Where's Jack?

Jack was nowhere in sight.

The kids with whom he walks home from school every day had already arrived at the entrance gate that separates our neighborhood from our kids' school fields.

"Where's Jack?" I asked.

"We didn't see him," said Jack's best friend Griffen.

"He wasn't at our meeting spot," said Griffen's sister, Cailey.

Panic set in. My heart started to pound.

From the gate, I scanned the fields. I couldn't see Jack anywhere.

I continued to wait, hoping and praying he'd appear instantly, trying to remain calm, taking deep breaths and chatting with my friend Nancy, Griffen and Cailey's mother.

Ten minutes passed and still no Jack.

"Maybe he went with Madeline to her Girl Scout meeting," I wondered aloud.

Of course, this was the one day when I left my cell phone at home. I couldn't call Madeline's Girl Scout troop leader or the school office, while I remained at the gate.

I debated my options and decided my best move would be to go home and call Madeline's troop leader. I wanted to believe that Jack forgot he was supposed to walk home instead of going to Madeline's meeting, which is what he usually does. (Max and I usually meet Madeline AND Jack at the meetings. The boys play with other girls' siblings during the meetings. Today, I had decided to switch things up a bit and have Jack walk home.)

So I ran home and called Madeline's troop leader, Jami.

"Hi Jami, it's Heidi. By any chance, is Jack there at the meeting?"

"No, should he be?" she answered.

"He's was supposed to have walked home, but he didn't show up at the gate."

"I'll send Jenna out to look for him," offered Jami. Jenna is Jami's daughter, who knows Jack.

"Thank you!" I said with a sigh of relief. "I'll drive right over to the school, but if she finds him, please call me. Thanks again!"

My heart was really pounding now.

As I gathered Max, my purse, my keys and my cell phone, intending to race over to the school, my phone rang. It was Nancy.

"I found Jack!" Nancy exclaimed. "He's in my car. I'm driving him to your house. I'll be right there."

Oh, thank G-d! Sweet relief!

I called Jami to tell her Jack had been found, so she could stop Jenna's search and rescue mission.

Then, I ran outside to meet Jack. I was so happy to finally see him. I held back tears, so as not to upset him.  I wanted to hold him tightly and never let him go.

"He's really upset," Nancy cautioned me. "I was just about to drive home when I saw him. He got worried when you weren't at the gate."

Oh, poor kiddo, he was just as panicked as I was!

Jack always tests his blood sugar level before he leaves school and walks home at the end of the day. This afternoon, he couldn't find his test strips. They weren't in his diabetes kit. They'd apparently fallen out. So, he searched his classroom until he found them and then performed his blood check, causing him to leave school late.

With my other kids, a late arrival or no-show would be cause for concern, but it wouldn't be quite as scary, because neither of them has diabetes. With Jack, I have to be concerned with much more than just general safety.

Jack is a creature of habit. He is regimented. He follows directions. He always walks straight home after school. He never lingers. His absence at both the gate and the Girl Scout meeting meant that something was wrong.

I couldn't help but consider scary scenarios. What if Jack went low or high and collapsed? What if he's lying on the ground somewhere? What if he seized? What if he went into DKA? What if he can't communicate that he needs help?

Thank goodness, the only problem was a missing bottle of test strips.

After Tuesday's lockdown and today's disappearing act, all I can say is diabetes complicates everything.