Last Mother’s Day I wrote a public letter, addressed to my mom, called “My Mother’s Eyes”. I guess that was my way of dealing with (and maybe even apologizing) for the roller-coaster ride I put my mom through growing up with diabetes, and more than anything really thanking her and all the T1D super-moms for all they do.

For those who have not read it, my name is Noor and I am an adult with T1D. I was diagnosed at the age of 5; life seemed easy and manageable until my delightful (I wish!) teenage hormones turned our lives upside down. I went through a rebellious phase; dealing with this awkward teenage phase is hard enough, then add diabetes to the mix, it was pure disaster. I did not want to deal with diabetes; I wanted to be “normal”. Needless to say, that threw me on the opposite spectrum of normal. My Hba1c sky-rocketed (at one point it was 13! Not fun), causing me to do whatever it took to hide my meter readings; these behaviors landed me in the hospital on multiple occasions. All the lying, hiding and my not so smart invincible attitude built a massive brick wall between me and my mom. My diabetes had turned her into my ultimate enemy. 

Years later after a lot of emotional and physical “lows” and quit frankly not too many “high” moments (ironic right?), I’m finally on my biggest “high” journey, with my mom by my side as my best friend and biggest supporter and Hba1c of 6.3. I am now working with Carb DM and some of the best people in the diabetes world. This great opportunity and experience made me realize that things did not have to be that hard, all we needed was detailed knowledge and proper support on how to deal with my diabetes, especially as a female going through teenage years.

 

This is why the Mother- Daughter Weekend is so near and dear to my heart. It gives mothers and daughters a gold mine of information, techniques and tools to allow you to work together as a team, strengthening your family and creating unforgettable memories. No matter how old we think we are, we always need our mothers by our side to help us on our, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, forever (until there is a cure) journey with diabetes.

Mother – Daughter Weekend is for pre-teen and teenage girls (ages 10 and above) who are interested in learning more about managing T1D throughout the female life cycle; get tools for effective mother-daughter communication; and learn how to deal with diabetes in the real world. In addition you will learn techniques for stress reduction and well-being, bond with your daughter and other mother-daughter dyads, and best of all, have fun. Click here for more information and registration.

Date: Friday, March 28 – Sunday, March 30.

Location: Holiday Inn Dublin-Pleasanton, 6680 Regional Street, Dublin.

A note about the ages: if your daughter is on the younger end of the age spectrum (10, 11) she will benefit from this program if she is starting or already in puberty and has a basic understanding of the female cycle.