After June's close escape from diagnosis, we have all dreaded today's oral glucose tolerance test. Her fasting glucose this morning was 108. It has always been in the 80's. Under 100 is normal, between 100 & 125 is prediabetes, and over 125 is diabetes. Today was her first official impaired fasting glucose. Sad. I braced myself for the rest of the day. All the other numbers are done by lab work so we don't have any official results yet. However, we took a BG by Andrew's meter at two hours and it was 149! That is also an impaired glucose number (should be under 140), but it looked beautiful to me!!! Even with the normal meter variation of 10-20%, we shouldn't get close to the 200 mark! What a relief!!! I'm still concerned about the fasting glucose. I hope it was just nerves, but she had a 110 at home one time too. It will be interesting to see what her A1c is. If anything is bad, they will call us by Saturday. Otherwise, we will hear in a week or so.
Andrew's A1c was up a little, but less than we expected. His first blood pressure was high, as it often is, but the second number was acceptable. I don't remember the bottom numbers but the first top number was 139 & second was 125. It just hurts to worry about these things in a child. His doctor isn't too concerned about it though. Being in the children's hospital for Kaitlyn's test is humbling though. We always see kids with cancer, Down's, and other conditions I can't imagine or describe. Andrew's comment walking out of the hospital today was, "I'm really lucky..." Tonight, we are all thankful to be home safe and sound with no new diagnoses for anyone. Thanks to all who pray for us!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Scary Low
Last Wednesday night/Thursday morning Andrew had his scariest low to date. His BG was fairly steady while I was writing the last post. I had been watching him every 15 minutes or so because he was low 100s & slowly drifting down, but we're not supposed to feed him until under 80. I finally decided to get some sleep & get up if the under 100 alarm went off. He was 113 at 11:15 & the alarm clock was set for 2. The dex was beside the baby monitor, but the receiver is horrible! It is inoperable on my bedside table and makes very loud static noise where I plug it in across the room. I'm probably the only mother without infants that has been drooling over a baby monitor, but it seemed foolish to buy a new one when the old one "works". I'm sure you've guessed by now, but I never heard the alarm that went off by midnight....
At some point, Andrew woke aware that he was very low. However, he was so low that he couldn't speak. He's never had any symptoms like that before & it really scared him. He either passed out or fell asleep but without treating. He woke up again & mustered the strength to test with the extra meter we keep by his bed & drink the juice we keep beside it. Then he called for help...BUT I DIDN'T HEAR HIM! :( When he had enough strength, he gave up on my coming & came to me. At 1:45, I woke with him sobbing by my bedside. He was so frightened and felt so bad! It was heartbreaking! I will never forget holding my precious little boy, waiting for his blood sugar to come up, listening to the story, and him looking up at me to say, "and you didn't come..." If that doesn't break a mother's heart, I don't know what will. Ten year old boys shouldn't have to fight for their lives in the night, and they certainly shouldn't have to do it alone.
I am now the proud owner of a wonderful new baby monitor. Hopefully, the days of not hearing the dex alarm are gone. When he is preparing for college, we will hook Dex up to an amplifier so that it will wake him. In the meantime, I want to be there.
Andrew & I were both upset by this one. Despite the fact that I've cried many tears (not in front of Andrew), I am very grateful that the Lord woke him & gave him the strength and presence of mind to treat himself. He's fine. He went to school and had a normal day. Only his nurse knew what he had been through that night.
At some point, Andrew woke aware that he was very low. However, he was so low that he couldn't speak. He's never had any symptoms like that before & it really scared him. He either passed out or fell asleep but without treating. He woke up again & mustered the strength to test with the extra meter we keep by his bed & drink the juice we keep beside it. Then he called for help...BUT I DIDN'T HEAR HIM! :( When he had enough strength, he gave up on my coming & came to me. At 1:45, I woke with him sobbing by my bedside. He was so frightened and felt so bad! It was heartbreaking! I will never forget holding my precious little boy, waiting for his blood sugar to come up, listening to the story, and him looking up at me to say, "and you didn't come..." If that doesn't break a mother's heart, I don't know what will. Ten year old boys shouldn't have to fight for their lives in the night, and they certainly shouldn't have to do it alone.
I am now the proud owner of a wonderful new baby monitor. Hopefully, the days of not hearing the dex alarm are gone. When he is preparing for college, we will hook Dex up to an amplifier so that it will wake him. In the meantime, I want to be there.
Andrew & I were both upset by this one. Despite the fact that I've cried many tears (not in front of Andrew), I am very grateful that the Lord woke him & gave him the strength and presence of mind to treat himself. He's fine. He went to school and had a normal day. Only his nurse knew what he had been through that night.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
First Mini-Glucagon
On November 22nd, Andrew had his first mini-dose of glucagon to help him through a stomach virus. It was frightening, but a blessing to have!
Soon after dinner that night, Andrew started running low. We kept feeding & feeding, but he stayed in the 60s even though the dinner carb counts & ratios were fine. He had just started to come up when it became obvious that the culprit was a stomach virus and he wasn't digesting his food. Now, he's been low for an hour, is vomiting, and has insulin on board! He was cooperative & drinking carbs between trips, but Zofran didn't work and a perfect storm was brewing. I started to consider the ER, 911, or the Big Red (Glucagon). Glucagon was the fastest option, and he needed help NOW! I've read about mini-glucagon and Vanderbilt reminded us of the option during their sick day review on Family Day. You can mix the glucagon & then use an insulin syringe to give 1u per year of age. Gene mixed it up and I gave it to Andrew in his arm. It was a surreal feeling, but he responded really well! He came up and stayed around 150 most of the night.
I was glad that it worked out well, and I know Andrew was more comfortable at home. I'm less afraid of glucagon now. It's no longer the scary thing for the most dire of circumstances. It's another tool for keeping my baby safe. I've been frightened twice this fall by lows that didn't want to come up, so I'm going to talk to the doctor about it when we go. Andrew commented, "I like the Glucagon... it's better than all the eating."
Andrew's appointment is the 28th. Kaitlyn's OGTT is the same day. I was worried about her getting the stomach virus. She felt nauseous the same night, so I tested her BG too, and it was normal! I was so relieved! She hasn't shown any symptoms, but I admit I'm nervous about the next test for her. Please pray that Lord keeps a hedge of protection around her! Thanks!
Soon after dinner that night, Andrew started running low. We kept feeding & feeding, but he stayed in the 60s even though the dinner carb counts & ratios were fine. He had just started to come up when it became obvious that the culprit was a stomach virus and he wasn't digesting his food. Now, he's been low for an hour, is vomiting, and has insulin on board! He was cooperative & drinking carbs between trips, but Zofran didn't work and a perfect storm was brewing. I started to consider the ER, 911, or the Big Red (Glucagon). Glucagon was the fastest option, and he needed help NOW! I've read about mini-glucagon and Vanderbilt reminded us of the option during their sick day review on Family Day. You can mix the glucagon & then use an insulin syringe to give 1u per year of age. Gene mixed it up and I gave it to Andrew in his arm. It was a surreal feeling, but he responded really well! He came up and stayed around 150 most of the night.
I was glad that it worked out well, and I know Andrew was more comfortable at home. I'm less afraid of glucagon now. It's no longer the scary thing for the most dire of circumstances. It's another tool for keeping my baby safe. I've been frightened twice this fall by lows that didn't want to come up, so I'm going to talk to the doctor about it when we go. Andrew commented, "I like the Glucagon... it's better than all the eating."
Andrew's appointment is the 28th. Kaitlyn's OGTT is the same day. I was worried about her getting the stomach virus. She felt nauseous the same night, so I tested her BG too, and it was normal! I was so relieved! She hasn't shown any symptoms, but I admit I'm nervous about the next test for her. Please pray that Lord keeps a hedge of protection around her! Thanks!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
A FREE Birthday Gift For Andrew
Ten years ago today, the Lord blessed us with a precious little boy that we named Andrew. I am so thankful for him, for all God is doing in him and will do through him, and for what a blessing he is in my life. Happy birthday, Andrew! And yes, Andrew, it is a big deal to hit double digits in age!
Today is also World Diabetes Day. We don't usually celebrate - diabetes shouldn't get to steal your birthday too. Today, though, the local support group is having a bowling party since it's on a weekend. We're going & then Andrew is taking a friend to our first 3-D movie. (Who pays for seven people to go to 3-D movies? Okay, I'm still not taking the youngest ones.) To him, it's like two parties in the same day. Woo Hoo!
You can give a free gift to Andrew this year by downloading George Canyon's song I Believe In Angels. For every download, George Canyon will make a donation to JDRF to search for a cure for type 1 diabetes. The link is www.georgecanyon.com/jdrfusa A couple of weeks ago, we went to Vanderbilt's Family Day & met George Canyon. He's a country singer who also has type 1 diabetes. He spoke to the kids about his struggles, how mad he was that he couldn't follow his dream to be an air force pilot because of his diagnosis. He also shared how his path changed to become a country singer, he now has a pilot license, and he has been made an honorary officer in the air force (in Canada)! He also shared frankly with the kids about how they could only follow their dreams if they took care of themselves & their diabetes. Would you hire a teacher to take care of kids if they didn't take care of themselves, their BG was always high, & they were always irritable? Would you hire them as an ER doctor? It was a balanced but inspiring message! If you download in Andrew's honor, would you leave him a message so that he knows you did? Thanks!
Today is also World Diabetes Day. We don't usually celebrate - diabetes shouldn't get to steal your birthday too. Today, though, the local support group is having a bowling party since it's on a weekend. We're going & then Andrew is taking a friend to our first 3-D movie. (Who pays for seven people to go to 3-D movies? Okay, I'm still not taking the youngest ones.) To him, it's like two parties in the same day. Woo Hoo!
You can give a free gift to Andrew this year by downloading George Canyon's song I Believe In Angels. For every download, George Canyon will make a donation to JDRF to search for a cure for type 1 diabetes. The link is www.georgecanyon.com/jdrfusa A couple of weeks ago, we went to Vanderbilt's Family Day & met George Canyon. He's a country singer who also has type 1 diabetes. He spoke to the kids about his struggles, how mad he was that he couldn't follow his dream to be an air force pilot because of his diagnosis. He also shared how his path changed to become a country singer, he now has a pilot license, and he has been made an honorary officer in the air force (in Canada)! He also shared frankly with the kids about how they could only follow their dreams if they took care of themselves & their diabetes. Would you hire a teacher to take care of kids if they didn't take care of themselves, their BG was always high, & they were always irritable? Would you hire them as an ER doctor? It was a balanced but inspiring message! If you download in Andrew's honor, would you leave him a message so that he knows you did? Thanks!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
D-Blog Day! “6 Things I Want You To Know About Diabetes”
Apparently, today is D-Blog Day and the topic is “6 Things I Want You To Know About Diabetes”. I should probably skip the assignment given the time of night, but I'm going to at least get started:
1. I appreciate our support group! Thank you to friends who came out and walked with Andrew at the JDRF walk and/or gave toward finding a cure!!! I wish I knew how to tell you how much that means to us. You don't have to say or do anything special. You've been there, listened, encouraged, and prayed for us! I can't thank you enough!
2. He CAN eat that! A carb is a carb is a carb. Your grandmother with type 2 may limit her carb intake to manage her diabetes. My son gets deathly ill without insulin in his sleep even without eating and will still need insulin if he only eats salad for lunch. Yes, some foods are easier to match to insulin action than others. Candy by itself is only for lows. Candy can be worked in with a meal okay. My mother gave me a book on curing diabetes with diet soon after Andrew was diagnosed. It promised that if he ate almost nothing & drank green juice (even I didn't recognize the ingredients) that he might be cured. Most of the type 2's were off their medication & some of the type 1's. Most of the type 1's used half to a third of the insulin they used before. It induced a lot of guilt at first. Sounds great right? Well, it may be for type 2's. For a growing child, our nutritionist thought it was dangerous. If you don't allow many carbs, of course your insulin needs will go down. That's not a cure, it's arithmetic & a carb ratio. My son is also a growing child. The nutritionist said that by restricting his carbs, we were masking his true insulin needs & not allowing him to freely chose what his body needs as he grows. She wants him on a normal diet treated with insulin. He can even have treats if he learns how to incorporate them into his diet, bolus correctly for them, etc. So, again, YES, he can eat that!
3. It's not that bad. Where there is a will there is a way. Andrew will do everything that he wants to do. If you want to invite him over, don't be afraid, we will find a way to safely make it happen. He's fairly responsible & will check his blood sugar & call me as needed. I can make it easy on you and you don't have to be a nurse. He's still a normal kid and wants to do normal kid things.
4. Okay, it really is that bad. So, yes, Andrew can do anything he wants to do - as long as he has a safety plan. Low blood sugars are scarier than I have the energy to write about tonight. I have heard and read so many new stories lately. He can't go anywhere without sugar, glucagon, juice,... just in case. Andrew is a trooper. He sticks his finger countless times a day, measures every morsel he eats, wears an insulin port to deliver insulin that has to be changed every few days, also wears a CGM sensor, has to carry all this junk around with him even to play in the front yard just to stay alive. I'm stronger now than at first, but I still worry about him. Last night, when I checked on him at 2 am, Dex said "LOW, BG under 55". BG confirmed he was 57. The graph showed he had been low for over an hour and at one point had been much lower than the 57. Last night could have easily been the night he had his first seizure, or we could have even lost him. Thankfully, by the grace of God, he is still here to face another day. His face changes as his blood sugar changes and I can see the war that this disease plays within his body. I still hate this disease and the threat it poses to him every day. So, yes, it is that bad.
5. Insulin isn't a cure; it's life support. He will never get well or outgrow the disease. He will inject or wear a pump & infuse insulin all of his life or grow deathly ill...FAST!!! Even with good control, complications still come. Please pray against complications for Andrew!
6. Type 1 Diabetes gets managed, but never controlled. It varies, and it always will. Ask anyone living with the disease and you can eat the same thing, follow the same schedule, take the same insulin, and still get dramatically different blood sugars. There will always be highs and lows. 75% of numbers in range is clinically considered great control. We're not even close. So, yes. He's still fluctuating. I know you mean well and are trying to show you care, but I don't like being asked if his numbers are stable yet. The answer is and will always be No. Stable is a myth. We haven't failed and it isn't that we aren't working hard. You see, it's his pancreas that failed. It is a wonderful, God-given and created organ that is so complex that I stink at being a pancreas.
1. I appreciate our support group! Thank you to friends who came out and walked with Andrew at the JDRF walk and/or gave toward finding a cure!!! I wish I knew how to tell you how much that means to us. You don't have to say or do anything special. You've been there, listened, encouraged, and prayed for us! I can't thank you enough!
2. He CAN eat that! A carb is a carb is a carb. Your grandmother with type 2 may limit her carb intake to manage her diabetes. My son gets deathly ill without insulin in his sleep even without eating and will still need insulin if he only eats salad for lunch. Yes, some foods are easier to match to insulin action than others. Candy by itself is only for lows. Candy can be worked in with a meal okay. My mother gave me a book on curing diabetes with diet soon after Andrew was diagnosed. It promised that if he ate almost nothing & drank green juice (even I didn't recognize the ingredients) that he might be cured. Most of the type 2's were off their medication & some of the type 1's. Most of the type 1's used half to a third of the insulin they used before. It induced a lot of guilt at first. Sounds great right? Well, it may be for type 2's. For a growing child, our nutritionist thought it was dangerous. If you don't allow many carbs, of course your insulin needs will go down. That's not a cure, it's arithmetic & a carb ratio. My son is also a growing child. The nutritionist said that by restricting his carbs, we were masking his true insulin needs & not allowing him to freely chose what his body needs as he grows. She wants him on a normal diet treated with insulin. He can even have treats if he learns how to incorporate them into his diet, bolus correctly for them, etc. So, again, YES, he can eat that!
3. It's not that bad. Where there is a will there is a way. Andrew will do everything that he wants to do. If you want to invite him over, don't be afraid, we will find a way to safely make it happen. He's fairly responsible & will check his blood sugar & call me as needed. I can make it easy on you and you don't have to be a nurse. He's still a normal kid and wants to do normal kid things.
4. Okay, it really is that bad. So, yes, Andrew can do anything he wants to do - as long as he has a safety plan. Low blood sugars are scarier than I have the energy to write about tonight. I have heard and read so many new stories lately. He can't go anywhere without sugar, glucagon, juice,... just in case. Andrew is a trooper. He sticks his finger countless times a day, measures every morsel he eats, wears an insulin port to deliver insulin that has to be changed every few days, also wears a CGM sensor, has to carry all this junk around with him even to play in the front yard just to stay alive. I'm stronger now than at first, but I still worry about him. Last night, when I checked on him at 2 am, Dex said "LOW, BG under 55". BG confirmed he was 57. The graph showed he had been low for over an hour and at one point had been much lower than the 57. Last night could have easily been the night he had his first seizure, or we could have even lost him. Thankfully, by the grace of God, he is still here to face another day. His face changes as his blood sugar changes and I can see the war that this disease plays within his body. I still hate this disease and the threat it poses to him every day. So, yes, it is that bad.
5. Insulin isn't a cure; it's life support. He will never get well or outgrow the disease. He will inject or wear a pump & infuse insulin all of his life or grow deathly ill...FAST!!! Even with good control, complications still come. Please pray against complications for Andrew!
6. Type 1 Diabetes gets managed, but never controlled. It varies, and it always will. Ask anyone living with the disease and you can eat the same thing, follow the same schedule, take the same insulin, and still get dramatically different blood sugars. There will always be highs and lows. 75% of numbers in range is clinically considered great control. We're not even close. So, yes. He's still fluctuating. I know you mean well and are trying to show you care, but I don't like being asked if his numbers are stable yet. The answer is and will always be No. Stable is a myth. We haven't failed and it isn't that we aren't working hard. You see, it's his pancreas that failed. It is a wonderful, God-given and created organ that is so complex that I stink at being a pancreas.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Sick of Sickness
Warning: Based on how I'm feeling, this one might be whiny & you may want to skip it!
I've been running a fever since Thursday, and I NEVER run fevers. My normal is 97.1. Tonight I'm 101. I spent all weekend of my "Fall Break" resting & pushing fluids & couldn't beat it. So, I went to the doctor yesterday. He looked at my throat (old-fashioned, no culture) & pronounced strep throat.
Well, Andrew & Ben have been sick too. It's mostly a headache & nasty cough, no fever (so I started that ahead of Thursday). I took them both in for cultures this morning, but they were negative. They did get antibiotics for sinus & ear infections. The pharmacy was FAST (Wow!) & filled them while I waited. First dose by 10:00. Mom is watching Ben, so I head to bed for a nap. I wake to Andrew who has just thrown up. I ask for BG & ketones. He pulls out Dex & reports it says he is LOW! Panic wakes me completely - must get sugar in a vomiting child NOW! He seems okay with juice & I hope that it's just coughing induced. He seems to feel better, so I give him some sherbet. He is supposed to have a complex carb for lows.... I don't bolus until I see him eat it all & seem okay. So I give insulin to cover the carbs, and then ... it isn't okay any more. Now I have a vomiting child with insulin on board! He started out with BG 66 & negative ketones. I was able to keep his BG around 99, but he started quickly getting dehydrated. I gave zofran for nausea. No luck. I called Vanderbilt to see if I could give another. They mentioned they'd had a lot of sickness today. They must have because I gave up & gave another zofran before they called back. Still no luck. Ketones are rising. 2:00 .6 3:00 1.0 (moderate) I finally hear from Vandy & get the ultimatum. He starts keeping liquids down this hour or goes to the ER for IV fluids. He fell asleep & it finally stopped. Vandy & ped agree no more antibiotic tonight. Sure hope he doesn't need it! The nausea is now gone, the ketones cleared, I almost breathe a sigh of relief & here comes the fever! The one I've had since Thursday! He can't handle a fever that long! So, congratulations! If you've read this far, you are a trooper & a true friend! Please say a prayer for Andrew & his family tonight!
I've been running a fever since Thursday, and I NEVER run fevers. My normal is 97.1. Tonight I'm 101. I spent all weekend of my "Fall Break" resting & pushing fluids & couldn't beat it. So, I went to the doctor yesterday. He looked at my throat (old-fashioned, no culture) & pronounced strep throat.
Well, Andrew & Ben have been sick too. It's mostly a headache & nasty cough, no fever (so I started that ahead of Thursday). I took them both in for cultures this morning, but they were negative. They did get antibiotics for sinus & ear infections. The pharmacy was FAST (Wow!) & filled them while I waited. First dose by 10:00. Mom is watching Ben, so I head to bed for a nap. I wake to Andrew who has just thrown up. I ask for BG & ketones. He pulls out Dex & reports it says he is LOW! Panic wakes me completely - must get sugar in a vomiting child NOW! He seems okay with juice & I hope that it's just coughing induced. He seems to feel better, so I give him some sherbet. He is supposed to have a complex carb for lows.... I don't bolus until I see him eat it all & seem okay. So I give insulin to cover the carbs, and then ... it isn't okay any more. Now I have a vomiting child with insulin on board! He started out with BG 66 & negative ketones. I was able to keep his BG around 99, but he started quickly getting dehydrated. I gave zofran for nausea. No luck. I called Vanderbilt to see if I could give another. They mentioned they'd had a lot of sickness today. They must have because I gave up & gave another zofran before they called back. Still no luck. Ketones are rising. 2:00 .6 3:00 1.0 (moderate) I finally hear from Vandy & get the ultimatum. He starts keeping liquids down this hour or goes to the ER for IV fluids. He fell asleep & it finally stopped. Vandy & ped agree no more antibiotic tonight. Sure hope he doesn't need it! The nausea is now gone, the ketones cleared, I almost breathe a sigh of relief & here comes the fever! The one I've had since Thursday! He can't handle a fever that long! So, congratulations! If you've read this far, you are a trooper & a true friend! Please say a prayer for Andrew & his family tonight!
Sunday, October 10, 2010
JDRF Walk To Cure Diabetes
Dex Pictures & Update
On the left is Andrew's pump site, and on the right is the Dexcom Seven Plus. The gray part is the transmitter that we use everytime. The rest is a sensor that gets thrown away when finished. Andrew is only on his third sensor, but we love the Dex! The first sensor lasted two weeks! We put the second sensor in last Wednesday night. It wasn't that accurate, but it still showed trends. At 2 am, Saturday morning, Andrew was fine. At 3 am, the Dex alarm went off. He was very low! We wouldn't have checked him for hours! So, thank you Dex! That sensor failed yesterday after only 3 days. Bummer. However, they replace any sensors that don't make it 7 days. Customer service was great, even on the weekend. We put the latest sensor on the arm. It is the most accurate sensor yet, usually within 5 points of the BG!
Andrew woke up yesterday with moderate ketones. I'm not 100% certain whether it was a bad site or illness, because I've been sick & he's coming down with it. We gave him a shot, changed the site, and went up 30% on his basal all day. That's probably the most we've ever done, but he needed it. Absolutely no daytime lows! I'm not sure I'd have the confidence to do that without Dex. The ketones cleared quickly & he did fine.
Here is a picture of the receiver & graph. We took this picture during a basal test (no eating) & the graph was so perfect! You can see he was 136 & that he had been steady for the last 3 hours. You can change the view to last 1 hour, 3hours, 6 hours, 12 hours, or 24 hours.
Friday, October 1, 2010
A Good Day at Vanderbilt!
After June's difficult day at Vanderbilt, I'm pleased to report a very good visit yesterday! Andrew had his lowest A1c yet (7.3) and everything looks good. We made some more changes to his insulin, so hopefully the lows will be less frequent soon as well. He also had his last Fall baseball game last night & is taking this season off. That will make fine-tuning his basals so much easier!
Saturday, September 25, 2010
I love CGM!
The CGM is so cool! It helps so much to see the trend graphs of where his blood sugar is going! We've had no lows today, but only because of the CGM. When it headed down sharply around 11:30, I instantly decided it was lunchtime- low avoided. It looked low again around 2:30, so we had a snack. Without the lows, these were bolused snacks & the best numbers I've seen in a long time. After he eats, he spikes to around 205 & then comes down. I really like this!
Dr. Matthew asked me to call numbers in on Friday, so I read the phone nurse our numbers for the week. She said it had to be the Glucocare, because she'd never seen anything like it. She's been type 1 since childhood herself too. Another first - she asked to run the numbers by someone else & call me back. We backed way off on insulin. For example, lunch ratios were 1:23 last week. I changed them to 1:25 earlier this week. Now they are 1:30. Basals went down three times this week too. I figured we'd see horribly high numbers, but we're not. Last night he had pizza without the extended bolus, so that didn't go well, but today's been great!
Dr. Matthew asked me to call numbers in on Friday, so I read the phone nurse our numbers for the week. She said it had to be the Glucocare, because she'd never seen anything like it. She's been type 1 since childhood herself too. Another first - she asked to run the numbers by someone else & call me back. We backed way off on insulin. For example, lunch ratios were 1:23 last week. I changed them to 1:25 earlier this week. Now they are 1:30. Basals went down three times this week too. I figured we'd see horribly high numbers, but we're not. Last night he had pizza without the extended bolus, so that didn't go well, but today's been great!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Dexcom is here!
The Dexcom is here! Yeah! We unpacked it, applied numbing cream, & inserted it before heading to K-group tonight! The 2 hour warm-up period ended on the way home & it is working great right now!!!
Andrew woke up at 44 this morning & then dropped to 36 after juice. We desperately poured in sugar after our experiences the last few days with not being able to get him up. He came up, but we were afraid to bolus for breakfast. By snack, of course, he was high, so we gave a correction. Then he started falling hard & fast again. I'm afraid the nurse had a rather stressful day. He was low again before dinner so we gave only half of the recommended dinner bolus. He's running high now, but we need to tolerate that a little to get him off the yo-yo. His doctor called me on my cell today! He doesn't think we need any new labs. All the labwork this summer was normal. He doesn't know anything about Glucocare but supports our trying it. Vanderbilt offered CGM start classes, but when I told him the rep said we could follow the tutorials & start he approved that too.
Our K-group prayed for Andrew tonight & it was really sweet! God has definitely used these experiences to make Andrew's heart receptive to having the CGM. He is actually excited. We were both worried about insertion, but it went great! Tonight, I feel very blessed!
Andrew woke up at 44 this morning & then dropped to 36 after juice. We desperately poured in sugar after our experiences the last few days with not being able to get him up. He came up, but we were afraid to bolus for breakfast. By snack, of course, he was high, so we gave a correction. Then he started falling hard & fast again. I'm afraid the nurse had a rather stressful day. He was low again before dinner so we gave only half of the recommended dinner bolus. He's running high now, but we need to tolerate that a little to get him off the yo-yo. His doctor called me on my cell today! He doesn't think we need any new labs. All the labwork this summer was normal. He doesn't know anything about Glucocare but supports our trying it. Vanderbilt offered CGM start classes, but when I told him the rep said we could follow the tutorials & start he approved that too.
Our K-group prayed for Andrew tonight & it was really sweet! God has definitely used these experiences to make Andrew's heart receptive to having the CGM. He is actually excited. We were both worried about insertion, but it went great! Tonight, I feel very blessed!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Good news on Ben!
Ben's results are in & all great news! The celiac panel was negative & the sed rate & A1c are all great! Ben's A1c was 4.9! The highs we saw with illness must have been just that - just illness! Yeah!!!
Andrew has been scaring us with his lows. He went low just after 7 pm last night & we could get him over 61 until nearly 9 pm! We tried juice, glucose tabs, an entire can of sprite, candy! He ate over 130 untreated carbs over the two hours before coming up. We even called the Vanderbilt doctor on call. Tonight he was low again for over an hour - this time before dinner. It took over an hour & being disconnected from the pump to come up. I bolused the missed basal & nothing for over 100carbs & he went low again! I'm sure he will spike later, but this is very strange. It's like he's going into a honeymoon again! We didn't even give him the Glucocare today. We're waiting on the CGM before giving him any more. The doctor last night mentioned looking for other endocrine problems like thyroid or Addison's, but I really hope it's the Glucocare. It's 10 pm, he had > 100 carbs again tonight, mostly empty carbs like juice, glucose tabs, sprite & ice cream + he had a hot pocket & I made him eat a couple peanut butter crackers before bed. No bolus except the missed basal & he's only 176! He's eating horribly just trying to get his blood sugar up. I have appreciated the prayers of friends & family through this blog & Facebook. Thank you!
Andrew has been scaring us with his lows. He went low just after 7 pm last night & we could get him over 61 until nearly 9 pm! We tried juice, glucose tabs, an entire can of sprite, candy! He ate over 130 untreated carbs over the two hours before coming up. We even called the Vanderbilt doctor on call. Tonight he was low again for over an hour - this time before dinner. It took over an hour & being disconnected from the pump to come up. I bolused the missed basal & nothing for over 100carbs & he went low again! I'm sure he will spike later, but this is very strange. It's like he's going into a honeymoon again! We didn't even give him the Glucocare today. We're waiting on the CGM before giving him any more. The doctor last night mentioned looking for other endocrine problems like thyroid or Addison's, but I really hope it's the Glucocare. It's 10 pm, he had > 100 carbs again tonight, mostly empty carbs like juice, glucose tabs, sprite & ice cream + he had a hot pocket & I made him eat a couple peanut butter crackers before bed. No bolus except the missed basal & he's only 176! He's eating horribly just trying to get his blood sugar up. I have appreciated the prayers of friends & family through this blog & Facebook. Thank you!
Monday, September 20, 2010
CGM is on it's way!
I am so excited!!! Dexcom called today to say that insurance approved it! I paid right then & it should be here Thursday! We can watch the tutorials online & start ourselves or contact the regional educator to come help us get started. I'm thinking we'll start on our own.
Dexcom Seven+ is the name our CGM or continuous glucose monitoring system. It is a sensor that is worn under the skin (another site). It doesn't inject anything. It just measures the glucose in the fluid under the skin. The fluid doesn't change as quickly as blood glucose, so a finger prick is still more accurate. Four finger pricks a day are still necessary to callibrate the system, so they won't disappear. The key advantage is that the receiver will display & graph the glucose reading every few minutes! Not only can we see if his sugar is 88, but we can tell if it's 88 & steady, 88 & climbing, or 88 & dropping super fast! We can set alarms to go off at certain numbers so that we can intervene if it's going to low or too high. I hope it will have a dramatic impact on his A1c in December. We go back to Vanderbilt the 30th, so it should be interesting to see the difference. Right now, we are supposed to run Andrew around 150 at night to avoid lows in his sleep (still had 2 this last week). With the alarm, I hope to bring that number down!
Thursday was actually a rough day. Andrew was sick & running ketones all day. Then Ben had a series of bloody diapers (again), so the doctor tested for celiac, which runs in the same endocrine family as type 1. She also tested for Crohn's, another not nice autoimmune disease. We still don't have results in on him.
Dexcom Seven+ is the name our CGM or continuous glucose monitoring system. It is a sensor that is worn under the skin (another site). It doesn't inject anything. It just measures the glucose in the fluid under the skin. The fluid doesn't change as quickly as blood glucose, so a finger prick is still more accurate. Four finger pricks a day are still necessary to callibrate the system, so they won't disappear. The key advantage is that the receiver will display & graph the glucose reading every few minutes! Not only can we see if his sugar is 88, but we can tell if it's 88 & steady, 88 & climbing, or 88 & dropping super fast! We can set alarms to go off at certain numbers so that we can intervene if it's going to low or too high. I hope it will have a dramatic impact on his A1c in December. We go back to Vanderbilt the 30th, so it should be interesting to see the difference. Right now, we are supposed to run Andrew around 150 at night to avoid lows in his sleep (still had 2 this last week). With the alarm, I hope to bring that number down!
Thursday was actually a rough day. Andrew was sick & running ketones all day. Then Ben had a series of bloody diapers (again), so the doctor tested for celiac, which runs in the same endocrine family as type 1. She also tested for Crohn's, another not nice autoimmune disease. We still don't have results in on him.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Day 2 Glucocare
So here are today's numbers -
6:19 am 91 Breakfast + Glucocare
9:20 am 78 Felt low. Nurse gave juice + snack & only bolused snack.
11:05 am 59 Juice. Recheck 95
11:45 am 117 Lunch
2:05 pm 262 No correction because of running club. Ketones negative.
2:30-3:00 Running Club
4:00 pm 51 Juice + snack. No insulin
4:29 pm 94
5:25 pm 56 Juice. Dinner.
6:30 - 8 pm Baseball practice. Gene accidently bought regular Gatorade instead of G2- 34g instead of 12g. Andrew drank the entire bottle & didn't bolus! I expect him to be high, but...
8:24 pm 102 Really? Turned basal -10% for 6 hours for exercise. Disconnect for bath.
9:08 pm 61 More Gatorade. He likes it and we never buy it on purpose!
9:22 pm 110 7g snack
10:35 pm 141
It has been a beautiful, active day. Or is it the Glucocare? I'll probably send him to school on -10% basal tomorrow. That many lows in one day is not good. But it encouraging to think the Glucocare might help him. The CGM should have gone to insurance for approval today too.
6:19 am 91 Breakfast + Glucocare
9:20 am 78 Felt low. Nurse gave juice + snack & only bolused snack.
11:05 am 59 Juice. Recheck 95
11:45 am 117 Lunch
2:05 pm 262 No correction because of running club. Ketones negative.
2:30-3:00 Running Club
4:00 pm 51 Juice + snack. No insulin
4:29 pm 94
5:25 pm 56 Juice. Dinner.
6:30 - 8 pm Baseball practice. Gene accidently bought regular Gatorade instead of G2- 34g instead of 12g. Andrew drank the entire bottle & didn't bolus! I expect him to be high, but...
8:24 pm 102 Really? Turned basal -10% for 6 hours for exercise. Disconnect for bath.
9:08 pm 61 More Gatorade. He likes it and we never buy it on purpose!
9:22 pm 110 7g snack
10:35 pm 141
It has been a beautiful, active day. Or is it the Glucocare? I'll probably send him to school on -10% basal tomorrow. That many lows in one day is not good. But it encouraging to think the Glucocare might help him. The CGM should have gone to insurance for approval today too.
Friday, September 10, 2010
CGM & Glucocare
Today, Vanderbilt faxed in the narrative of why Andrew needs the CGM, and the school nurse faxed in the school BGs since we've had lots of lows at school. We'd already submitted 3 months of BGs, but the variability is easier to see when school & baseball is in session. We now have everything ready to submit to insurance on Monday morning!!!
A friend also shared that she has been using a herbal supplement called GlucoCare. Her daughter is type 1 & is getting good results with it. It is worth a try and is supposed . I ordered it Monday night & already have it. We are going to start with one meal a day & work our way up. I won't do lunch, because I don't want to have to deal with sending it to school. Dinner worries me a little since if it works he may need less insulin & I'd hate to have him low in his sleep. He could use help with breakfast, but have I mentioned he has had some really low morning lows at school? Right now, I'm thinking of starting for breakfast on Sunday. I hope this will be a much safer experiment soon with CGM!
A friend also shared that she has been using a herbal supplement called GlucoCare. Her daughter is type 1 & is getting good results with it. It is worth a try and is supposed . I ordered it Monday night & already have it. We are going to start with one meal a day & work our way up. I won't do lunch, because I don't want to have to deal with sending it to school. Dinner worries me a little since if it works he may need less insulin & I'd hate to have him low in his sleep. He could use help with breakfast, but have I mentioned he has had some really low morning lows at school? Right now, I'm thinking of starting for breakfast on Sunday. I hope this will be a much safer experiment soon with CGM!
Sunday, September 5, 2010
A Week In The Life
My precious aunt just spent a week with us, and we were so blessed by her visit! She loves each of the kids and pampers each of us. She wanted to learn how to care for Andrew's diabetes because she may care for the kids while Gene & I take a trip in the Spring. What a week she saw! Saturday, we went Ryan's restaurant, a buffet, to celebrate Ryan's 13th birthday. Lots of food, combination of fat & carbs, + difficulty carb counting = a night of frequent BG checks because of high blood sugars. Monday morning, he walked into school and staight into the nurses office at BG 37. Tuesday night after baseball, he complained of feeling low. His Bg was 151, so I tucked him in & promised to recheck him in 30 minutes. He was 245! That was a lot to go up in 30 minutes, but his ketones were negative, so we gave him a correction. At 2 a.m. he was 191, which isn't great, but is okay during sleep & at least he was coming down. I went back to sleep without concern. Morning came along with moderate ketones & BG 385. The drop must have come from exercise, because the site was definitely bad. I don't remember a bad site since the rough night last Spring. Wednesday was a rollercoaster & Thursday brought a persistant low that took over 30 minutes to correct. Fresh eyes looking at the situation reminded me how much we need a cure and how much I'm looking forward the Dexcom CGM.
The Dexcom process is going slowly. I think we are still waiting on the letter from the doctor of medical necessity before sending it to insurance. I hope they cover it at first request. Benefits change October 1, so time is running out. It will be another piece of technology that can fail like a pump site, but the benefit it can add will be worth it!
So far things are going great at school, so that is a big praise!!!
The Dexcom process is going slowly. I think we are still waiting on the letter from the doctor of medical necessity before sending it to insurance. I hope they cover it at first request. Benefits change October 1, so time is running out. It will be another piece of technology that can fail like a pump site, but the benefit it can add will be worth it!
So far things are going great at school, so that is a big praise!!!
Friday, July 30, 2010
If a T1D sleeps until 9 a.m., he might be low...
Andrew sometimes sleeps in until 8:30 or so. I confess that I had been in his room & seen that he was breathing, not sweating, etc. However, if someone pricks your finger & begins squeezing for blood, sleeping in is out of the question, so I tried to wait. At 9 a.m. though, Gene checked & sure enough, he was low. Sleepyness is a symptom of lows. Luckily, no seizure or anything too scary. He did say he felt like he had been low for awhile.
I might be more freaked out except that we've started the process of getting a CGM this week. CGM stands for a continuous glucose monitor. It has several components - a sensor that sits under the skin and measures glucose in the interstitial fluid, a transmitter that connects to the sensor and is worn on the body, and a receiver that must be within a few feet of the transmitter. It is one more site for Andrew to wear. Look back at the Bionic Boy post. We're getting Dexcom, so it will look different, but it's the same idea.
The process will probably take awhile, but I don't know how long. We have to get all the proper paperwork done and get insurance to approve it. I think many get denied at first and have to appeal. We don't even have our paperwork yet. It starts with Dexcom getting the doctor prescription & contacting insurance. We will see!
I might be more freaked out except that we've started the process of getting a CGM this week. CGM stands for a continuous glucose monitor. It has several components - a sensor that sits under the skin and measures glucose in the interstitial fluid, a transmitter that connects to the sensor and is worn on the body, and a receiver that must be within a few feet of the transmitter. It is one more site for Andrew to wear. Look back at the Bionic Boy post. We're getting Dexcom, so it will look different, but it's the same idea.
The process will probably take awhile, but I don't know how long. We have to get all the proper paperwork done and get insurance to approve it. I think many get denied at first and have to appeal. We don't even have our paperwork yet. It starts with Dexcom getting the doctor prescription & contacting insurance. We will see!
Friday, July 23, 2010
Finally Peaceful Days
So, I didn't really take the mental vacation that I said I would in the last post. I contacted the doctors in Birmingham & got more information from them. I stayed up late at night researching immunology so I could understand medical reports. I got excited about Dr. Faustman's research, learned about HLA.... Right now, though, I'm not ready to take the risk involved. Maybe Diamyd. But not Teplizumab. I'm glad I had the time to do the research & time to calm down enough to realize that maybe I should say no. Anyway, I've come to a peaceful place where internet research no longer calls to me. Maybe it will put it all in perspective if/when she gets a diagnosis. It will be much simpler to deal with diabetes & not the clinical trials, two weeks of hospitalization, illness, etc.
Thanks also for your prayers for Andrew! His nighttime basals are finally working! He has been between 80 & 150s all night all week! I have my 5 nights in a row, so maybe we can start sleeping through the night. What were the rules? Check him only when he has been swimming, had ball practice, late site change... A late site change today means I check him tonight, but we may get some sleep between now & when school & football starts. I wonder what it feels like to sleep through the night???
Thanks also for your prayers for Andrew! His nighttime basals are finally working! He has been between 80 & 150s all night all week! I have my 5 nights in a row, so maybe we can start sleeping through the night. What were the rules? Check him only when he has been swimming, had ball practice, late site change... A late site change today means I check him tonight, but we may get some sleep between now & when school & football starts. I wonder what it feels like to sleep through the night???
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
A Perfect Test!
Kaitlyn's "test" this morning was perfect! Her fasting BG was 94. She had a Dr. Pepper & Hershey's bar for breakfast. She didn't feel very good, but her numbers were fine. I tested her BG just before getting the "sample" for the doctor & it was 142! I tested ketones myself so there would be no surprises. They were negative. At two hours, her BG was 105 where Normal is less than 140! Gene took the sample to the doctor & it was negative for both glucose & ketones! It's really miraculous that she handled that load so well when I saw a 227 yesterday. I expected a little spilt glucose. We are in a clear holding pattern. For now, I'm taking a mental vacation from Kaitlyn's issues. We will watch for symptoms, but otherwise I want her to enjoy the (diabetic) carefree time that she has left. Andrew is up & down horribly so it's time to focus on trouble shooting for him anyway!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Glucose Test of Sorts Tomorrow
Kaitlyn went to her pediatrician for a stye in her eye today, so I filled the doctor in on the OGTT. The doctor asked if Trialnet had done any urine samples, and I said no. She wanted one, but Kaitlyn had just gone. So tomorrow we do the coke & candy bar test & give the doctor a sample. We've agreed to first thing in the morning since we have afternoon plans. I almost don't want to. I know morning results won't be good. We checked her numbers today after a later meal & they soared up quickly, but were within range within an hour. I don't think they would give insulin for that. If she is diagnosed before using insulin then she won't qualify for any of the trials. You have to be newly diagnosed & using insulin. I looked back on previous posts praying for open & closed doors. I have to accept that. I guess we will wait and see what tomorrow brings.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Untethered Ended
Well, pumping untethered lasted less than five days. When it came time to give the Lantus shot this morning, Andrew asked, "Can I just go back on the pump for today?" I told him that it took Lantus a few days to level out, so he can't go back & forth based on whether his shorts have pockets. (Yes, that is an issue. He doesn't really like the pump pouches, even though I've bought four different kinds. The pump has to go somewhere. I only buy him shorts with pockets, but he has some hand-me-downs from Ryan that don't.) He opted for the pump. He had a nice vacation from having to carry the pump around, but the shots hurt. Pumping untethered was nice - the safety of long-lasting insulin with the accuracy of a pump and flexibility of multiple boluses. In the end, though, as long as Andrew takes care of his body and gives it the insulin it needs, he gets to choose how it gets there.
Research for Kaitlyn is still mixed. Here are some posts from some kids who had teplizumab and are doing great. Andrew never had much of a honeymoon, so the numbers these kids are seeing are enviable. I'd love that for Kaitlyn.
http://forums.childrenwithdiabetes.com/showthread.php?t=41829&highlight=teplizumab
However, the side effects are frightening! If it were a cure, I'd sign up in a heartbeat! However, it only slows the disease. No cure. I'm still not sure.
Research for Kaitlyn is still mixed. Here are some posts from some kids who had teplizumab and are doing great. Andrew never had much of a honeymoon, so the numbers these kids are seeing are enviable. I'd love that for Kaitlyn.
http://forums.childrenwithdiabetes.com/showthread.php?t=41829&highlight=teplizumab
However, the side effects are frightening! If it were a cure, I'd sign up in a heartbeat! However, it only slows the disease. No cure. I'm still not sure.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
My Brain Hurts!
With Kaitlyn's impending diagnosis, I'm doing lots of research into clinical trials. Most are only open to new diagnoses. There is nothing for Andrew now. There are several promising trials - Teplizumab & Diamyd are two possibles. However, my brain hurts from trying to understand their benefits along with side effects like transient cytokine release symdrome, & lymphopenia. Please pray for wisdom and open and closed doors as we research for Kaitlyn. We were offered a trial (probably Teplizumab) when Andrew was diagnosed, but it was at Yale. With everything else we were trying to absorb, messing with his immune system & spending two weeks in the hospital in Yale was more than we could stomach. Now, I have heard of the benefits of the drug (C-peptide/insulin production remaining at 5 years!) and it's available at UAB. Still 2 weeks possibly all hospitalized. If we do that, it would be nice to get it done before school starts. However, we have to wait two weeks because it has to be 8 weeks since her last immunization & she just got a booster for middle school six weeks ago. I'm done for today, but more research tomorrow!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Kaitlyn's OGTT
When caller ID said Vanderbilt, I knew it wasn't good news. No one would be calling about Andrew, & good news about Kaitlyn could come in a email. She doesn't have an official diabetes diagnosis yet, but she barely missed it! Here are her numbers:
-10 minutes 88
time 0 min 86
30 minutes 169
60 minutes 221 :(
90 minutes 232 :( :(
120 minutes 194 (>200 at 2 hours on two occasions is diabetes)
Her A1c though is still fantastic at 4.8, where <6.0 is normal.
The impaired glucose tolerance paired with her antibodies for type 1 diabetes paint a pretty clear picture. Vandy even mentioned that she's having a strong honeymoon, which is the period at the beginning of the disease where you still make lots of your own insulin. She did say to watch for any symptoms, especially if she gets sick. We can go back for another OGTT before the six months if we are concerned.
-10 minutes 88
time 0 min 86
30 minutes 169
60 minutes 221 :(
90 minutes 232 :( :(
120 minutes 194 (>200 at 2 hours on two occasions is diabetes)
Her A1c though is still fantastic at 4.8, where <6.0 is normal.
The impaired glucose tolerance paired with her antibodies for type 1 diabetes paint a pretty clear picture. Vandy even mentioned that she's having a strong honeymoon, which is the period at the beginning of the disease where you still make lots of your own insulin. She did say to watch for any symptoms, especially if she gets sick. We can go back for another OGTT before the six months if we are concerned.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Pumping Untethered!
Andrew has decided to "pump untethered". That means that he has switched to using Lantus shots for his basal insulin and is no longer wearing his pump. However, instead of switching back to shots altogether, he is leaving the site in for meal & correction boluses. It gives him only one injection every couple of days instead of every time he eats. We still have the advantage of rounding boluses to the nearest .05 instead of the nearest .5 & can use the pump to calculate insulin on board, etc. It's the best of both worlds. I have to admit, it is nice to look at Andrew again without seeing him hooked up to a machine for life support. It will take awhile to find the right Lantus amount, but we were going to have to experiment anyway to find the right summer basals now that the 4 weeks of camp are over (family camp, 2 weeks of VBS, followed by a Backyard Bible Club!). We started this morning, and so far so good!
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Going Back On Shots
Andrew wants to take a break from the pump and go back on shots. I probably started it unintentionally. Andrew wants to play football in the Fall (a story for another time). It is too rough to play with the pump on, and he doesn't do well disconnected for a long time. Some players take a Lantus shot (24 hour basal insulin) & still use some basal insulin from the pump so that they have the advantages of both. That was my plan. However, Andrew decided to go back on shots entirely. He has no choice but be a human pin cushion. He gets to decide whether it comes in the form of shots or a pump. I can't imagine having to wear the pump 24/7, so I'm not going to complain, at least to him.
That said, I'm nervous about going back to shots!!! We start in the morning as soon as Vandy tells me how much Lantus to start with. I hope I still remember how to load the pens! I got a Lantus pen so that I don't have to uses the syringes, but I've never used it. However, it only does whole units, so they may tell me to use the syringe anyway. I was so unhappy with the A1c last time, but 8.1 was the best ever A1c on shots. I hope his control isn't going to get worse! I know that people are praying for us, so I'm open to the Lord working through this. I just can't imagine how we will get the Lantus right. He is so active during the day that his nighttime basal is much, much higher than his daytime basal. After a couple days without the flexibility of the pump, he may go right back on it anyway. He's used to eating whenever he wants now and just taking another bolus. We couldn't do that on shots. I need to review all the old rules!!!
That said, I'm nervous about going back to shots!!! We start in the morning as soon as Vandy tells me how much Lantus to start with. I hope I still remember how to load the pens! I got a Lantus pen so that I don't have to uses the syringes, but I've never used it. However, it only does whole units, so they may tell me to use the syringe anyway. I was so unhappy with the A1c last time, but 8.1 was the best ever A1c on shots. I hope his control isn't going to get worse! I know that people are praying for us, so I'm open to the Lord working through this. I just can't imagine how we will get the Lantus right. He is so active during the day that his nighttime basal is much, much higher than his daytime basal. After a couple days without the flexibility of the pump, he may go right back on it anyway. He's used to eating whenever he wants now and just taking another bolus. We couldn't do that on shots. I need to review all the old rules!!!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
A Difficult Day At Vanderbilt
Today was a harder day than normal at Vanderbilt. We started out really early in the morning so that we could stop & put EMLA cream on Kaitlyn & still get to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital by 9 a.m. I had asked to see Kaitlyn's numbers from her last test. I wanted to research numbers on specific antibodies. What I didn't expect to see was that Kaitlyn has already had two times where she had "impaired glucose tolerance" on her OGTT!!! How did I not know this??? Challenge #1: Don't freak out in front of the kids. They sweetly suggested that it might be a little insulin resistance due to puberty. Did she see my little girl a year ago when she took the test? It felt like confirmation that the inevitable is closer at hand than I want to believe. Her fasting glucose was 80 (perfect, but just like all the other times), but I couldn't help but wonder what the other numbers were. Will they be high enough that she will be diagnosed when the labs come back on Thursday??? Still, the staff there is amazing, & they constantly tell Kaitlyn how wonderful & brave she is, and how she is one of their very best patients. She really is fantastic about everything. At the end of the test, she gets to order lunch, but she always get the french toast sticks, bacon, eggs, & orange juice. The OJ slipped & fell all over her pants, but she remained sweet & easy going. I only mention it because it may have contributed to panic #2.
After Kaitlyn was released, we stopped by the food court to get lunch for the boys. I suggested that Kaitlyn take her BG so we could see what it was. It read...HI. Kaitlyn smiled and said, "Hi!" back, but Andrew & I both looked at each other knowingly. HI means high glucose, over 600!!! My heart sank. Challenge #2: Cry later. Stay calm for the kids now. She must have had orange juice on her hands or something, because when we rechecked in the clinic 40 minutes later, she was 97. It was a long 40 minutes. I'm still anxious about Thursday. Her highest number up to this point was 187. Over 200 on two occasions is an official diagnosis.
So now, it's Andrew's turn. His A1c ... 8.1! How???? How did it go up??? We have worked so hard! I've been checking the average in his meter & it isn't that high! I wake up every night at 2 to correct highs so it won't go too long & drive up his A1c. I don't know else to do. Our doctor really is good. I like him & trust him, but I need to vent. He wants the A1c at 6.5. Yeah, me too. His solution - change the pump site every 2 days instead of every 3 days & run Andrew on a reduced basal after exercise. Some people do have to change sites more often because numbers trend up the third day. Andrew doesn't. That will just cost us hundreds of dollars in extra supples. We already do the reduced basal after sports & split basals into school days with recess & P.E. & weekends. Have you ever seen Andrew? How do you quantify when he's more active than that? The doctor specifically mentioned swimming & we haven't been doing that. Oh yeah, that's because we take the pump off & he gets 0 basal while swimming! Still, I'll reduce it afterwards. Sarcasm & frustration aside, Andrew is very sensitive to activity, and it may be a good part of his variability. Fixing that won't be easy. All I can do is try again. The doctor is also running lots of tests on Andrew - thyroid, celiac, cholesterol, triglycerides, etc. His blood pressure is always on the higher side of normal, I think - 133/65 today. They will also routinely check for protein in his urine to see if there are kidney problems. How can my 9 year old have these problems? Oh yeah, he has an A1c of 8.1!
Thanks for being my place to vent! I can't do it in front of the kids, but this somehow helps. Thanks!
After Kaitlyn was released, we stopped by the food court to get lunch for the boys. I suggested that Kaitlyn take her BG so we could see what it was. It read...HI. Kaitlyn smiled and said, "Hi!" back, but Andrew & I both looked at each other knowingly. HI means high glucose, over 600!!! My heart sank. Challenge #2: Cry later. Stay calm for the kids now. She must have had orange juice on her hands or something, because when we rechecked in the clinic 40 minutes later, she was 97. It was a long 40 minutes. I'm still anxious about Thursday. Her highest number up to this point was 187. Over 200 on two occasions is an official diagnosis.
So now, it's Andrew's turn. His A1c ... 8.1! How???? How did it go up??? We have worked so hard! I've been checking the average in his meter & it isn't that high! I wake up every night at 2 to correct highs so it won't go too long & drive up his A1c. I don't know else to do. Our doctor really is good. I like him & trust him, but I need to vent. He wants the A1c at 6.5. Yeah, me too. His solution - change the pump site every 2 days instead of every 3 days & run Andrew on a reduced basal after exercise. Some people do have to change sites more often because numbers trend up the third day. Andrew doesn't. That will just cost us hundreds of dollars in extra supples. We already do the reduced basal after sports & split basals into school days with recess & P.E. & weekends. Have you ever seen Andrew? How do you quantify when he's more active than that? The doctor specifically mentioned swimming & we haven't been doing that. Oh yeah, that's because we take the pump off & he gets 0 basal while swimming! Still, I'll reduce it afterwards. Sarcasm & frustration aside, Andrew is very sensitive to activity, and it may be a good part of his variability. Fixing that won't be easy. All I can do is try again. The doctor is also running lots of tests on Andrew - thyroid, celiac, cholesterol, triglycerides, etc. His blood pressure is always on the higher side of normal, I think - 133/65 today. They will also routinely check for protein in his urine to see if there are kidney problems. How can my 9 year old have these problems? Oh yeah, he has an A1c of 8.1!
Thanks for being my place to vent! I can't do it in front of the kids, but this somehow helps. Thanks!
Here's a picture of the precious wounded: Kaitlyn had her IV for her OGTT, Will has a band-aid from his Trialnet rescreening, and Andrew has tape from his bloodwork plus a bandaid from the pneumococcal vaccine. Let's hope it doesn't raise his numbers like the last vaccine!
Friday, June 18, 2010
Camp Slide Show
http://www.flickr.com/photos/campascca/sets/72157624065542401/show/with/4664033066/
This is a slide show of of pictures that the camp posted online. Every child either has diabetes or is the sibling of a child with diabetes. The slide show is long, but you can click through & look at just a few of each activity.
This is a slide show of of pictures that the camp posted online. Every child either has diabetes or is the sibling of a child with diabetes. The slide show is long, but you can click through & look at just a few of each activity.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Family Camp Was Fantastic!
We had a great time at camp!!! I just haven't had much time to write about it! The kids had lots of great experiences tubing, water sliding, canoeing, swimming, and at riflery, the cargo net, zip line, etc. The counselors at camp are so wonderful too! They are all 18+ young adult diabetics who are so amazing with the kids, even the smallest of them. I will definitely take Ben next year! The kids all felt normal checking their blood sugar, taking insulin, etc. & were safe at all their activities. The parents attended education sessions in the morning while the kids played &/or had education of their own. I enjoyed making friends with other parents of diabetic children & discussing some of the issues that are unique to parenting them. I also realized that I am really lucky to have the medical support team that we have!
Monday, May 31, 2010
Headed off to camp!
We are headed off to family camp for diabetes tomorrow! Gene will stay here with Grace, our new black lab puppy, and Ben, who isn't old enough to participate in most of the activities. Please pray for Ben and Gene to have a sweet time here at home! I don't think Ben will understand why Mom & siblings have disappeared. I have explained it to him & that we will return, but it is bound to be confusing. Hopefully, the rest of us will have a safe journey & a good time. I'm off to pack!
Saturday, May 8, 2010
"Depression Day"
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22
The kids learned to sing this verse in VBS last year. My goal with Depression Day wasn't to embrace depression, but to acknowledge it, give it to the Lord, and try to deal with our emotions in a healthy way. The whole act of planning the day helped just because it was so silly. Here is how we spent our day:
After the other kids were at school, Andrew made a list of things he hates about diabetes (Sorry, but I don't have permission to share it). Then we made our bowls of ice cream (with lots of insulin of course) & sat down to watch Facing the Giants. It's hard to think of movies that make 9 year old boys cry, but this one usually does. He didn't cry this time, although he said that his "eyes were wet during most of the movie". I cried. It's not really a sad movie. It has great themes about nothing being impossible for God & praising God during the good times & the bad. By the time the movie was over, we were both finished with pretending to be depressed. My mom's car broke down the day before, so we took her home to get some things & to the store to get groceries. We got Andrew a new bat because his was too short & he was missing all the outside balls. Then we took Granny & Ben home & headed out just the two of us. Andrew wanted to go see Diary of A Wimpy Kid. I wasn't a fan, but Andrew liked it.
Other than the ice cream with the morning movie, Andrew's meal requests for the day were bacon & eggs for breakfast, McDonald's for lunch, and chicken cracker casserole for dinner. They were all high in fat, but none of these foods are really restricted from his diet! One of the initial triggers had been the week after Easter when he wasn't able to eat candy when other kids could. I had said we could break some of these rules once a year, but not regularly. He almost forgot to ask for candy until we got to the movie theater. I didn't want to pay their prices, & I was hoping he'd forget, so I put it off until after the movie. He didn't forget, so after the movie, I stopped & let him pick out some candy. We took his BG & bolused for a ton of carbs before going into Wal-mart. Then I took my time shopping before we bought the candy. We calculated the difference in carbs & bolused for the rest. I didn't care that we got in the slowest checkout line - I wanted that insulin to start working before he started in on the sour skittles! We stopped at the batting cages before he could finish his candy & broke up his eating a bit. All in all, it wasn't his best BG day, but it was a great day in every other way. He can only have one of these days a year (school is important too!), but it was good to have some special time together, to admit that this disease stinks, but to resolve to do our best and enjoy life anyway!
The kids learned to sing this verse in VBS last year. My goal with Depression Day wasn't to embrace depression, but to acknowledge it, give it to the Lord, and try to deal with our emotions in a healthy way. The whole act of planning the day helped just because it was so silly. Here is how we spent our day:
After the other kids were at school, Andrew made a list of things he hates about diabetes (Sorry, but I don't have permission to share it). Then we made our bowls of ice cream (with lots of insulin of course) & sat down to watch Facing the Giants. It's hard to think of movies that make 9 year old boys cry, but this one usually does. He didn't cry this time, although he said that his "eyes were wet during most of the movie". I cried. It's not really a sad movie. It has great themes about nothing being impossible for God & praising God during the good times & the bad. By the time the movie was over, we were both finished with pretending to be depressed. My mom's car broke down the day before, so we took her home to get some things & to the store to get groceries. We got Andrew a new bat because his was too short & he was missing all the outside balls. Then we took Granny & Ben home & headed out just the two of us. Andrew wanted to go see Diary of A Wimpy Kid. I wasn't a fan, but Andrew liked it.
Other than the ice cream with the morning movie, Andrew's meal requests for the day were bacon & eggs for breakfast, McDonald's for lunch, and chicken cracker casserole for dinner. They were all high in fat, but none of these foods are really restricted from his diet! One of the initial triggers had been the week after Easter when he wasn't able to eat candy when other kids could. I had said we could break some of these rules once a year, but not regularly. He almost forgot to ask for candy until we got to the movie theater. I didn't want to pay their prices, & I was hoping he'd forget, so I put it off until after the movie. He didn't forget, so after the movie, I stopped & let him pick out some candy. We took his BG & bolused for a ton of carbs before going into Wal-mart. Then I took my time shopping before we bought the candy. We calculated the difference in carbs & bolused for the rest. I didn't care that we got in the slowest checkout line - I wanted that insulin to start working before he started in on the sour skittles! We stopped at the batting cages before he could finish his candy & broke up his eating a bit. All in all, it wasn't his best BG day, but it was a great day in every other way. He can only have one of these days a year (school is important too!), but it was good to have some special time together, to admit that this disease stinks, but to resolve to do our best and enjoy life anyway!
Saturday, May 1, 2010
First Scheduled Diabetes Depression Day
I've attached an article from expert Joe Solowiejczyk on why he schedules his diabetes depression days. I heard Joe speak a year and a half ago & he told us about this. I'm not sure that Andrew has really cried about having diabetes since the hospital when he asked "How long will it take to go away?" or , "Am I going to die?" until a couple weeks ago. He is tired of the constant pricking, counting, injections, etc., but he is mostly tired of being left out even though we work so hard at it not happening and having to answer so many questions (mostly to new baseball teammates). So we decided to schedule our first "Diabetes Depression Day". He looked at the calendar & chose this Wednesday, May 5th. He is actually excited about it! Here is the article: I copied from http://www.animas.com/connect/insulin-pump-experts?topic_id=19
I schedule my "diabetes depression" days! By Joe Solowiejczyk
Yup-that's right, I schedule my diabetes depression days! I've had diabetes for 48 years now and I've learned that getting depressed about having it is just part of living with it – successfully! I used to think that in order to consider myself as handling it "okay" I wasn't supposed to complain or let anyone know that I was having a hard time. And the difficulty I'm talking about is not anything specific, just tired or exhausted from always having to be on top of it and doing the "right thing."
Don't get me wrong – I don't walk around all the time feeling angry, sad or sorry for myself because I have diabetes. I absolutely love being alive and am grateful that I have diabetes and not some other condition that would be debilitating, and that would have prevented me from doing all the things I love to do – travel, cycling, camping, cooking and eating! What I'm saying is that managing diabetes on a daily basis, and managing it well is exhausting:
Checking my blood sugar
Counting carbs and bolusing,
Trying to make the right dose adjustments for corrections AND not overeating during those lows that we get late at night (you know, the ones where you say to yourself as you're walking to the kitchen at 1am that you're only going to have 1 cup of juice… you're only going to have 1 cup of juice… you're only going to have 1 cup of juice … and when you get to the kitchen, the Cap'n Crunch® grabs you by the the neck,throws you down to the floor and shoves 5 bowls into your mouth!) It takes a lot of time,effort and energy.
Yup-that's right, I schedule my diabetes depression days! I've had diabetes for 48 years now and I've learned that getting depressed about having it is just part of living with it – successfully! I used to think that in order to consider myself as handling it "okay" I wasn't supposed to complain or let anyone know that I was having a hard time. And the difficulty I'm talking about is not anything specific, just tired or exhausted from always having to be on top of it and doing the "right thing."
Don't get me wrong – I don't walk around all the time feeling angry, sad or sorry for myself because I have diabetes. I absolutely love being alive and am grateful that I have diabetes and not some other condition that would be debilitating, and that would have prevented me from doing all the things I love to do – travel, cycling, camping, cooking and eating! What I'm saying is that managing diabetes on a daily basis, and managing it well is exhausting:
Checking my blood sugar
Counting carbs and bolusing,
Trying to make the right dose adjustments for corrections AND not overeating during those lows that we get late at night (you know, the ones where you say to yourself as you're walking to the kitchen at 1am that you're only going to have 1 cup of juice… you're only going to have 1 cup of juice… you're only going to have 1 cup of juice … and when you get to the kitchen, the Cap'n Crunch® grabs you by the the neck,throws you down to the floor and shoves 5 bowls into your mouth!) It takes a lot of time,effort and energy.
Sometimes, the most sane thing to do is to just collapse! I think of living with diabetes as running a marathon, not a fifty yard dash. When you run a marathon your strategy is different from running all out. You have to pace yourself, know where the rest stations are, know when to slow down and take a break so that you can stay in the race.
That's where scheduling my depression days come in, part of overall "coping with diabetes" plan. In the past, I used to get upset and tired of waking up in the morning and, out of nowhere, feeling bad or sad or scared or angry about having diabetes. You know, it really messes up your day! So instead of having depression decide when it wanted to "get" me, I decided to get it – on my schedule! I decided to start scheduling my diabetes depression days. What I do is this:
I call several of my closest friends and tell them that next Tuesday, from 9am-2pm I'm going to be depressed about having diabetes and that I want them to call me, every hour, and tell me how courageous and inspiring I am in managing my diabetes, and how that they don't know anyone else who is as courageous as I am. At first they used to say "But Joe, you're telling us what to say, that can't really work for you!" And I would say, "Just call, that's how much I really need to hear it!" Now, they're used to it and they just say "Fine."
The night before, I go out and buy 2 pints of Ben & Jerry's ice cream - Fudge Swirl and Chocolate Cookie Dough - along with renting 5 DVDs. The DVDs are usually tragically romantic. My favorite, which gets a lot of play, is Lawrence of Arabia – big picture, large music, high adventure and really sad – the hero dies in the end! Totally gets those tear ducts working
The morning of the depression day, I call into work and tell them that I'm not coming in to work because I'm having a hard time managing my diabetes. They say, "Okay, we'll see you tomorrow"- it took me years to finally be comfortable with the reality that I could be having a hard time with managing my diabetes and not beat myself up over it!
Then, I check my blood sugar, take enough of a bolus to cover for half a pint, pick the DVD, decide to start with the Cookie Dough ice cream, and start my "depression day" or pity party as the movie gets started.
About 10 minutes into the "party" the phone rings; it's my friends Sue and Bob. I answer it and they say, "Hi, it's Sue and Bob. We're just calling you to tell you that we think you are so courageous and inspiring; the way you manage your diabetes is heroic!" I say, "Why, that's so sweet of you to call! Thanks so much. Listen, I've just started the movie and need to watch it. Would you call me back in about an hour and tell me the same thing again?"
I'll get a few more calls like this from my friends. I'm happy as a clam, lying there in bed in my pajamas, watching the movie and enjoying my ice cream and - guess what? - it's only 11am, but I'm bored with the whole silly thing and just pack the "party" up and move on with my day, feeling much better - about everything!
The cloud has lifted and I'm ready to move on with the rest of my day, and the rest of my life. I almost never last until 2pm!
I think it works for me because it's so silly and it turns the whole serious thing of living with diabetes upside down and on its head, that it feels like cracking a Zen koan. Taking it all the way to the absurd extreme just feels great and takes the sting out of it. It may not make any sense at all, but it totally does to me and, more importantly, IT WORKS!
You need to find out what works for you and do it! Just one serious suggestion: Whatever you do, make sure it's very silly! Silly works - especially with something as serious as diabetes.
I schedule my "diabetes depression" days! By Joe Solowiejczyk
Yup-that's right, I schedule my diabetes depression days! I've had diabetes for 48 years now and I've learned that getting depressed about having it is just part of living with it – successfully! I used to think that in order to consider myself as handling it "okay" I wasn't supposed to complain or let anyone know that I was having a hard time. And the difficulty I'm talking about is not anything specific, just tired or exhausted from always having to be on top of it and doing the "right thing."
Don't get me wrong – I don't walk around all the time feeling angry, sad or sorry for myself because I have diabetes. I absolutely love being alive and am grateful that I have diabetes and not some other condition that would be debilitating, and that would have prevented me from doing all the things I love to do – travel, cycling, camping, cooking and eating! What I'm saying is that managing diabetes on a daily basis, and managing it well is exhausting:
Checking my blood sugar
Counting carbs and bolusing,
Trying to make the right dose adjustments for corrections AND not overeating during those lows that we get late at night (you know, the ones where you say to yourself as you're walking to the kitchen at 1am that you're only going to have 1 cup of juice… you're only going to have 1 cup of juice… you're only going to have 1 cup of juice … and when you get to the kitchen, the Cap'n Crunch® grabs you by the the neck,throws you down to the floor and shoves 5 bowls into your mouth!) It takes a lot of time,effort and energy.
Yup-that's right, I schedule my diabetes depression days! I've had diabetes for 48 years now and I've learned that getting depressed about having it is just part of living with it – successfully! I used to think that in order to consider myself as handling it "okay" I wasn't supposed to complain or let anyone know that I was having a hard time. And the difficulty I'm talking about is not anything specific, just tired or exhausted from always having to be on top of it and doing the "right thing."
Don't get me wrong – I don't walk around all the time feeling angry, sad or sorry for myself because I have diabetes. I absolutely love being alive and am grateful that I have diabetes and not some other condition that would be debilitating, and that would have prevented me from doing all the things I love to do – travel, cycling, camping, cooking and eating! What I'm saying is that managing diabetes on a daily basis, and managing it well is exhausting:
Checking my blood sugar
Counting carbs and bolusing,
Trying to make the right dose adjustments for corrections AND not overeating during those lows that we get late at night (you know, the ones where you say to yourself as you're walking to the kitchen at 1am that you're only going to have 1 cup of juice… you're only going to have 1 cup of juice… you're only going to have 1 cup of juice … and when you get to the kitchen, the Cap'n Crunch® grabs you by the the neck,throws you down to the floor and shoves 5 bowls into your mouth!) It takes a lot of time,effort and energy.
Sometimes, the most sane thing to do is to just collapse! I think of living with diabetes as running a marathon, not a fifty yard dash. When you run a marathon your strategy is different from running all out. You have to pace yourself, know where the rest stations are, know when to slow down and take a break so that you can stay in the race.
That's where scheduling my depression days come in, part of overall "coping with diabetes" plan. In the past, I used to get upset and tired of waking up in the morning and, out of nowhere, feeling bad or sad or scared or angry about having diabetes. You know, it really messes up your day! So instead of having depression decide when it wanted to "get" me, I decided to get it – on my schedule! I decided to start scheduling my diabetes depression days. What I do is this:
I call several of my closest friends and tell them that next Tuesday, from 9am-2pm I'm going to be depressed about having diabetes and that I want them to call me, every hour, and tell me how courageous and inspiring I am in managing my diabetes, and how that they don't know anyone else who is as courageous as I am. At first they used to say "But Joe, you're telling us what to say, that can't really work for you!" And I would say, "Just call, that's how much I really need to hear it!" Now, they're used to it and they just say "Fine."
The night before, I go out and buy 2 pints of Ben & Jerry's ice cream - Fudge Swirl and Chocolate Cookie Dough - along with renting 5 DVDs. The DVDs are usually tragically romantic. My favorite, which gets a lot of play, is Lawrence of Arabia – big picture, large music, high adventure and really sad – the hero dies in the end! Totally gets those tear ducts working
The morning of the depression day, I call into work and tell them that I'm not coming in to work because I'm having a hard time managing my diabetes. They say, "Okay, we'll see you tomorrow"- it took me years to finally be comfortable with the reality that I could be having a hard time with managing my diabetes and not beat myself up over it!
Then, I check my blood sugar, take enough of a bolus to cover for half a pint, pick the DVD, decide to start with the Cookie Dough ice cream, and start my "depression day" or pity party as the movie gets started.
About 10 minutes into the "party" the phone rings; it's my friends Sue and Bob. I answer it and they say, "Hi, it's Sue and Bob. We're just calling you to tell you that we think you are so courageous and inspiring; the way you manage your diabetes is heroic!" I say, "Why, that's so sweet of you to call! Thanks so much. Listen, I've just started the movie and need to watch it. Would you call me back in about an hour and tell me the same thing again?"
I'll get a few more calls like this from my friends. I'm happy as a clam, lying there in bed in my pajamas, watching the movie and enjoying my ice cream and - guess what? - it's only 11am, but I'm bored with the whole silly thing and just pack the "party" up and move on with my day, feeling much better - about everything!
The cloud has lifted and I'm ready to move on with the rest of my day, and the rest of my life. I almost never last until 2pm!
I think it works for me because it's so silly and it turns the whole serious thing of living with diabetes upside down and on its head, that it feels like cracking a Zen koan. Taking it all the way to the absurd extreme just feels great and takes the sting out of it. It may not make any sense at all, but it totally does to me and, more importantly, IT WORKS!
You need to find out what works for you and do it! Just one serious suggestion: Whatever you do, make sure it's very silly! Silly works - especially with something as serious as diabetes.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Scary Days!
Thursday, I got to see my first real severe hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), but it wasn't Andrew! It was a student of mine. I saw her shaking & asked if she was okay, but she shook her head no & collapsed. She could barely talk, eat, or drink! I knew she needed sugar, but it was so hard to get some into her! I asked a student to get the juice from the fridge that I had kept for Andrew, but there wasn't one. The student went to find real soda and the teacher next door called the nurse. I had glucose tabs in my purse, but there was no way she could chew. I grabbed a lollipop I'd been given for Valentine's thinking I could hold it & remove it if she seized, but she could barely open her mouth & it just wasn't working. I tried a laffy taffy since it was slimmer until the soda arrived. I got more soda on her shirt than in her mouth the first time, but it started to work. Then she was able to drink better with help. The nurse still couldn't understand her name by the time she got there, but she was doing so much better! It was scary, but I'm glad I knew what to do. It was a privilege to hold her, wipe the escaping tears, & be able to assure her she was going to be okay now. It was one of the first few good things that has come from Andrew's diagnosis.
Afterwards though, I felt the adrenaline pumping through my body for the rest of the day. I don't know if I'm more afraid for her or Andrew. It was just upsetting. We've always followed the rule, "Make sure there is always someone around who knows what to do in case he 'needs help' treating a low." The visual of how much help he could need was frightening. Today, I got on CWD (Children with Diabetes) forums and found out that one of the children died from diabetes on Thursday! He was a otherwise healthy 14 year old boy with a twin sister & older brother. He just didn't wake up. They expect the autopsy to reveal low blood sugar. Please pray for this family!!! Please pray for my student too. And Andrew while you're at it! And another family that lost a 13 year old to diabetes last month!
Just for the record, I HATE DIABETES!!!
Afterwards though, I felt the adrenaline pumping through my body for the rest of the day. I don't know if I'm more afraid for her or Andrew. It was just upsetting. We've always followed the rule, "Make sure there is always someone around who knows what to do in case he 'needs help' treating a low." The visual of how much help he could need was frightening. Today, I got on CWD (Children with Diabetes) forums and found out that one of the children died from diabetes on Thursday! He was a otherwise healthy 14 year old boy with a twin sister & older brother. He just didn't wake up. They expect the autopsy to reveal low blood sugar. Please pray for this family!!! Please pray for my student too. And Andrew while you're at it! And another family that lost a 13 year old to diabetes last month!
Just for the record, I HATE DIABETES!!!
Thursday, March 18, 2010
A1c & General Update
Today was Vanderbilt Day for Andrew! It was an easy day since Kaitlyn didn't have to have her OGTT. We left at a respectible 8:30 a.m. & were home by 2:30! Andrew's A1c was 7.9, which is up. The A1c feels like a report card in diabetes parenting. I got a C. I was perfectionist student even when the stakes didn't involve the lifetime health of my child. It stinks, but all we can do is try again. Truth be told, we aren't surprised. He ran high after having strep & then had another virus. I was slow in making changes. He has needed corrections at night, but I get nervous about raising nighttime basals. Anyway, we reduced the breakfast ratio (I'm not sure I agree, but we'll try), lowered the Insulin Sensitivity Factor (ISF) so that he will get more insulin to treat a high, and raised the basal in the afternoon on his weekend basal & the nighttime basal on both weekdays and weekends. Next time, they want to give him the pneumococcal vaccine and do blood work to check his thyroid.
Otherwise, Andrew is doing well. He has started baseball and is having fun. I have started reading forums on a website called Children With Diabetes (CWD). It has been very informative, and most of the kids play baseball with their pumps even though Animas told us not to. Our endo also recommended playing connected, so we are giving it a try. Andrew is excited not to have to try and pull tubing from his rear or leg right before a game! So far, he's doing much better connected. He's dropping fast at the end of practice, so we will start experimenting with temp basals soon.
Speaking of experimenting, we had our first successful pizza bolus yesterday!!! I'm sure that doesn't sound like much, but pizza sends him up for HOURS! We have this combo feature on the pump to help with high fat, high carb meals like pizza, but it is experimentation to find what works for you. We have tried so many different combos! After reading on CWD what worked for some of those kids, we decided to try to bolus for all the pizza immediately AND all the pizza again spread out for 8 hours. Yes, we bolused 200% of what he ate. And it worked!!!
Andrew also had his first sleepover with a friend other than our next door neighbor a couple of weeks ago. The mom was wonderful and wanted to take very good care of him. We managed his D mostly over the phone. He called before meals with his number & what he was going to eat so we could calculate carbs. Then he called back if he ate anything extra. He drank milk before bed without insulin to keep him safe through the night. He woke up in the 300s, so we overdid it. Still, he had a great time, and felt fairly normal.
Otherwise, Andrew is doing well. He has started baseball and is having fun. I have started reading forums on a website called Children With Diabetes (CWD). It has been very informative, and most of the kids play baseball with their pumps even though Animas told us not to. Our endo also recommended playing connected, so we are giving it a try. Andrew is excited not to have to try and pull tubing from his rear or leg right before a game! So far, he's doing much better connected. He's dropping fast at the end of practice, so we will start experimenting with temp basals soon.
Speaking of experimenting, we had our first successful pizza bolus yesterday!!! I'm sure that doesn't sound like much, but pizza sends him up for HOURS! We have this combo feature on the pump to help with high fat, high carb meals like pizza, but it is experimentation to find what works for you. We have tried so many different combos! After reading on CWD what worked for some of those kids, we decided to try to bolus for all the pizza immediately AND all the pizza again spread out for 8 hours. Yes, we bolused 200% of what he ate. And it worked!!!
Andrew also had his first sleepover with a friend other than our next door neighbor a couple of weeks ago. The mom was wonderful and wanted to take very good care of him. We managed his D mostly over the phone. He called before meals with his number & what he was going to eat so we could calculate carbs. Then he called back if he ate anything extra. He drank milk before bed without insulin to keep him safe through the night. He woke up in the 300s, so we overdid it. Still, he had a great time, and felt fairly normal.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
The Future of The Cure
Last night, I attended a wonderful lecture by Thomas Brobson from JDRF on research being done to find a cure for Type 1 Diabetes. It was so encouraging! He believes there will be a cure for diabetes, but that it probably won't be one silver bullet. It will probably be a combination of protocols, and he shared some wonderful things happening in diabetes research.
Huge advancements in research are being made in how to stop the assault of the immune system on the beta cells. The anti-CD3 drug shows great promise in stopping the progression of the disease. The data from that trial will be unlocked within the year. Another approach to slowing the immune attack is to induce tolerance with a series of shots using a piece of the protein on a beta cell. This is similar to taking allergy shots & may have little to no side effects.
There has been lots of research in curing diabetes in mice, but not so much in people. In 2005, there were only 5 clinical trials involving humans and no industry partnerships. In 2010, there are 47+ clinical trials and 28 industry partnerships! That means that enough progress has been made that companies believe there is something worth investing in!
One drug is helping to increase the number of beta cells a person has. The study is being targeted at type 2's , but the benefit would clearly carry over to type 1's. If one drug could halt the assault on beta cells and another drug could help create new ones, an effective cure could result! Researchers have also discovered that even women who have had T1 for a long time with little insulin production suddenly grow new beta cells when they are pregnant. The beta cells help cover the increased insulin needs throughout the pregnancy and then are reabsorbed into the body after delivery. Understanding this process may also help in finding a cure.
Mr. Brobson is type 1 himself and has actually worn the artificial pancreas! It is so much better than I thought! It integrates the pump & a continuous glucose monitor. It uses data over the last few minutes to predict where your BG is going & increases or decreases basal rates based on that. Mr. Brobson is a tightly controlled diabetic with an A1c of I think 5.4! He stayed in the hospital for 2 days. The first day he managed his diabetes himself, and the second day the computer program managed his diabetes. The computer did better than he did!!! I saw all the graphs of what happened each day. He had fewer highs & lows, but most touching was how he said he FELT. It was his first stress-free day since diagnosis. For the first time, he could take a break from his diabetes. He didn't poke his finger, count his carbs, or anything. He was stuck in a hospital room all day, but to him it still felt like a cure.
The components of the system - pump sites & CGM sites are getting smaller. Right now, Andrew doesn't want to wear the CGM. The iPro that he wore was a CGM & he doesn't want to wear that much hardwear all the time (see the bionic boy post in October 2009 for pictures!). Mr. Brobson said they are developing a transmitter the size of a button! Andrew might wear that if it meant no more safety checks at school, baseball, etc. If he wore a CGM, I could take the receiver behind the dugout & get a reading without bothering him at all!
The last research front that he mentioned was in insulin delivery. We are still injecting insulin into fatty tissue & waiting for it to be absorbed. Food hits the bloodstream faster than insulin & causes a spike. A healthy pancreas releases insulin straight into the bloodstream. There is a layer of blood flow just beneath the skin. They are trying to develop a patch with no needle that would infuse insulin into the blood just below the skin. It would be great to be free from needles & also to not have the inevitable spike that comes with eating!
Many of these trials will take years to complete & then get FDA approval. I still expect Andrew to grow up with diabetes. I also expect that Andrew will tell his grandchildren, "When I was a child, I HAD this disease called diabetes..."
Huge advancements in research are being made in how to stop the assault of the immune system on the beta cells. The anti-CD3 drug shows great promise in stopping the progression of the disease. The data from that trial will be unlocked within the year. Another approach to slowing the immune attack is to induce tolerance with a series of shots using a piece of the protein on a beta cell. This is similar to taking allergy shots & may have little to no side effects.
There has been lots of research in curing diabetes in mice, but not so much in people. In 2005, there were only 5 clinical trials involving humans and no industry partnerships. In 2010, there are 47+ clinical trials and 28 industry partnerships! That means that enough progress has been made that companies believe there is something worth investing in!
One drug is helping to increase the number of beta cells a person has. The study is being targeted at type 2's , but the benefit would clearly carry over to type 1's. If one drug could halt the assault on beta cells and another drug could help create new ones, an effective cure could result! Researchers have also discovered that even women who have had T1 for a long time with little insulin production suddenly grow new beta cells when they are pregnant. The beta cells help cover the increased insulin needs throughout the pregnancy and then are reabsorbed into the body after delivery. Understanding this process may also help in finding a cure.
Mr. Brobson is type 1 himself and has actually worn the artificial pancreas! It is so much better than I thought! It integrates the pump & a continuous glucose monitor. It uses data over the last few minutes to predict where your BG is going & increases or decreases basal rates based on that. Mr. Brobson is a tightly controlled diabetic with an A1c of I think 5.4! He stayed in the hospital for 2 days. The first day he managed his diabetes himself, and the second day the computer program managed his diabetes. The computer did better than he did!!! I saw all the graphs of what happened each day. He had fewer highs & lows, but most touching was how he said he FELT. It was his first stress-free day since diagnosis. For the first time, he could take a break from his diabetes. He didn't poke his finger, count his carbs, or anything. He was stuck in a hospital room all day, but to him it still felt like a cure.
The components of the system - pump sites & CGM sites are getting smaller. Right now, Andrew doesn't want to wear the CGM. The iPro that he wore was a CGM & he doesn't want to wear that much hardwear all the time (see the bionic boy post in October 2009 for pictures!). Mr. Brobson said they are developing a transmitter the size of a button! Andrew might wear that if it meant no more safety checks at school, baseball, etc. If he wore a CGM, I could take the receiver behind the dugout & get a reading without bothering him at all!
The last research front that he mentioned was in insulin delivery. We are still injecting insulin into fatty tissue & waiting for it to be absorbed. Food hits the bloodstream faster than insulin & causes a spike. A healthy pancreas releases insulin straight into the bloodstream. There is a layer of blood flow just beneath the skin. They are trying to develop a patch with no needle that would infuse insulin into the blood just below the skin. It would be great to be free from needles & also to not have the inevitable spike that comes with eating!
Many of these trials will take years to complete & then get FDA approval. I still expect Andrew to grow up with diabetes. I also expect that Andrew will tell his grandchildren, "When I was a child, I HAD this disease called diabetes..."
Friday, February 26, 2010
Parents' Worst Fears & CGM
When Ben was still an infant, I remember telling a friend, "If I have a paranoid moment, I can go in and check on Ben. If he's still breathing, I know he's okay. If I'm worried about Andrew, I can't tell if he's okay or in a coma. I can't wake him up everytime I want to feel better."
Now, checking him in the night is just something else we have to do. He also sometimes sleeps through the checks, so I don't feel as bad about it. Last week, I woke up at 4 a.m. after already checking him at 2 a.m. My first thought was still, "Lord, did You wake me up for a reason? Do I need to check Andrew?" I did, and he was low.
Since baseball is starting already, I decided to search for information on wearing the pump during baseball games. Instead, I got the obituary of a teenage baseball player who managed his diabetes with a pump who died in his sleep. It makes me want to get the continuous glucose monitor with alarms NOW! However, it is expensive & Andrew is completely opposed. It's one more thing to have to insert, wear all the time, etc. The sad part of that is that Andrew's biggest objection to CGM was, "If I get a CGM & don't go low anymore, I'll never have candy again!" I countered with, "If you had CGM, we could learn how to better handle candy in your diet." He didn't believe me.
Now, checking him in the night is just something else we have to do. He also sometimes sleeps through the checks, so I don't feel as bad about it. Last week, I woke up at 4 a.m. after already checking him at 2 a.m. My first thought was still, "Lord, did You wake me up for a reason? Do I need to check Andrew?" I did, and he was low.
Since baseball is starting already, I decided to search for information on wearing the pump during baseball games. Instead, I got the obituary of a teenage baseball player who managed his diabetes with a pump who died in his sleep. It makes me want to get the continuous glucose monitor with alarms NOW! However, it is expensive & Andrew is completely opposed. It's one more thing to have to insert, wear all the time, etc. The sad part of that is that Andrew's biggest objection to CGM was, "If I get a CGM & don't go low anymore, I'll never have candy again!" I countered with, "If you had CGM, we could learn how to better handle candy in your diet." He didn't believe me.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Strep Again - Without DKA!
Andrew tested positive to the rapid strep test. I'm not glad he has strep, but I'm so glad that if he has it, it tested positive!!! He has his antibiotic and will be fine. I'm thrilled to skip the vomiting & DKA this time! Ben might have strep too. The doctor offered to test him, but, since he obviously needed antibiotic for his nose, there really wasn't any point.
Gene thinks Will has an ear infection, so he may get to start antibiotics ahead of developing strep. Too bad Will didn't complain in time to go with the other boys. We are especially concerned about Will getting it since he accidentally drank after Andrew today!
Gene thinks Will has an ear infection, so he may get to start antibiotics ahead of developing strep. Too bad Will didn't complain in time to go with the other boys. We are especially concerned about Will getting it since he accidentally drank after Andrew today!
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Sick
There's been plenty of sickness at our house lately. Kaitlyn was first with a stomach virus on Friday a week and a half ago. It was so mild we weren't really sure it was a virus. Will was home last Tuesday. We thought it might be what he ate. When Ryan came down with it, it was officially dubbed a virus. Then Will started coughing. Ben followed and he ran a fever yesterday and was so very cranky!!! Gene hasn't felt well either. All of this was fine, until tonight.
Now, after going to AWANA & exposing everyone, Andrew has a fever. His throat is red & he doesn't want to swallow. His BG was over 300 when he got home just after 7, so we corrected. I rechecked him after taking his temp around 8:30 & he was 62. After juice & 15 minutes, his BG dropped to 58. I'm waiting for another recheck -BG 123, so that's okay for now.
I still get so nervous when Andrew is sick! I just remember how quickly his diabetes went crazy with strep last Spring. Oh, and did I mention that we're supposed to get snowed in tonight? Please pray for my little guy! Thanks!
P.S. Happy Valentine's Day!
Now, after going to AWANA & exposing everyone, Andrew has a fever. His throat is red & he doesn't want to swallow. His BG was over 300 when he got home just after 7, so we corrected. I rechecked him after taking his temp around 8:30 & he was 62. After juice & 15 minutes, his BG dropped to 58. I'm waiting for another recheck -BG 123, so that's okay for now.
I still get so nervous when Andrew is sick! I just remember how quickly his diabetes went crazy with strep last Spring. Oh, and did I mention that we're supposed to get snowed in tonight? Please pray for my little guy! Thanks!
P.S. Happy Valentine's Day!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Rough Nights For All (but Ryan)
Diabetes affects everyone in the family. Lately, it has been affecting everyone's sleep! Last week, Will's teachers sent home a note that Will was falling apart over seemingly trivial things. Will didn't have any real concerns other than, "The water just won't stop coming to my eyes!" We think the heart of the issue is exhaustion - not because he doesn't go to bed early enough. Because he gets woken several times a night (lots of lows lately) when we turn on the lights and check on Andrew. Will used to be a very easy going child. This side of him didn't show up until he started school. That was also after Andrew was diagnosed. I too get weepy when overtired, so I understand. We decided to move Will into Ben's room instead. Will doesn't think it's working. He says he can't sleep because, "Ben stares at me all night long!" I think in the long run it will be best.
Andrew had five lows on Monday alone - most of them in the 40's & 50's. Monday night, he was low at 11, & although his BG was okay at 1 am, I could sense it wouldn't last despite the reduced basal. I set the alarm for 3 am & sure enough he was 52 again. Tuesday, it took longer to recover from the lows because his natural resources were so depleted. We finally returned him to the basal insulin rates he used prior to the flu shot. It took six weeks to the day. The Cell Food hasn't offered any change in insulin, but he hasn't complained of a stomachache since starting it. He won't admit to feeling better, but I think he does.
Last night, Andrew's 1:30 check was fine, but I was woken at 2:30 by Kaitlyn. She didn't feel well. She ate a few crackers, but still felt nauseous. She asked, "Should I take my blood sugar?" I felt so bad for her!!! Can you imagine living that way? I may have caused it, because I won't let a vomiting child have soda unless they've checked BG. I didn't expect anything off, but figured we should test to relieve her fears. BG 118. I assured her that was normal, but suddenly I was thinking, "That is so much higher than her normal fasting BG. Oh, please don't be starting! Well, she's sick. That raises blood sugar. And scared. Stress raises it too." Then I finally realized this wasn't a fasting BG! She had just finished eating! Nothing ever came of the stomachache. She's had lots of them lately. I admit I've thought, "Does it hurt when the islet cells die off?" Maybe she just needs Cell Food too!
Andrew had five lows on Monday alone - most of them in the 40's & 50's. Monday night, he was low at 11, & although his BG was okay at 1 am, I could sense it wouldn't last despite the reduced basal. I set the alarm for 3 am & sure enough he was 52 again. Tuesday, it took longer to recover from the lows because his natural resources were so depleted. We finally returned him to the basal insulin rates he used prior to the flu shot. It took six weeks to the day. The Cell Food hasn't offered any change in insulin, but he hasn't complained of a stomachache since starting it. He won't admit to feeling better, but I think he does.
Last night, Andrew's 1:30 check was fine, but I was woken at 2:30 by Kaitlyn. She didn't feel well. She ate a few crackers, but still felt nauseous. She asked, "Should I take my blood sugar?" I felt so bad for her!!! Can you imagine living that way? I may have caused it, because I won't let a vomiting child have soda unless they've checked BG. I didn't expect anything off, but figured we should test to relieve her fears. BG 118. I assured her that was normal, but suddenly I was thinking, "That is so much higher than her normal fasting BG. Oh, please don't be starting! Well, she's sick. That raises blood sugar. And scared. Stress raises it too." Then I finally realized this wasn't a fasting BG! She had just finished eating! Nothing ever came of the stomachache. She's had lots of them lately. I admit I've thought, "Does it hurt when the islet cells die off?" Maybe she just needs Cell Food too!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Fun Day & Rumors of a Possible Cure!
Today we went the "Hot Shots" (diabetic support group) ice skating party. It was well attended, and lots of fun! Even Will, who usually resists any kind of skating, had a good time.
While there, I talked with a mom who is enrolled in a study considering whether some type 1 diabetes can be cured with the TB vaccine. I looked it up online when I got home. A doctor has found a way to target the T cells that destroy the insulin & has reversed the disease even after full onset in mice, horses, and another animal (I forgot. Was it dogs?). It was only successful for a third of the patients. Right now the trial for people just involved them donating blood. When it comes time to try the vaccine, they expect a severe case of pancreatitis while the pancreas swells & fights the T cells that destroy insulin. She said that they would probably end up hospitalized for a couple weeks. Once the T cells are destroyed, type 1 diabetes is gone. How cool would that be???
It's interesting that yesterday Andrew was discussing what he would consider a cure. Fancy pumps coupled with even more sensors that he has to wear all the time is not a cure. Improvement over current management, but so not a cure. Neither are surgeries & immuniosuppressant drugs that only last a little over a year. He wanted a shot cure. I admit I thought it naive, but I would love to be wrong!!!
http://www2.massgeneral.org/diabetes/laboratory_type1.htm
While there, I talked with a mom who is enrolled in a study considering whether some type 1 diabetes can be cured with the TB vaccine. I looked it up online when I got home. A doctor has found a way to target the T cells that destroy the insulin & has reversed the disease even after full onset in mice, horses, and another animal (I forgot. Was it dogs?). It was only successful for a third of the patients. Right now the trial for people just involved them donating blood. When it comes time to try the vaccine, they expect a severe case of pancreatitis while the pancreas swells & fights the T cells that destroy insulin. She said that they would probably end up hospitalized for a couple weeks. Once the T cells are destroyed, type 1 diabetes is gone. How cool would that be???
It's interesting that yesterday Andrew was discussing what he would consider a cure. Fancy pumps coupled with even more sensors that he has to wear all the time is not a cure. Improvement over current management, but so not a cure. Neither are surgeries & immuniosuppressant drugs that only last a little over a year. He wanted a shot cure. I admit I thought it naive, but I would love to be wrong!!!
http://www2.massgeneral.org/diabetes/laboratory_type1.htm
Friday, January 15, 2010
Sleepover- Take 2
Well, Andrew is trying the sleepover again tonight. Gene was reluctant, but it's kind of like getting back up on a horse. Andrew called a few minutes ago. He is headed to bed (at 9:30) with BG 203. This time, we didn't correct & will let him sleep through the night. Good luck, Andrew!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Press Release on Artifical Pancreas
JDRF in Groundbreaking Partnership with Animas to Develop First-Generation Artificial Pancreas System
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jdrf-forms-partnership-with-animas-to-develop-first-generation-automated-system-for-managing-type-1-diabetes-81323767.html
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jdrf-forms-partnership-with-animas-to-develop-first-generation-automated-system-for-managing-type-1-diabetes-81323767.html
Friday, January 8, 2010
Sleepover Scare
Andrew has been wanting to sleepover at the neighbors house. The plan was this:
1. Check BG after the Alabama championship game around 11 pm & call home. (This step went well - BG 124.)
2. Take my cell phone with the alarm set for 2 am. Wake up, check blood sugar, & call home.
3. Set my alarm for 2:30. Call Andrew if I had not heard from him.
The neighbor said it was fine to call her if he didn't wake up. I really want to find a way that Andrew can wake & handle it on his own. There are other friends that have indicated they would like him to sleepover. If only the tired parents didn't have to also wake up at 2 a.m.
Well, Andrew slept through the alarm. I apparently never asked Gene to set ours. A little after 5 a.m., the phone rings. Slow speech greets me, "Mom, the alarm didn't go off. Silence. Do you want me to check my blood sugar?" "Go ahead." In a slow, unaffected voice he answers, "57." Forgetting that he took his diabetic bag full of supplies, including a 15g juice box, I asked, "Is there any juice or regular soda in the house?"
"Uh, I don't know. I could ask. Is there, uh"
"Andrew, is there an adult awake?"
"Uh, I think Mr. (neighbor) might be."
"Andrew, just meet me at the front door. I'm bringing you juice." He sounded out of it. "Andrew, don't hang up. I'm coming right now." I grabbed a robe & some juice & ran through the snow in my socks next door. Andrew wasn't there, & my cordless phone was out of range as soon as I hit the front porch. No one answered the knock.
I ran back to my porch & called my cell phone again. Andrew answered. "Did you get some juice?" "Yes. I went to the door & you weren't there."
He was fine. I crawled back into bed, but my adrenaline was still pumping. I ended up calling back in a few minutes to check on him. He was back up to 70 & reminded him to eat a complex carb snack. There were pb crackers in his bag. He probably ate all of them, because his BG was 360 at 8 am, but had crashed again to 42 before lunch (remember normal is 80-120). His poor body! On the other hand, he had a great time.
1. Check BG after the Alabama championship game around 11 pm & call home. (This step went well - BG 124.)
2. Take my cell phone with the alarm set for 2 am. Wake up, check blood sugar, & call home.
3. Set my alarm for 2:30. Call Andrew if I had not heard from him.
The neighbor said it was fine to call her if he didn't wake up. I really want to find a way that Andrew can wake & handle it on his own. There are other friends that have indicated they would like him to sleepover. If only the tired parents didn't have to also wake up at 2 a.m.
Well, Andrew slept through the alarm. I apparently never asked Gene to set ours. A little after 5 a.m., the phone rings. Slow speech greets me, "Mom, the alarm didn't go off. Silence. Do you want me to check my blood sugar?" "Go ahead." In a slow, unaffected voice he answers, "57." Forgetting that he took his diabetic bag full of supplies, including a 15g juice box, I asked, "Is there any juice or regular soda in the house?"
"Uh, I don't know. I could ask. Is there, uh"
"Andrew, is there an adult awake?"
"Uh, I think Mr. (neighbor) might be."
"Andrew, just meet me at the front door. I'm bringing you juice." He sounded out of it. "Andrew, don't hang up. I'm coming right now." I grabbed a robe & some juice & ran through the snow in my socks next door. Andrew wasn't there, & my cordless phone was out of range as soon as I hit the front porch. No one answered the knock.
I ran back to my porch & called my cell phone again. Andrew answered. "Did you get some juice?" "Yes. I went to the door & you weren't there."
He was fine. I crawled back into bed, but my adrenaline was still pumping. I ended up calling back in a few minutes to check on him. He was back up to 70 & reminded him to eat a complex carb snack. There were pb crackers in his bag. He probably ate all of them, because his BG was 360 at 8 am, but had crashed again to 42 before lunch (remember normal is 80-120). His poor body! On the other hand, he had a great time.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Happy New Year!
We wish you a very happy, healthy 2010! Andrew reflected this past week that 2008 wasn't a good year for him, but 2009 was. I agree with him. He was diagnosed in January of 2008, so everything that year was his first ....baseball season, swim party, birthday, holiday, etc. as a diabetic. He got his pump in January of 2009. It was much easier, but we still had firsts to figure out using a pump. As only a nine-year-old, there will still be many firsts in his life & there is certainly plenty of room for tweaking of what we're doing. However, it feels good to have much of the learning curve behind us. I am optimistic about 2010!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)