I've Got Your Back, Jack!

How great is it to know that there are people in our lives that we know are there for us through good times & in the challenging times too!  In turn, these same special family & friends know too that we would give them the very moon back to them too.

Most of us can vividly picture the people in life over the years that “have had our back.”  You cannot help but to smile to think of them.  Some could be faces of friends or family that stood up for us when we were younger & we needed a champion.  It is that feeling that we are not in “it” alone.  I don’t know about you, but I have never outgrown the appreciation & need for the “got your back, Jack people.”  It takes strength to be a champion & to stand either behind or in front of or beside someone when the majority may not be on a person’s side at that chapter in one’s life.  To say that I admire people who are principle & value-centered is an understatement.  Add passion to that & the recipe for an every day hero is created. 

Every person goes through struggles in life.  That is something that we can all share a sense of community in knowing.  How do we notice, support, care & “have the back” of people going through challenges.  It will be different for each person because each individual needs different things at different times since we are all “exactly ourselves.”  How great does it feel when you do stand up for someone or help someone out when they are struggling?  I have found that it is an amazing feeling.  One thing that I have never outgrown is the “secret Santa.”  Here’s my spin on it though…I love doing the “secret Santa” all year long.  People need to feel cared about the whole year long, don’t you think.  I have been referred to as “oh that must have been Saundie Claus at work” over the years.  How wonderful it feels to send a hand-written note or share timelessness with someone or bake & deliver goodies or show up with simply a hug & say that you are in the neighborhood.  It feels even better to reach out to someone & have them never know who did that secret kindness yet that person just knows that someone out there cares.  I know, I know, my goodness, my sentimental heart is perhaps a bit old-fashioned yet caring I believe with all my spirit never goes out of fashion.

Okay, where in the world does any semblance of a relationship to diabetes come into this sharing of time together right now?  Well, last Thursday afternoon, out of the blue my insulin pump decided that it was finished its career (2 years early).  It has been literally a life saver over the past 4 years.  It has been neat to have such faith in it to help me help myself to be as healthy as possible.  It changed my life those 4 years ago & even to this day, the thankfulness in my heart to have a pump is beyond words.  I absolutely love it.  Having this first pump quit early was one of those usual conflicting emotions things that happen in life.  My first thought was of course, no this cannot be happening.  Next, panic briefly & then get a hold of myself to figure out what to do within the next couple of hours.  I knew one thing for sure & that is that there is no way that I am going to entertain the idea of ever going back to 4 needles to the tummy again.  One year of that was enough for me.  The irony has never been lost to me that I am somewhat phobic about needles.  I literally laugh at myself about that one & of course, I had to get beyond that to ensure best possible health.  Now, please don’t get me wrong, not everyone feels the same way about the insulin pump.  It is an individual decision.  Everyone needs to make the best decision for what makes sense to their life & life style.  I only speak for myself in saying that I would not want to live even a couple of hours without my pump.  The other part of the conflicting emotions & here comes the part with my sentimental heart seeping in…it was difficult to say good-bye to a friend that had “my back.”  When I received my first pump, our sons & I named the pump “King Arthur.”  It seemed like a nice strong name for a job that was going to take super strength.  From the first moment that I “hooked” myself up my pump, I had faith in “King Arthur.”  This pump has been a miracle to me & now I bid it farewell as I get ready to package it up & send this friend back to the pump company so that they can analyze why Arthur decided to take an early retirement.

Okay, you know I love a happy ending.   One of the cool things that I received when I welcomed “King Arthur” 4 years ago to our family was a “buddy” as well.  The buddy was in the form of a short term temporary back up pump that I could wear if anything happened to “King Arthur” while I awaited either a new main pump or cpr on Arthur.  Having the “buddy” meant that I could call my pump company to arrange cpr on Arthur yet I could be all set while I waited with an “I’ve got your back” pump while I waited.  The peace that this provided is priceless!  When Arthur shut down, I called my dear heart, “mathlete” husband.  My dear heart got my back up buddy up & going in record time.  Thursday afternoon, I had 2 “I’ve got your back” friends at the same time I realized with a grateful heart.  There was my “mathlete” who time & time again has with a cool head helped me out with the technical side of diabetes.  It goes without saying that my husband also has a quiet, caring, huge heart as well & time & time again has said that he would take this diabetes on himself in my place in a heartbeat.  If that is not the definition of an “I’ve got your back” friend, then I would be shocked.  The second “I’ve got your back” friend of Thursday was the back up pump buddy.  He & I have had a wonderful week together of health!  I took him to 2 Christmas parties & an adventure to Toronto to see a dear heart friend that I had not seen in over a decade!  This buddy even went along on an outing where we got a flat tire.  (luckily the mathlete was there ha! ha!)  It has been a great week with my back up buddy.  You know what, my back up buddy also has a name & it will not surprise you to hear what it is!  It is Jack as in “I’ve got your back, Jack.” 

This morning, the Fed Ex delivery van pulled up in front of our home.  Have you ever wanted to hug the delivery person?  I can tell you that I sure did!  Why?  Contained in a wee box is my new “main pump” to get to know & befriend for the next 1-2 years.  I already know that it is going to be the start of another very dear friendship.  The fun part this week with our family will be coming up with the perfect name for the new friend.  And I know with all my heart & faith that this pump will “have my back” too.

May you find that whether you have diabetes or another “365” health challenge that you have buddies each & every day that you know with all your heart have your “back too.”

Smiles,  Saundie