Let me introduce you to our bears of Diabetes Shop.  Their names are Rufus and Ruby, and they both have diabetes.  They have little patches on their paws where they get their finger pokes and also on their tummies, arms and legs where they get their insulin injections.  Rufus and Ruby will help you through the rough times, if you’re sick, going to the clinic for your check up or they can come over just to hang out and do what you do. 

We encourage you to adopt Rufus and/or Ruby for a week or two for your child to interact with and to have someone that understands.

As a mother of a child with Diabetes, I know first hand how hard it is on these little kids.  My daughter Amy adopted Rufus and it was amazing to watch her interact and talk to him.  Every finger poke Amy did, Rufus did one too.  Amy’s on the insulin pump so we made Rufus a pretend pump and every bolus Amy did, Rufus did one too.  Rufus went to school with Amy, went to her friend’s house and even went to gymnastics classes.  They were inseparable for the time Rufus was with her. 

If you are interested in adopting Rufus and or Ruby , please drop by at our Diabetes shop location or call 1-877-467-7867   

With every adoption, we will donate $50 to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation !! 

Here is Amy’s story about Rufus’ visit:

I brought Rufus home today.  I took him with me to pick Amy up from school and when she saw him she was so excited.  She went right away back in to show her teacher.  It was really something to see her face light up and introduce Rufus - the bear with Diabetes to her teacher. 

After we finally left the school, Amy had gymnastics.  Rufus watched Amy do her gymnastics and at break time Rufus helped Amy to her finger poke.  She was 3.3; she must have worked really hard during the first half.  Then Amy did a finger poke on Rufus and she said he was 5.6 – what a great number!

When gymnastics was over, Rufus and Amy went home to get introduced to her dad and her sister Allison.  Amy and Allison had a great time going through all of Rufus’ belongings that travel with him.  What a busy day for Rufus and Amy, it’s no wonder they fell right to sleep.

The next morning Amy and Rufus woke up with great numbers.  They both did a pump site change, then off to school they went. 

It’s the weekend now and Rufus didn’t leave Amy’s side.  Everything and everywhere Amy did or went, Rufus was with her.  We went out to dinner and both Amy and Rufus’ numbers were great, so they did an extra bolus and had dessert.

Rufus had a busy week with Amy, going to school and going to gymnastics.  At school, Amy’s class wrote a little story about Rufus and how great he is and helpful he is with Amy.

Friday night when Amy was going to bed her blood sugars were a bit high so we did a corrective bolus and sent her and Rufus off to bed.  Then at 11:00p.m. she was up to 21.  Oops I think we should change the site.  With Rufus hugged close to her, we changed her site.  Amy doesn’t like site changes at night, but who would.  Rufus was there to comfort her though, she was really glad for that.  As it turned out, her cannula was crinkled, and then she tells us that she fell at gymnastics, so that must have been the problem.

Amy was sick this weekend.  Her blood sugars were all over the board so it was great timing to have Rufus with us; he really helped Amy handle her ups and downs.

It’s time to give Rufus back so he can be adopted out to another wonderful child and their family.  Thank you Rufus for staying with us.  We hope Rufus has as much fun with the next family as he did with us.  We’ll miss you.

Love from the Watkinson family, Rick(Dad), Joanne(Mom), Allison(12) and Amy(10 - Diagnosed March 2001)