dia-bet-es

I cannot believe we are almost done with out internship. Crazy. Anyhow, this week I have been on staff relief. I chose heme/onc and pediatrics. Spending my time shared between adults and pediatrics has been interesting... percentiles vs %IBW vs growth charts vs parents... etc. Anyhow, today I completed my first "pediatric" diabetic diet education... and boy was it different from adult diet educations. I spent nearly 2 hours talking with the patient and her parents. The patient was only 9, so trying to explain any sort of exchange system/carb counting seemed nearly useless. She was completely lost throughout the session and developed a headache midway through. The parents expressed a similar confusion as the patient. I kept asking for food preferences/usual meals and the same answers -- pizza, fries, bagels... oh, she doesn'treally eat fruit or bread or vegetables -- continued to surface. About 10 times I explained that 1 carb choice = 15 grams of carbohydrates, and meats and cheeses do not count as carbohydrates. The mom started crying and... well, needless to say, it was a little hectic. I actually enjoyed it though. I enjoyed the concern the parents had for their child and their interest in the information presented. I enjoyed the time I spent with the family, and the opportunity to provide support during this difficult time. It was all a new experience, and I learned a lot in the process. Looking forward to my last few days at WFUBMC. Wow, this summer has passed quickly!

Rachael