parent of diabetic 17 3/4 girl

I'm so sorry to hear this. You actually sound a lot like my mom when I was that age and also not taking care of my type 1 diabetes. I don't know if I felt the same way your daughter is feeling but I felt very depressed and hopeless. I felt like I couldn't even test my blood sugar or give insulin. My parents would tell me about what could happen to me and that would just make me feel more hopeless.

What eventually helped me was dealing with the depression. By doing that, I was able to start managing my blood sugars better and slowly doing all the other things I needed to do to stay healthy. It took years to improve my life but I did and despite many years of very high blood sugars, I am now almost 29, married, I have two year old twins, and I'm healthy.

I can tell how much you care for your daughter and sense that you are desperate to help her. I suggest asking her how you can help her. Maybe she knows what she needs in order to get to the place where she takes care of herself better but needs help getting it. You can introduce her to blogs online of people just like her who are living healthy, full lives. If you want, I'd be happy to talk to her.

If she isn't taking care of herself than you are right to want to intervene and do something to help. Though because of her age I think it would help to talk with her and gently ask her what help she could use and then take it from there.

Good luck. Keep us posted.

Dear Tiredmom,
Wow! I can hear from your note that you have been through it. It sounds like you are giving it everything you've got and are worried about your daughter more than she is worried about herself. At almost 18, I think it is time to let go and let her take the reigns and navigate her own health.
I know this sounds easier said than done, but I am not hearing that your energy expended in this has paid off and caused some positive results.
Quite possibly, empowering her to make her own decisions will allow her to have responsibility and think for herself how she would like to live. I know this will be difficult however, at this point, it is her life and she is now going into adulthood. She is in the drivers seat. It you let go of the reigns, she may just take hold and self navigate. I am so sorry for the loss of your mother and I hope that your Multiple Sclerosis is under control.
One suggestion would be to see if your daughter would be interested in possibly seeing a Licensed Therapist to help her with these issues.
It may be just what she needs to jump start her into getting her diabetes under control.
I hope that this note helps.

Peace,

Amy