“I told you we should’ve had the support group meeting in a tree house instead of your living room!” Glugar protested.

“You’re insane Glugar!” Clara said, “You know I have never built a tree house before! Plus, who knows … maybe other kids don’t like to climb trees!”

Clara and Glugar had decided to start a support group where they could meet others going through the same things.

“Maybe the invitations should’ve had a picture of me!” Glugar complained again.

“Ugh … stop whining! Someone will show up! You’ll see …” Clara was losing her patience.

Not long after that, Clara’s little brother Julian appeared with two older kids.

“I believe you’ve been waiting for these two,” Julian said.  “I was playing outside and they were asking for you, Clara.”

“Oh hi! I’m glad you were able to come!” Clara greeted.  “Julian, these are Daniel and Camilla … I met them at the hospital when we were all diagnosed with diabetes.  We exchanged contact information then and here we are!”

“Hey, aren’t you going to introduce me too?” Glugar whined.

“Ha, they all know you dear!” Clara laughed.

“Thanks for organizing this meeting Clara,” Camilla said.  “Apart from you two I haven’t met any other kids living with diabetes.”

“I have! Someone else at my school has it too,” Daniel spoke.  “By the way, would you like to join us, Julian?”

Glugar immediately spoke, “He can’t, he doesn’t have diabetes!”

“Glugar, that’s not nice!” Clara scolded.  “Of course he can stay.  Julian, you’re as much a part of diabetes as I am!”

“Not today, thanks though … my friends are waiting outside,” he said running out the door.

When everybody had sat down, Clara asked, “So, how’s everybody? How’s your life with diabetes been?

“Well,” Camilla started, “it’s been different and difficult … lots of new stuff to learn.  Plus, I couldn’t believe it when a classmate at school asked me if she was going to catch diabetes from me!”

“What? Diabetes, CONTAGIOUS? Ha-ha-ha! I can’t believe it!” Daniel laughed.

“Neither can I!” Glugar exclaimed upset.  “That’s a new one for me!  Like if I could jump from body do body!  I would be exhausted by now!  I’m NOT the cold or flu!”

“Your Glugar talks a lot, Clara” Camilla said.  “But she has a good point …”

“Have any of you been bullied because of diabetes?” Daniel suddenly asked.

“Oh, I have!” Clara jumped from her chair.  “This girl, named Samantha, called me a vampire and she also laughed at my food!”

“What did you do?” Camilla asked in shock.

“Well, as we should all do, I immediately reported her to our teacher, and I believe she was in ‘time-out’ for a while … ha, that serves her right!” Clara smiled.

“I think this other kid at my school who has diabetes—I believe his name is John—is struggling a lot with it,” Daniel became serious.  “I told him to come today and join us, but I think he’s convinced that attending would only be a waste of his time.”

“What a shame!” Glugar interrupted.  “It’s so nice to talk about stuff that we’re all living together! And we can all help each other! … By the way, you two haven’t allowed your respective diabetes-es talk!”

“Here we are, Glugar!” both Camilla’s and Daniel’s diabetes responded.  And then, Camila’s diabetes continued, “We’re more quiet than you!”

“That’s for sure!” Daniel’s diabetes approved, and kept on with a mischievous tone, “But we’re as dangerous as you, Glugar!”

“Oh, we all know that diabetes is a serious disease … right?” Clara looked at Camilla and Daniel.

“Uh-huh!” they both agreed.

Suddenly, Clara’s mother entered the living room and asked, “Who wants cookies? I have fruits too!—they’re both carbohydrates you know …”

“Yeah, but one is healthier than the other,” Camilla lectured.

“Who cares? As long as you count your ‘carbs’ all is well,” Daniel intervened.

“So, let’s continue the meeting in the kitchen then!” Glugar exclaimed.

They all walked to the kitchen, and joyful laughs could be heard all around the house that afternoon.

“Ah, there’s nothing like having a good time with friends,” Glugar thought to herself.