Camp Pros (and oh yeah, cons too)

Grace leaves for diabetes camp in 9 days, but who's counting, really? She will be gone for 6 days - overnight. Did I mention that she just turned 8? Yep, thought I did. What was I thinking signing my just-8-year-old up for 6 days of sleepaway camp? Oh the fact that she begged and pleaded to go, that might have done the trick. Now, of course, I have my doubts and they are pick, pick, picking at my brain. So, like any rational human being (I didn't say I actually WAS one, I'm just saying I know what they would do...) would do, I compiled a list of PROS and CONS to this diabetes camp adventure.


PROS:
+ Grace will have great diabetic care while she is away. On site doctors and CDEs, round the clock care.
+ She will meet other T1s her age and form friendships and communions that I hope for her.
+ She will meet and be surrounded by older T1s all week. In her mind, that's nirvana.
+ A camp experience for her! Swimming and kayaking and campfires!!!
+ It will be nice to take a break from D for the week around here. And now I feel guilty for even saying this as a 'PRO' on the list.
+ She'll learn that she is not alone in this journey.
+ She will learn more independence in her care. Though after the camp staff meet her and get to know her, I can imagine them using her to guide others in independent care, and for Grace, this would be great, to be the role model to someone else -  the teacher, instead of always, always, always, the learner.
+ She can take a break from us for a week. No Mommy nags, no sister fights, no house rules - and who doesn't need a break from all this every once in a while?
+ Other people on the OmniPod! She has yet to meet another kiddo who is on the Pod, face-to-face.
+ Learning tips and tricks and insider info, from other T1s and how they care for themselves. She might come back with some great ideas!
+ They will keep her busy and occupied with new and exciting adventures. The girl is all about adventures and trying new stuff. It will open worlds for her.


CONS:
- 6 days. 6 days overnight. She has never spent more than one night away from home. I went to Denver for 3 days and she cried and cried when I returned about how much she missed me. I worry that the days will seems endless to her and she really might want to come home. I cannot call or talk to her for the 6 days, only send her a one-way email which they will give her every afternoon. This is more my worry than hers. She has not expressed one iota of one thought of possibly even missing me. That reassures me, but it does nothing to quell my Mommy-worry.
- She is just 8! She had to be 8 to get into camp and begged me that she truly would be 8 exactly 3 weeks before camp started. But I know that she will be among the youngest at the camp. The other kids seems so much older than her - the camp ages are 8-13. Will they always remember that she is just 8? I hope so.


Ok, so I only have two cons about the whole camp experience. They are outweighed by the pros heavily. But they itch at my brain, not knowing if I did the right thing in letting her go...