It may be hard to believe right now, but things will be all right. My 13 year old son was diagnosed two (2) years ago as a Type 1 diabetic. I still remember the day we took him to the hospital as if it were yesterday.
We visited Disney last October, and didn’t change a thing from previous visits……with one exception…..we were sure to eat on a regular schedule….not something we have made a priority in previous visits.
The best advice the doctors gave us after diagnosis…..continue to live your life much like you did before…with some adjustments. Don’t feel like you have to “give up” everything you used to eat……most people will assume that is the case for you.
Your visit to Disney can be treated the same. It will basically be the same as you have taken before, you’ll just be more AWARE of what you’re eating, and depending on your sweet tooth, you may need to “tone down” some of what you eat. The ironic thing is, because of the way most of us eat, the “eating advice” he was given (for being a diabetic) was qualified after being given as……”really, EVERYONE would be better off if they followed these guidelines”. By that I mean, he was told he could have that piece of birthday cake, that special ice cream desert, or whatever desert was available at the time…..but be smart about it….don’t sit down and eat several pieces of the desert OR don’t consume said desert every night for weeks……basically SOUND advice to anyone….diabetic or not!
So, on your visit, you can pretty much go to the same restaurants and order the same meals, just be sure to count you carbs and take the appropriate amount of insulin.
Regarding your daily routine at the park…..stay hydrated, don’t skip a meal, and carry snacks. Find snack items that are low in carbs (ask your doctor about “free” snacks…that is, a snack that has low enough carbs that you don’t have to take an insulin shot for)….our son is allowed a 15 – 20 carb snack that he can take for “free”. We carry his diabetic kit in a lightweight backpack…..it consists of his tester, insulin, shots, and glucose tablets (good to have for when your blood sugar levels drop low, and you need something to bring it back up quickly). Pack several low-carb snacks as well.
Leading up to your trip…..get a carb counting book (CalorieKing is a good reference…includes many restaurants, etc.), and get a feel for the “typical” carbs in a type of meal you like. Disney may be an exception, but for the most part, we have found when requesting a carb chart at MANY restaurants….your request will be met with a puzzled look, and then generally the server will return and tell you it’s not available….very few restaurants make them available. It won’t be long before you can look at a meal, and estimate the carbs for that meal, just by looking at the servings, and comparing to previous meals you’ve had. My son does a very good job doing this….all on his own.
It won’t be available to you immediately….but consider the pump. Most doctors will want to see you comfortable counting carbs and managing your diabetes manually before allowing you to use a pump (usually 6 – 12 months).
Good luck….stay positive…….and enjoy your trip.
. Then, dose or eat appropriately. 
