Maddie did very well at Kings Island. Her blood sugar was high but she did text msg me her numbers and made the correct adjustments. Fear and excitement can raise your blood sugar. So can eating foods without knowing the carb count. Always guess on the low side so that you don’t bottom out. Unfortunatley, Kings Island and Cedar Point have decided this year that Diabetic customers do not qualify for the “fast pass”. A few years back we were in Sandusky for a dance competition. While there, we decided to go to Ceday Point for our very first time. We stood in line for a ride for over an hour and then had to weave our way out of line because Maddie’s blood sugar dropped. Between the heat (90+ degrees) and the “guessing” on the carb counts of the foods that they sold without nutrional information, she bottomed out. The young man working the ride sent us to the main office to get a “fast pass”. This allowed us to get a time stamp for a ride and then show up at that time to ride. We didn’t ditch anyone, we just didn’t have to wait in the long lines./ This made for an amazing experience for us. We could keep her blood sugar in range and still ride the rides. Unfortunately, they have changed their criteria for this pass. They only allow people with mobility issues to use this pass. I called their customer servie office and sent them links to various JDRF sites that explained Type 1 Diabetes and the effects of heat/fear/excitement/etc. I received a letter in the mail a couple days later telling me to make sure that she packs snacks to keep in a fanny pack. How condescending. They didn’t even take the time to research what I had sent to them. They have no idea what a trip to an amusement park does to a child with type 1. By law, fast food establishments have to know the nutritional information for the food that they sell. This is not the case at these amusement parks. How can I keep Maddie in range if I don’t even know the carb count of what she is eating. Am I supposed to pack her meals as well? I just wish that Maddie could be a kid! A kid that eats what they want, when they want, and doesn’t have to worry about evry morsel that goes into their mouth. Maddie wears an insulin pump and even has to make sure that it is inserted in a place that won’t be bothered on a roller coaster. So where should we put it? On her arm? She certainly can’t wear it on her hip, thigh or tummy. We would then run the risk of it getting bumbed and then not delivering the insulin at all. People with Type 1 Diabetes look like everyone else. Why do they need a wheelchair to be considered for this “Fast Pass”?
