Camp is in its final couple of days. Two weeks has gone by like a month to everyone working on the med staff. Everyone is very ready to return to whatever routine they had before, or better yet just a good night’s sleep. Med staff is also busy making final recommendations for “going home” insulin dose adjustments and what they’ll be saying to camper’s parents at check-out. I will address the parents from 10:30-12:30 on Saturday morning at “Parents Day”. We usually have a full house at the Rec Hall. It’s my chance to share how camp went the past week, and also provide some insight much as I have in this blog over the past couple of weeks. I also try and answer any and all questions parents have about diabetes care and technology. Basically, a diabetes update from a doctor who treats children with diabetes for a living and who has also lived with the condition for 43 years.

We must acknowledge our gracious host and sponsor, the Texas Lions League. Their vision over 40 years ago made this diabetes camp not only possible, but also unique as the first such camp that never asked for, or accepted, fees for children with diabetes to attend the camping program. Others emulate them now, but this camp was the first.

The running joke at Parents Day is that campers check out is between 12:45 and 12:46 PM! We have enjoyed caring for campers, but we are very ready to return them. Just like last week, everyone on my med staff has made the transition from novice to pro over the past week, as I assured them they would. We’ve had our challenges along the way as we always do, but we always persevere.

To a person, every volunteer on med staff has learned something about diabetes they didn’t know when they arrived here. Many have learned a great deal; and they work in the diabetes field already. I tell anyone who will read or listen, that this camp is the single greatest learning experience about type 1 (juvenile) diabetes that I have ever had. More so than any book, lecture, course or symposium I’ve ever participated in. I would hope these posts will serve to identify future med staff.

Our hosts, the Texas Lions League, hold their semi-annual board of directors meeting starting Saturday. Check out is nothing short of a circus environment, as hundreds of Lions and their families co-mingle on campus with 208 campers, 50 medical staff and 100 camp counselors and their core leadership staff. It’s amazing that any of us don’t get run over by all the cars!

In closing, I can only say that I’m fighting the good fight, I’m running the race, and I’m keeping the faith. But it’s not over for me yet, nor any of these children that we come here to serve every year. This camp will remain forever part of my life, and part of the lives of tens of thousands of children and young adults with diabetes. Besides my family, it’s one of the best things to have ever happened to me.

Last 5 posts by Steve

• Day 15 - Sixtieth Camp Blog Entry - August 3rd, 2008
• Day 12 - Fifty-Eighth Camp Blog Entry - July 31st, 2008
• Day 11 - Fifty-Seventh Camp Blog Entry - July 30th, 2008
• Day 11 - Fifty-Sixth Camp Blog Entry - July 30th, 2008
• Day 11 - Fifty-Fifth Camp Blog Entry - July 30th, 2008

This entry was posted on Friday, August 1st, 2008 at 10:08 am and is filed under Camp. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.