, and I’m sure they will cherish every last one of you. But until then…it’s Auf Wiedersehen . (But between you and me, I’m going to keep one little tube of you in my purse. Just in case they grow up already and agree to eat you.)

In closing, as much as I love, and appreciate your contribution….it is pretty much over.

Thanks for the love Tabs. And if you ever figure out how NOT to be chalky, but creamy and appetizing…let me know. I’ll sneak you into the food cupboard and pass you off as new hole-less lifesavers, and then maybe they’ll give you a whirl.

Sincerely, Meri
Mother of 3 wonderfully picky diabetic boys.

24 comments:

  1. I LOVE IT! Too bad my daughter LOVES those tablets. I had never heard of pudding or yogos. Thanks for the ideas. Wonderful post!

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  2. I'm with your boys, glucose tabs are nasty. Funny enough my daughter loves them!!!
    I just read some of your past posts because Ihave never been to your blog before and I just have to say that you are an amazing mom! This is such a difficult disease and your doing it x3 and it sounds like you doing it well x3.
    I like your Lost and diabetes comparison. I am a fan of the show on and off. Sometimes I love it and then I get so frustrated I could scream. I am going to try to watch the last few episodes.
    Nice to "meet" you.
    Yvette

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  3. Zane is just starting to "like" gloop tabs (as he calls them). He is not in love, yet!

    I forgot about using pudding! We used to use it all the time! I might have to add it back into the rotation!

    Great post, as always, Meri!

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  4. Great post! I've never even tried glucose tabs with Elise... they look just plain nasty to me. And this is coming from the girl who has never met a sugar she didn't like (aside from fake sugar).

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  5. I find it fascinating that the three of them all feel the same way. But I find it equally fascinating that this is not a more prevailing opinion. So that's a bit of a contradiction on my part. I try to mix it up for Caleb in the hope that he won't completely rebel against them.

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  6. Addy ONLY likes the WHITE ones. Did you know they don't make a bottle of JUST THE WHITE ONES?????

    So, I have bottles and bottles of combined green and pink that she'll take AS A LAST RESORT...because we've picked out ALL the WHITE ones.

    Nothing like pouring out a bottle of sugar tabs praying for JUST ONE MORE white one with your argumentative low kiddo insisting she won't settle for anything less.

    We tend to use Starbursts instead. Just like the tablets, they're 4c each and makes it easy to give a few without worrying about over doing it.

    I love your posts :)

    YOU ROCK!!!!

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  7. Adele will eat them when at school, but not at home. Gummies are the remedy of choice when in our care. She's even developed a reflex where she can eat gummies while sleeping and not even remember the next morning. Rub them on her lips and she just opens her mouth waiting for them. They've saved our butt sooooo many times !!

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  8. Great post Meri!!!

    My girls love the glucose tablets, funny how all your boys say no way to the chalky tabs :) I don't blame them, I have tried the tablets before and I am not a fan but my kids think they are like giant smarties and they gobble them up!

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  9. Oh Meri - I thought it was just my kiddo that hated the dang things! Here you have 3 tab-haters! I tried one, they are nasty. I can think of better items to bring up that sugar. I love that you use pudding, I gotta try that one. And tried a banana before and it worked well, gotta remember that one! Thanks hon!

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  10. LOVE that you are a "little" (OK alot) CRAZY!!!

    Funny, awesome POST Meri as always. Luckily Joe loves glucose tabs and starbursts. I don't usually have trouble keeping him up with those, unless he is active...well...wait, that is most of the time...I do boost with PB after he is up sometimes.

    LOVE YOU MERI!!!

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  11. LOL GREAT post, Meri!
    We are just now discovering "sugar tablets" at our house. Grape flavored ones were a no-go, but raspberry seems to be a hit... and of course whenever Jacob gets one, Jillian has to have one too... soo... they are going fast!! =)

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  12. Smugly appealing! Hilarious! My kiddo also hates the tabs. Thanks for the yogos tip, for "bringing it home". I'll give that one a try next time.

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  13. Judging by the energy oozing out of that post I think we know who has the "tabs habit" in your home! Loved it.

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  14. T-Bear LOVES glucose tabs! You'd think they were candy. He always asks for them to cover uneaten carbs at meals. But, here's my beef. WHY ARE THEY ONLY 4 G OF CARBS?!? Don't the folks manufacturing diabetic products know "The Rule of 15"?!? Why, oh why, don't they make them 5 g each? Just wondering.... :) - Mo

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  15. Love the way you tackled this blog topic. :) All three of my kids like "tabs." They call them "blucose tabs," and whenever Jack needs one (or two or three), my other two beg to be given one, too. Yogos are another household favorite, too.

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  16. You are way to funny!!!!

    Lova ya :)

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  17. This post was awesome...love you Meri. My Olivia, on the other hand, loves them!

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  18. Best. letter. ever.

    I am also a hater of glucose tabs.

    I've purchased every flavor. Even the 1 carb mini sour berry ones. I just can't get them down. I have some in my car for "just in case" but the chance of me eating one is almost non existent. I'd rather pull the car over, walk a mile to a store, and buy apple juice. I'd chance a low.

    Whoever says they taste/feel just like smarties is wrong.

    :-)

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  19. Meri,

    My son is the exact same way! This week everyone is singing the praises of those tabs, but Matthew won't touch them once he tried them!

    Guess we're sticking with juice and starbursts......

    Cute post!

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  20. I love that you add humor in with all of the yucky stuff. I have been doing the D for only two months with my daughter and I can't imagine Xs 3! My hats off to you. You are a terrific mom and I know I will enjoy following your blog. Cheers!

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  21. Yup, they are kinda gross!!! And I think the idea of posting a letter is brilliant. What an entertaining post!! :)

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  22. Thanks for the smile! I always get such a kick out of your posts!
    I have never tried them however Alivia LOVES them! I actually have to hide them from her! She eats the grape ones like they're candy!!!

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  23. LOL you are so funny! Tristan absolutely loves the taps! He will select those before apple juice! :)

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  24. I completely agree. Those things are nasty.

    Is it wrong that I have started carrying cake frosting in a tube in my purse?

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