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Essay

Don't be a wimp, be a winner

By John Gathright


弱虫ではなく勝者になれ

筆者の9歳の息子、ジョン・ギャスライト・ジュニアは、1型糖尿病患者です。不足するインスリンを補うために、ジョニーはカロリー計算をし、毎日何度も適量のインスリンを自分で注射しています。また、緊急時に糖尿病患者であることが分かるように、銀のIDブレスレットを常に身に付けています。ブレスレットが人目に触れるのが嫌でたまらなかったジョニーですが、去年ニュージーランドで起きたある出会いを機に、そんな気持ちががらりと変わりました。

Wearing designer clothes and fashionable jewelry is a source of pride for many people in Japan - even for the very young. My 9-year-old son wears a sterling silver bracelet with an insignia on it 24 hours a day, every day of his life.

But to him, the bracelet is far from a joy or a pleasure. Until very recently Johnny hated his bracelet with a passion. He feared the jibing and teasing that his bracelet brought. The last thing he wanted in the world was people to see it. He hid it under long sleeves, held it behind his back in the pool, he even wore a band-aid to cover it.

Johnny's bracelet is not for fashion. It is to save his life. Johnny is a Type 1 diabetic boy. When he was 8 years old, he caught a terrible flu. His pancreas was damaged and his insulin-making cells destroyed. Johnny needs to shoot insulin into his body numerous times day and night to live.

He is a very brave little guy, who decided last year that he wanted to take control of his life, and measure and shoot his own shots. It is quite a responsibility for a little guy to measure the amount of insulin in his blood, calculate the calories his activities will take, decide how much insulin he needs to go with the amount of food he plans to eat for his next meal.

Too little insulin makes him feel sick; too much will kill him. Most of the time he gets it right, but for a very active, fun-loving little guy the diabetes is a real pain. He still tackles life every day with enthusiasm and joy.

Without his bracelet you would never know that Johnny is any different from any other 9-year-old. He swims, plays soccer, and loves the outdoors, riding his bike and being crazy with his friends.

But he needs his bracelet to warn emergency personnel and others that he is insulin dependent. As parents, we fear for Johnny's life but love him enough to give him the freedom to take control. His bracelet makes us all feel a little more secure.

Until this past Christmas, Johnny loathed his bracelet. But that all changed with our trip to New Zealand. For Johnny, going to New Zealand was a very big adventure. The doctors had advised us not to go overseas yet. Johnny was just getting comfortable with his routine of shots. A new country, unfamiliar food and novel activities could cause havoc to his routine.

But Johnny was determined to give it a try. Armed with lots of insulin, hundreds of needles, and a number of books on traveling with diabetes, we went to New Zealand.

As we arrived, we were about to go through customs when a very big, burly policeman came over and looked down at us with authoritative eyes and a strict expression. He said, "John Gathright, step aside!"

I was surprised when he didn't mean me and motioned for John Jr. to step out of line. He bent down and said, "Roll up your sleeve and show me your arm! No, not that one. The other one."

The color drained out of Johnny's face. He looked at me and his eyes pleaded for help. He didn't want to show his bracelet to this big, scary guy with a gun. As I prepared to step between the two of them, the policeman winked at me.

I felt a rush of relief. I felt that he wasn't going to embarrass or intimidate Johnny and signaled for Johnny to show him his bracelet.

Summoning up all his courage he rolled up his sleeve to show the bracelet that branded him as a diabetic boy.

The policeman then smiled, rolled up his sleeve and said, "I have one too! John, I got diabetes at 11. My doctors told me about all of the complications. I heard about going blind, losing my legs and liver. But don't believe them. I am 35! And I'm strong, healthy and happy! I climb mountains, jump out of planes, run races and do karate. Don't be ashamed of your bracelet. Show it with pride. It proves that you are fighting to live. You are not a wimp but a winner!"

Tears of gratitude welled up in my eyes as I shook his hand. Johnny was puffed up with pride and kept his sleeve rolled up as we walked away. Johnny's bracelet was no longer branding him as diabetic. It was now a medal of courage worn by a little boy fighting to live life to the fullest.



Shukan ST: April 9, 2004

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