Kaitlyn "Passes" another OGTT!!!

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!

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.

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!