Once upon a time in the magical land of Sweetfire Vale, there lived a dragon named Derek. Derek was an extraordinary dragon: he had recently been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Every day, Derek had to keep a close watch on his blood sugar levels to ensure he stayed healthy and strong so that he could safely soar through the skies of the dragon kingdom.
One sunny morning, Derek's dragon phone began to ring, it was his best friend Lily, a lilac dragon with the kindest heart. “It’s the summer holidays, it’s sunny, let’s go swimming!” Lily babbled excitedly, “the usual spot at Emerald Lake”. Derek felt both excited and nervous, he hadn’t been swimming since his Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis. “I’m not sure Lily, I think I have to…” he paused trying to think of an excuse… “clean up my lair”.
Lily sensed the anxiety in Derek’s voice, and realised the real reason Derek didn’t want to go wasn’t his messy lair, but managing his blood sugar levels. Lily assured him that everything would be fine with the help of his trusty Dexcom, a magical device that constantly tracked his glucose levels, and that they would stay close to shore so that they could hear it beep. “I’ll be with you every step of the way Derek, just like I promised when you were diagnosed”. Feeling the support from his friend, Derek felt the courage to go, and hurriedly got ready, packing his diabetes kit with plenty of glucose.
With his Dexcom securely fastened on his scales, Derek landed with Lily at Emerald Lake, his heart pounding. As he approached the sparkling green water, he saw his friends diving and splashing, having a wonderful time. Derek took a deep breath and reminded himself that he could do this. Just as he was about to leap in, Lily remembered his insulin pump and laughed “Don’t dive in with your pump attached Derek!”. Giggling at his own silliness, he unclipped his Dslim and placed it carefully into a zip up case in the shade to stop the heat from the sun damaging his insulin.
With Lily by his side holding his hand, they took a courageous leap and jumped into the warm waters of the lake. As Derek emerged, he instantly felt a surge of joy. The sensation of water rushing over his scales was exhilarating! His worries about his diabetes momentarily faded away as he joined his friends in their aquatic adventures. He listened out carefully for his Dexcom alarms to kept him informed, feeling free, knowing he had a magical companion by his side.
Derek heard his Dslim beep a few times, because with the pump unclipped his blood sugars began to rise, so he simply took a couple of minutes to take some insulin to level him back out, before diving straight back in.
As the day wore on, Derek and his friends played games, splashed water at each other, and even attempted some daring underwater swims. They laughed, cheered, and created cherished memories that would last a lifetime.
The sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the water as Derek and his friends reluctantly left Emerald Lake. Derek felt grateful for the joyful day they had shared. His Dexcom had proven to be a wonderful guardian, ensuring that he could fully enjoy the adventure without too much worry.
Back in his cozy, albeit messy, lair, Derek reflected on his swimming experience. He realised that as long as he had his Dexcom and the support of his friends, he could embrace all the joys of life, whether on land or in the water. Their love and understanding gave him the strength to face any challenge that came his way.
From that day forward, Derek cherished every adventure, relying on his Dexcom and Dslim to keep him safe and healthy. And every time he dove into the water, he carried with him the memories of that remarkable day at Emerald Lake, where he realized that his condition didn't define who he was, a fun loving silly dragon filled with strength and resilience.