[Philmont]: Diabetics on the PhilTrail

With regard to the comments from previous posts listed below, I have the following information to share.

First off, there is no reason to exclude a diabetic from the crew or allow only with parents along.

Diabetis is a controlable disease, not a handicap. Don't treat it as such.

It can, however be life threatening. Knowledge is essential.

I wanted to wait until a few posts appeared to comment about diabetics on the PhilTrail.

The original post stated "either don't do it, or always have his parent come along" is overkill. don't even think that. Educate yourself and you will be a better leader.

My suggestion is that if you have a deabetic in your crew, educate yourself as to what diabetus is and how to deal with it. Applying the knowledge you gain will improve your health also.

The same thing goes for asthmatics or any other special medical needs.

Fact is that diabetics have to eat what the rest of the population should be eating. That is better balanced meals and less junk food, sugar and fats.

It is not something that you should use to automatically exclude a person from the crew.

Diabetes is something you can live with and live well for a long time.

I speak as a diabetic that at age 57 completed trek 16 in July 2002. It was my second time to summit Mt. Phillips. The first was in 1959 when I was 14 and most said I was "too little to go". They, like many today, were wrong.

Don't fall into that "ignorance trap".

I simply did on the trail what I do every day. I monitored my blood glucose level and ate according to the exercise level of the day. Being on the trail was no different than every other day in my life.

Speaking strictly from the practical standpoint, diabetics pay better attention to the body's fuel needs than others do.

Now on to the real meat and potatoes of the thing.

The PhilTrail food is loaded with cheap calories called refined sugar. Just be aware of that. I don't think anyone will have a problem with not having enough sugar available. There will be literally POUNDS of it available in the form of Gatoraide.

I took the following precautions last summer and it enhanced my trek tremendously.

I carried my own breakfast cereal that did not contain sugar. The supplied packets are loaded with sugar. I rotated between instant oatmeal, grits and cream of wheat.

All hot chocolate mixes are high in sugar even the "no sugar added" ones. Skip them. I made tea with Splenda for a sweetener.

The lunches were fine, I just had to give away some of the high sugar items and double up on the high protein, low sugar items such as tuna and peanut butter.

I carried my own sugarfree lemonade powder and a hand full of Splenda non sugar sweetener packets. Crystal lite was the lemonade powder I used. Carried it in a small screw cap poly bottle and sprinkled it directly into my stainless steel cup and added water. Made it by the cup when I wanted it.

I nibbled small amounts of powerbar and the various other trail bars during the day on the trail to supply needed calories for fuel (blood glucose) maintenance.

Supper meals were no problem as they were low sugar content.

I carried one glucometer and supplies on the trail and proper medications.

I brought all the other adults up to speed on my condition and what to look for and what to do about the condition that the symproms indicated. My daughter is already versed in that. She was on the trek also.

It is a simple matter to understand that we "are our brothers keeper". That is a part of the team building you should already be deeply envolved in. I spoke of this about a month ago. If you haven't taught your Scouts to look out for the other memembers of "the team" then you have missed an important part of Scouting.

Another complete set of medications and spare glucometer with enough supplies for two weeks was boxed, labeled and stored in the health lodge in the event of glucometer failure on the trail or medicine replacement became necessary.

I did not expect to nor did I need the spare set.

To say I had a wonderful trek is putting it mildly.

Diabetics need to go to Philmont. They are people too. Take them.

John LeBlanc

<<My (wife's) recollection from First Aid training is either don't do it, or always have his parent come along. So what's the collected net wisdom?) -- -Marty >>

<<My scouting experiences with diabetes helped me to overcome the mental barriers associated with a chronic disease. I would not recommend witholding that experience from anyone. If you have any additional questions please let me know. Adam >>

<<Here is what Philmont's medical form says about diabetes. Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus.. Cooper >>

<<Marty There are diabetics and then there are diabetics. Not all are the same, some are ok just leaving soft drinks with sugar in them and candy alone. Others need to give themselves insulan shots. I am diabetic myself and I have taken kids with diabetes to Philmont and to the Jamborees, and have never had a major problem. In general, by the time a kid is old enought to go to Philmont or some place like a Jamboree, they have learned how to manage their own medications or if necessary their own shots, so it is not a major problem. The main thing is to have a buddy system in place such there is someone to keep a watch for anything like insulan shock. Olan >>

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Received on Wed Mar 12 16:54:45 2003