So, I am taking this course down in Miami called “Mastering Your Diabetes.” It is offered by the The Diabetes Research Foundation(DRI). I am in day 2 of 5. I mentioned this blog site to the participants and staff and hope they read some of the postings. I became a bit emotional today as we were all interacting and sharing more about our individual stories regarding diabetes. There is a 14 year old boy who has Type 1 diabetes. He is from Columbia and is a star soccer player. He looks a lot like a looked when I was 14 and diagnosed. At that time I was a star soccer player. Or, at least I would like to think so. I became emotional when his mother who is with him through the whole course began to speak of her son and how well he is dealing with his condition. She went further and spoke of his younger brother who has been with him in the past during his insulin pump training and his desire to support his older brother with diabetes. As I was driving home I reviewed this morning’s events and my emotional response and came up with three reasons(thoughts) I was having at the time. First, I was seeing myself in him. I am 46 years old and at the same time I am feeling intensely myself as a 14 year old being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Second, I was feeling the mother’s love for her son and I was, at the same time, feeling the love I have and the tremendous support I received from my Mom. I saw and felt her courage, her compassion as well as her uncertainty and fear. I sympathized with her and I admired her. But, most of all I thought of this boy’s little brother and I felt the closeness they must have and the pain they must feel. And, I thought of my brother who was and is the same way. As I write this I am allowing myself to feel the full brunt of emotion that was beginning to break through this morning but I would not allow to come through completely. Let’s see what the next three days bring. My next posting will be a final assessment of the course.