Monday, September 27, 2010

Constant Battle

I've pretty much had it with diabetes this week.  Last week we were battling high numbers that were driving me crazy!  As if trying to figure out a reason for the numbers wasn't bad enough, I have to deal with the thoughts of what it does to Taylar's body.  She did get a flu shot which her nurse said could bump her numbers for a couple of days but it went on for a little longer than I was comfortable with so I called the nurse... again.  We changed some basal rates around and adjusted her daytime correction factor.  Bam!  It worked all right.  Too much in fact.  Low, low, low.  Instead of seeing 250 & 300 now we've got a 56, 65, and a wonderful 42.  What the heck!?  That's not to mention two of her morning numbers being 70 and finding a 65 at 2am which scares the you-know-what out of me.  Thank goodness I pulled myself out of bed that night.

Sometimes it seems like we just can't win.  I don't understand how we can go on doing the same things every day but get different results.  She eats basically the same things, at the same times of day, exercises at the same times of day yet with different results every time.  It's enough to drive a person crazy.  We changed some basal rates back to what they were before this latest change so we'll see what happens tomorrow.

Diabetes is SO constant and knowing that it isn't going anywhere, anytime soon can be very overwhelming.  I would love to just forget about it all for a while.  I'd love to forget about carb counting for a day.  I would love to let Taylar's little fingers heal from all those finger pricks too.  With all those lows we had to recheck recently, I looked at her PDM.  In a 24 hour period I counted 14 blood sugar tests.  That's just wrong, poor thing.  I would love to just ask her how her day at school was when she gets off the bus without looking at her to see if she looks pale to me or wondering what her blood sugar is knowing she hasn't tested or eaten since lunch time.  I'd like to just leave the house without asking my famous question, "Do you have the PDM?"  It really is all consuming.  I think about diabetes when I'm with her, when I'm not, when I'm in bed, in my car, out with friends, at the gym... all the time.  I didn't invite this intruder into my daughter's life and here I am catering to its demands.  It is just a constant battle.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

JDRF Tent

I know it's still the weekend for a couple more hours, but I am so excited for next Saturday! There is a community event being held all around my town.  My Mom, sister, and I scored a spot to host our own JDRF tent. We have been working so hard the past couple of weeks trying to figure out what to offer that will draw people to our tent because there will be many others.



This is what we’ve got, how does this sound? We are going to have lots of colorful JDRF balloons decorating our tent, a few posters and a big JDRF banner that they are letting us borrow. We will have coloring sheets for kids and lots of diabetes information sheets. For the money making part of it we are going to sell sugar free freeze pops, sugar free cookies that were generously donated from Chatila’s Bakery and cups of ice cold Kool-Aid Fun Fizz offered in three different flavors.


As another way to raise funds for research we will also be selling paper sneakers in the amounts of $1, $5, and $10 to see how many “steps” closer we can get to a cure! Also, with any donation kids (adults too if they want!) can choose from a sneaker tattoo, or nail polish with custom nail art. Phew!

Would you want to stop by our tent? I’m so excited! I hope we can handle it all!

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

First Day of School

Well, the first day of third grade went well, but didn't go off without some kind of hiccup.  Of course it didn't!  That's just how it is when you live in D-world.


First of all let me say that I love the school nurse.  She is very thorough and on top of her game.  This being our second year with her I could not be happier.  Anyway, around snack time, two hours into the school day, Taylar was running a bit high that day which I kind of expected being the first day of school and all.  I think it's "normal" (is there is such a thing anymore?) to run high when you mix anxiety and excitement together.  At least that's our experience.

So I wasn't surprised when the phone rang and it was the school nurse.  "Well, we're off to a great start here." she said.  I'm thinking Oh good!! Then she continued, "Taylar bumped her pod on her chair and it's just hanging here with the cannula out." 

Wonderful. 

She was wearing the pod on her back and when she stood up it got caught on the back rest of her chair.  I guess they were playing a game and she got up very quickly.  So I dropped everything and headed to school for a site change on the first day of school.  Mind you I live 1/2 mile from the school so I was there in a few minutes but, seriously?  Luckily Taylar was great about it and didn't really seemed bothered.  If anything I think she was happy to see me being her first day back and all.

The good part was that I had the nurse do the whole pod change while I was there and was able to watch her.  Her hands were shaky but she got through it.  Hopefully this won't happen again but if it does, and I happen to not be close by, I'm confident that between the nurse and Taylar (who could do the whole thing herself I'm sure) can handle it without me.

Happy new school year everybody!