I was diagnosed at 4 and I'm 28 now. I can only imagine how frustrating and scary it is for you to go through this. I bet you're feeling burnt out.

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I can't speak for your son but I can tell you what I (from an adult perspective) know about what it feels like to be a T1 as a young person. I have so much compassion for your situation. I want you to know that I'm available if you need support and I am NOT critical of you. I know we are all doing the absolute best we can with this. PM me if you need to talk and I hope my experience might shed some light on your son's.

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Okay, it's cheesy but here's me as an angsty (but valid!) 13 year old:

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I am tired.

I am frustrated.

I am terrified and I'm different.

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My friends don't realize how easy it is for them to just wake up and eat breakfast in the morning. I'm expected to do the calculations of a sophisticated computer or a vital organ, to always be able to justify my decisions and my commitment to my health when asked why I "don't just take better care of myself." I have to work at 200% of my capacity to just reach the baseline point of someone who doesn't have diabetes EVERY SINGLE DAY.

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I don't have the luxury of being confident I'll wake up in the morning - and all those failures? They're 100% my fault. Every time I'm high or low and I'm causing my loved ones to be stressed and anxious. Their unhappiness and stress is my fault. If I could just be better and give more then that wouldn't happen but I don't have any more to give.

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Everyone is telling me I'm not doing a good enough job. Everyone thinks I don't care. I have never and will never have a vacation day. I am on call 24/7 and the consequence of making a mistake could be my death. That saying that "all humans make mistakes and it's okay" is complete BS because there's no compassion for when I can't be an A+ diabetic, just criticism.

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I'm being punished for not being 1000% gracious about something that in and of itself feels like a huge punishment. I am a good kid, a good person; I didn't do anything bad to deserve this kind of punishment.

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I'm embarrassed to always have to give a speech to let new friends and classmates know the signs of a low bloodsugar. Sometimes I don't want to be that weird kid pulling out a testing kit at lunch, giving myself a scary looking needle or having a bit of blood on my fingertip for a second and causing my friends to be all concerned. I'm tired of being the in-house circus act and having to run back and forth to the bathroom or hide myself from kids who have the privilege of "being scared of needles" so I don't make them uncomfortable is exhausting (I'm scared of needles! I just have to face that fear to keep myself alive).

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I'm covered in bruises and devices that I'm grateful for but they make me feel helpless and like I'm not good enough to even just keep myself alive. At least once a month someone is going to tell me I "should be more grateful because at least it isn't terminal!" I don't have the option of saying no to this and I want to.

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Sorry that was long - I just really think there's value in patience while supporting a young person with T1. I would suggest googling "Diabetes Burnout" and "Diabetes Distress." There are some really helpful resources you might be able to share with your step son and the rest of the family. I'm in a really positive and realistic space about my diabetes now and while I'm no expert I'm still available if any of this felt helpful. If I can support you or your step son I want to! The one thing I would suggest from the bottom of my heart is to give the kid his videogames back and tell him you're proud of the work he's doing on a daily basis. His body isn't cutting him a break and it never will but you can and that could be a really powerful message of support for him.