Life is Like a Box of Chocolates!

Accomplishments Big and Small

noreply@blogger.com (Misty) — Fri, 17 May 2013 00:18:00 +0000

We don’t always realize it, but each one of us has come a long way since diabetes first came into our life. It doesn’t matter if it’s been 5 weeks, 5 years or 50 years, you’ve done something outstanding diabetes-wise. So today let’s share the greatest accomplishment you've made in terms of dealing with your (or your loved one’s) diabetes. No accomplishment is too big or too small - think about self-acceptance, something you’ve mastered (pump / exercise / diet / etc.), making a tough care decision (finding a new endo or support group / choosing to use or not use a technology / etc.).

Yes, we've come a long way since Ally was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes on February 10, 2009.

Let's Celebrate! I don't ever expect us to be perfect when it comes to managing D. But I certainly think that it is important to celebrate the small stuff.

Ally celebrated the day that her CGM arrived in the mail.

I celebrated on the day that Ally returned from a week at Diabetes Camp!

We all celebrate a beautiful flat line on her CGM graph.

(Wendy likes to celebrate 123!)

While I celebrate every time that our cgm and blood glucose meter match!

We celebrate the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, the man who discovered insulin.

In our world, this "small stuff" is pretty outstanding!

Our BIG accomplishment of this year has been writing and implementing Ally's 504 Plan at school.

I have talked about how wonderful our nurses and staff have been to work with many times. Honestly, until this year, Ally's needs were being met even without the 504 plan. I have known for a while that I should have one in place for her and my goal has always been to have one before she went to the Intermediate building (6th grade) where she would have multiple teachers. After our frustrating go at Standardized Testing earlier this year, I knew that it was time to initiate the 504 process. I am very happy with the 504 that we developed along with her teachers and school staff. By the end of year state testing, I was like "Bring it!" :)

This has been my post for Day #4 of Diabetes Blog Week. Please take a minute to check out the other great posts about Accomplishments Big and Small -Thursday 5/16.

Memories

noreply@blogger.com (Misty) — Thu, 16 May 2013 00:01:00 +0000

Today we’re going to share our most memorable diabetes day. You can take this anywhere.... your or your loved one's diagnosis, a bad low, a bad high, a big success, any day that you’d like to share.

There are a few BIG moments that hog my memories when I think about the time since diabetes has been a part of our family.

Ally's diagnosis day is one of those days that plays over and over again in my mind. I can remember so many of the details, from the look in her eyes down to the exact words spoken by the care givers in the hospital.

Several months later when Ally confided in me that, when she heard the pediatrician tell me that Ally had diabetes, she had thought she was going to die. During the car ride from the pediatricians office to the hospital on her diagnosis day, she started talking about my uncle who had passed away a few months before that. I remember thinking that she was talking out of her head! Suddenly, after she confided in me months later, I realized that she was talking about him because she thought she too was going to die. "Die-abetes." Why hadn't that crossed my mind? That is one of my least favorite moments as a parent. I am so so sad that those thoughts ever entered her mind. And so sad that it took me months to know that she thought this so that I could make her feel better :( Still brings me to tears thinking about it.

The day that Ally started pumping. It was a day of much anticipation and excitement. No more shots!! Woohoo! But I remember the gut wrenching feeling of seeing the insulin pump attached to my 6 year old, thinking about how this was a forever kind of thing. She will be attached to this thing 24/7...indefinitely. As a parent, that was a hard day for me.

The day that we dropped her off at Diabetes Camp...is another day that I will never forget!

And although those BIG, not incredibly happy moments do hog my memories, we continue making memories every day.

Last summer when we had the opportunity to attend Friends for Life, I experienced my happiest D moment yet! Moments after checking into the hotel, green bracelets (indicating T1) all around, Ally untucked her insulin pump and displayed it proudly for all to see. That moment when she found "same".

Ally loved meeting her longtime T1 penpal in person at FFL!

Someday, BIG moments like this one will overshadow those BIG moments from the past.

This has been my post for Day #3 of Diabetes Blog Week. Now go read what other bloggers had to say about Memories - Wednesday 5/15 .

We, The Undersigned

noreply@blogger.com (Misty) — Tue, 14 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Tell us who you would write the petition to – a person, an organization, even an object (animate or inanimate) - get creative!! What are you trying to change and what have you experienced that makes you want this change?

I would petition the powers that be! Lol! Because I don't really know who makes these decisions. (I guess if I'm going to change it, I'd better find out who really does make these decisions! :)

My petition would be that glucagon be removed from the list of medications that my child is not allowed to carry on her person in school. That glucagon not be on a list of medications that can only be administered by certain individuals.

Emergency medication must be accessible at all times. (I read that somewhere, sorry can't remember where I saw that.) Yet, students, nor teachers are allowed to carry glucagon. It must be housed in the health clinic. (Side note: We have gotten around this with a note of medical necessity from our doctor.) But why does this policy exist in the first place? It's a life-saving drug that is used in an emergency!

We are talking about a life saving medication here! (Oh, did I already say that?) Glucagon is a hormone that is naturally produced in the pancreas. It is used when a person is experiencing severe hypoglycemia. If it is needed, it is needed right now! Not in five minutes when someone can locate the appropriate person, who then has to unlock it from the designated medication cabinet. Like RIGHT NOW!

I'm not sure how much of this is state law driven and how much is school district policy. So, please don't quote me on this. But here goes my best understanding of the glucagon situation (at least in our school district, here in the state of Ohio).

Ohio Revised Code 3313.713 requires training for employees who administer prescription medications. This medication administration training must be conducted by a licensed health professional. It also states that the school board's policy may provide that certain drugs or types of drugs shall not be administered.

I understand that medication around children is not to be taken lightly. I understand the school's liability and that proper precautions and documentation is necessary. But here's the thing. We are talking about glucagon. Glucagon is a life-saving hormone, that is naturally produced by the pancreas! (There, I said it AGAIN!)

Our previous school nurse (who is awesome, by the way!), is now district nurse for our school system. She went through special training to become a "trainer for Medication Administration training." That wordiness means that she is now allowed to train other school staff to administer certain medications. From speaking with her, I believe that glucagon is on that list. She is planning to include glucagon training in the beginning of the year staff training (typically includes epipen training and the like).

Why do we have to jump through so many hoops? I am thrilled that glucagon administration will be shared with our entire staff so that, if it is ever needed, anyone will be allowed to administer it, and at least be somewhat familiar with it. But, I consider myself one of the lucky ones. We have an amazing district nurse who gets it! If it were not for her, I am not certain that this would be happening. And I'm thinking that other districts (in our state anyway) may not be so lucky.

If my child needs glucagon, I pray that it is within an arms reach and that someone - anyone - will be willing to administer it!

Oh how fun it is to participate in Diabetes Blog Week! Now go read what other bloggers had to say about We, The Undersigned - Tuesday 5/14.

Share and Don't Share

noreply@blogger.com (Misty) — Tue, 14 May 2013 02:20:00 +0000

Often our health care team only sees us for about 15 minutes several times a year, and they might not have a sense of what our lives are really like. Today, let’s pretend our medical team is reading our blogs. What do you wish they could see about your and/or your loved one's daily life with diabetes? On the other hand, what do you hope they don't see?

First of all, I'd like to say that our endo is outstanding! I love that she really does try to get the full picture in the few minutes that we see her each quarter. She also makes herself available to us anytime that we need something in between those visits. Granted, it is just a few minutes every three months! So, to all of the members of our health care team, I say...

If you could be a fly on the wall:

~You would see that we try to keep up with our log book, really we do!

~I wish you could see the hurt in her eyes when we do site changes and insert new cgm sensors, so that you would understand why the numbing cream is still necessary.

~You would certainly notice the thoughtful planning that goes into her meals and snacks, so that you wouldn't question the random lows or after meal spikes. Sometimes I just don't have an answer!

~I want you to see how hard she plays outside with her friends, so that you will understand why I take baby steps when adjusting her basal rates.

~I know that you would hear how many times the school nurse calls me to help make judgement calls about bolusing for carbs, or treating lows, or treating highs, or the special surprise birthday treat, etc.

Looking at blood sugar numbers on paper or a cgm graph (as awesome as it is to have), never tells the whole story!

On the other hand, I hope that, if you were a fly on my wall, you had at least one eye closed (how many eyes does a fly have anyway?):

~That time when I was just too tired to do a set change, so we let it go for one more day.

~When we forgot to bolus her for a meal.

~I don't dare tell you that we let her run a little high overnight that night because we just couldn't get out of bed to do the correction, even though the MySentry is staring back at me with a big 200!

Believe me, I'm embarrassed to admit any of these things. But life happens. And one thing that I know about D is that we can do everything right and still have days where it seems impossible. Sometimes it has to be ok for us to not be perfect!

This has been my submission for Day 1 of Diabetes Blog Week. Now go read what other bloggers had to say about Share and Don’t Share - Monday 5/13.

Happy More Than a D Mom Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Misty) — Sun, 12 May 2013 20:12:00 +0000

I'm laying in bed, pretending to still be asleep, listening to the hustle and bustle going on outside my room. I hear, "Dad, can we give Mommy her presents this morning?" Followed by the rustling of gift bags coming down the stairs. I hear them planning a surprise breakfast for me. I hear one little one whispering to "close Mommy's bedroom door so she won't hear us." Lexi asks if she can make Mommy a card. The others remind her that she already made something for mommy, pointing to the adorable handprint card and bookmark that she made for me at preschool. "Yeah, but I already gave those to Mommy. Can I make another card?"

I'm going to stay here in bed a little longer and soak it in :) I can hear the love! All of that stuff is the best Mother's Day gift ever! But Shhh...I didn't hear a thing!

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Do you ever dream, Forrest, of who you wanna be? Forrest: Who I'm gonna be? Aren't I gonna be me? Jenny: You'll always be you. Just another kind of you. You know? (from Forrest Gump movie)

When Hallie invited me to join her Mother's Day marathon of blogging about "More Than a D Mom," I thought of this quote from Forrest Gump. I decided to join her and the other wonderful D Moms that have gone before me in this blogging series.

I will always be me. Just another kind of me.

I like that!

For Mother's Day, I'd like to give myself a gift. It's a reminder that, while D seems to consume my thoughts most days (Wendy said it best here!), it should not consume my life. It should not be who I am.

At Friends For Life conference last summer, one of the things that the awesome PWDs taught Ally was that she could do anything, even with diabetes. And in one of my favorite blog posts ever, a guest post from Sara, she wrote a letter to Ally telling her to remember that diabetes does not define her.

So, my Mother's Day gift to myself is to rewrite my personal definition of ME. I think I've found it...

I will always be me. Just another kind of me.

That is the perfect evolving definition!

It's important to remember where I came from. As well as the journey I have taken to the kind of me I am today. (It's ok to laugh at me! I sure did when I found some of these pictures! And sorry for the poor quality, I'm older than digital photos!!)

I am a daughter.

I am a sister.

I am a wife.

I am a mother.

I am a friend.

I am a soccer player.

(Well, I played soccer for close to 20 years anyway! Couldn't run to save my life today).

I am a grandaughter. I am a teacher. I love being involved in service projects. I like to cook. I love chocolate!! I prefer a relaxing vacation over an active sight-seeing one. I am a stay at home mom. I love to snuggle with my girls. I enjoy ironing - I know, crazy right? I write lists. If I have accomplished something not on my list, I write it in so that I may cross it off. I love a good party. I love laughing with friends. I like craft projects.

The top row are pictures from high school. The bottom left was a picture from my first year of teaching. My grandma and me are in the middle. And the bottom right picture is from the day that I met Keith!!

All of these things have made me the kind of me I am today.

And we all know how my definition of me changed on February 10, 2009. The day that I became a D Mom.

I will always be me. Just another kind of me.

I am a D Mom...and so much more!

This "More Than a D Mom" series has been brought to you courtesy of Hallie. Check out Hallie's post, along with these other awesome friends - Meri, Lora, Wendy, Tracy, Donna, Heather and Nicole, who are all so much more than dMoms to me!

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Happy Mother's Day to all of the wonderful Mother's and D Moms out there!

P.S. Here is the extra card that Lexi made for me today :) Notice the bags under my eyes?? Lol!

Angel Wings Too Soon

noreply@blogger.com (Misty) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 15:49:00 +0000

My heart hurts for the family of 13 year old Mark Deary, who died from Type 1 Diabetes without even knowing he had it.

According to ABC channel 13 WHAM, he "was sent home from school on Thursday with what appeared to be a stomach bug. By Sunday, Mark Deary had lapsed into a coma and died."

It pains me so much to know that, if someone recognized the symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes, he may not have received his angel wings too soon.

I don't blame anyone specifically, I didn't know.

When Ally was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, I had no idea that extreme thirst, frequent urination, drowsiness, increased appetite, sudden weight loss, sudden vision changes, sugar in the urine, fruity odor on the breath, or heavy or labored breathing were symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes. I didn't know that Type 1 Diabetes can mimic other illnesses, like the flu. I knew something was wrong, but diabetes did not even enter my mind. Nor did I know how serious the disease was or how quickly it could take the life of someone who went untreated.

I have since heard story after story of children who were sent back home from the doctor with a diagnosis of "the flu" or "a possible UTI", and by the grace of GOD had a parent who just knew it had to be something more. I have also heard of many sweet children who were misdiagnosed and sadly died before receiving the proper treatment.

A simple urine test can check a child for diabetes. Why aren't urine samples a part of all children's annual physicals? Parents, please request finger sticks and urine samples. You have nothing to lose by checking, but EVERYTHING to lose by missing a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes because of skipping these simple tests.

Please share the Warning Signs of Type 1 Diabetes with all of your loved ones! I didn't know. The Kuehl Family didn't know. The family of Mark Deary didn't know.

I have written about the Warning Signs before. Please read about them again. And again. And even again. And then pass them on.

Lets Take Control of Diabetes Now where I shared the story of the Kuehl family who lost their precious baby because his T1D diagnosis was missed.

Ok, so I freaked out! and checked my non-D kid's sugar, because now I know the symptoms of T1D all too well.

In Educate and Re-Educate I shared how Ally's diagnosis could have easily been missed...or too late! Once the flu like symptoms are present, Type 1 Diabetes moves quickly. Don't waste time! Ask for the simple tests in case the medical professional doesn't think of it!

Rest in peace sweet Angel!

Standardized Testing

noreply@blogger.com (Misty) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 20:47:00 +0000

This momma is stressed out! Standardized testing can be stressful for kids, but don't forget about the moms! Especially, moms of children with type 1 diabetes.

Ally has standardized testing for 2 hours and 15 minutes each morning this week. We do all the things to prepare for a testing week that the other students in her class do. We have a good dinner the night before, get a good nights rest, start off with a good breakfast, sharpen new pencils. But all that is not enough for someone with type 1 diabetes.

You will note that I emphasized morning above. Many think testing in the morning is a good thing. But for us morning is a difficult time for managing blood sugars because we are dealing with the dawn phenomenon. (Our body secretes hormones in the pre-dawn hours which cause our bodies to be more insulin resistant. Your pancreas would naturally release a little more insulin if it were a properly functioning pancreas. We have to adjust Ally's basal rate to deliver a little more insulin during these hours.) It has taken some hard work (and often continues to be a challenge) to manage Ally's morning blood sugars while avoiding a drastic spike in blood sugar after eating breakfast.

Another thing we have to consider when going into a testing week is how Ally's high and low blood sugars will effect her ability to perform on the tests. Cognitive ability is most definitely impaired when your blood sugar is out of range. These are just two small excerpts that I found to support this:

From The Effects of Diabetes on the Brain by Barb Nefer, eHow Contributor

Short-Term Effects of Hyperglycemia (High Blood Sugar): A University of Virginia study showed that hyperglycemia in diabetics can slow down their brain function and reduce their cognition. Their verbal ability is impaired, as is the ability to perform simple tasks. The issue resolves itself when the proper blood sugar level is restored.

And from Symptoms of Acute Hypoglycemia by Stephanie Ellen, eHow Contributor

(Low Blood Sugar)

Excitability: Heart palpitations, racing heartbeat, anxiety, tremors and shaking can occur when blood sugar drops.

Altered Mental States: When blood sugar is low, there isn't enough fuel to allow the brain to function properly. Appearing drunk, staring into space, lethargy and refusing to talk are all signs of acute hypoglycemia that may mimic signs of stroke, epilepsy or a brain aneurysm.

Psychiatric Problems: Agitation, combativeness and confusion are relatively common in acute hypoglycemia. According to the Department of Psychiatry at the Nassau University medical center, seven percent of patients who are seen in the E.R. for psychiatric problems actually have acute hypoglycemia as the root cause of their ailments.

So, you can see why it would be so important for someone with type 1 diabetes to not only get a good night's sleep and eat a good breakfast, but also to maintain blood sugars in range during testing. Easier said than done.

Ally is able to make-up the sections of the test that she misses if her BG (Blood Glucose) is out of testing range, however, once she starts a section of the test she may not leave the room or make it up if she is unable to finish it. The plan was to check her BG before testing begins and in between sections of the test. That way if she was out of range, she would not even start that section and would be able to make it up at another time. Her CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor) has also been very cooperative and is very close to actual BG. So, we are relying on the CGM once the actual test has begun. If she is feeling low, she will check her CGM and, based on a little cheat sheet that we made together, will pop a glucose tab or two if she is trending down. (Please note, we do not usually make a practice of treating blood sugar based on CGM readings alone. We typically test with blood glucose meter first. However, since this standardized testing time cannot be stopped, we have to work within those guidelines.) And, of course, if CGM says less than 80, she must STOP testing and check with blood glucose meter - and forfeit the remainder of that test section. It is what it is.

Testing Day 1:  Her AWESOME teacher sent me emails in between each section of the test letting me know what her BG was and what, if anything, they did to maintain that. First BG check before testing, 183. I'll take that! She had some IOB from breakfast, so no correction and they told her to sip on her water. :) At the first break, she was 143, let her eat a quick snack while class stretched and took restroom break, then on to the third section of the test. She came into lunch at a perfect 120, just after finishing up all the testing. Day 1= Success!

Testing Day 2: She went to bed at 130 the night before. That is always a bonus, because if she wakes up at a good number then her breakfast spike is manageable. But as the night went on, I would wake and glance over at the MySentry only to find her trending up. Darn it. I checked her BG, gave a correction dose of insulin and dozed off for a couple more hours. Only to wake to the same or higher number in 200s. Grr. I checked, corrected, set temp basal and went back to sleep. By the next time I woke up to see the number still trending up, I decided to do a site change. I knew that having her BG start off at a good place was critical for testing day. New reservoir of insulin, new site, correction dose, temp basal increase...now back to sleep for 2 hours until my alarm goes off, confident that her number will be in range by then. WRONG! :( She woke up in mid 200s. Not a good way to start off a day of testing. Sure enough, I get a call just before the first testing section begins...she's 350 and being sent to clinic to hang out while rest of class begins testing. I'm so frustrated!! I finally decided to open a new bottle of insulin (even though the opened bottle was only 18 days old) and go over to school to change out her reservoir again.  It took so long for her to come down into range that she missed the whole morning of testing. Poor girl sat in the school clinic for over 2 hours doing busy work.

Same dinner. Same breakfast. New site. Bad insulin?? Stress?? Has the ear infection from last week not cleared up yet? All these things are running through my brain at a speed of about 500 mph. How can one day run so smoothly and the next feel like such a failure?  I give up D...you win today!

Here's hoping I'm up for the battle tomorrow and the next 2 testing days. (Oh yeah, and now the make-up test day too!)

Turning Four

noreply@blogger.com (Misty) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 22:00:00 +0000

We've got turning four on our minds. Lexi will be turning four in a few months.

But that's not all that's turning four.

This week Diabetes turned Four in our house too!

Ally, just before diagnosis Ally & her 4 year old D
age 5 age 9

For the first time, I did not focus my thoughts on Ally's diagnosis day. Instead, I spent the day thinking about how proud I am for how far we've come! We all let Ally know that we are proud of her and that she inspires us every day. And of course, we ate ice cream!

As I remember with anticipation about the characteristics of 4 year olds, I reflect on what our 4 year old diabetes looks like.

Four year olds feel good about things that they know how to do. They are beginning to gain self-confidence.

We have much more confidence in ourselves and in our diabetes decision making four years later.

Four year olds are willing to try new adventures.

We are beginning to let Ally and her 4 year old D take new adventures without us.

Four year olds still need to be watched closely as they are capable of some interesting things when you turn your head!

We've come a long way in four years, but I'm still not willing to turn my head on D...and probably won't for quite some time!

Our 4 Year Old Diabetes means that our doctor kit includes pretend blood sugar meters, lancets and test strips.

Our dress up closet includes insulin pump pouches.

Everyone gets excited about trying out a new blood glucose meter...even our non-D kiddos!

We have all made lifelong friends.

We accessorize with bags of all kinds!

The characters in our picture books even check each other's blood sugar! (At least that is Lexi's interpretation of what this dragonfly is doing to the dog's ear :)

And Four Year Old Diabetes meant that Ally rode on the

Girl Scout float in the Christmas parade (without me).

4 Year Old Diabetes has become a blended member of our family.

It hasn't always been that way though! Read my thoughts about our 3 Year Old Diabetes here: Three Years Already? Or Ally's thougths on our 2 Year Old Diabetes here: Two Years Ago Today. And read a little about our diagnosis day here: Educate and Re-Educate.

Out of Line or On Point?

noreply@blogger.com (Misty) — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 22:11:00 +0000

I was reading the article High Blood Glucose What's Behind the Symptoms? on Diabetes Self Management and I, once again, began blogging in my head. (I'm going to try to get it out here this time though, because my brain is kind of crowded these days.)

It took me back to shortly after Ally's diagnosis. Our lives had been turned upside down and we were on information overload. We were learning the difference in high blood glucose and low blood glucose. Heck, we even had to learn what blood glucose meant - for real!

We were at a follow up appointment at the endocrinologist's office. The nurse educator stopped in to continue our diabetes education. After all, the 8 hour crash course we received in the hospital at diagnosis couldn't possibly cover all things diabetes. She asked me if I knew about neuropathy. I did not appreciate her concern on that day. I was five months pregnant, brand new to diabetes, tired, overwhelmed, sad...I responded, "Yes, I have read about it, but honestly I have blocked it out. That's the way I'm coping for now, blocking out all the bad things." She did not like my response. In fact, she responded in a downright rude way.

Maybe I deserved it. Maybe she just wanted to make sure that I understood that there are serious complications of diabetes. Maybe she didn't like my attitude. Who knows! But what I do know is that she was not wrong for trying to educate us about the long term complications of diabetes. I think that, in the moment, I thought that I did not need to worry about these complications. I think that I was sure those things would never happen to us, or at least I didn't need to think about them for many years. I was wrong.

You see, high blood glucose causes permanent damage to your body. It doesn't happen when you are a certain age. It happens slowly over time. But each and every high blood glucose contributes to these complications. The nurse educator was not out of line for "putting me in my place". She was giving us the knowledge and tools to keep those complications at bay for as long as possible. She was making sure that we understood the importance of keeping blood sugars in control. She was on point, and for that, I am grateful.

Hello? Is this thing on?

noreply@blogger.com (Misty) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 21:25:00 +0000

I have been blogging in my head for months now. Trust me when I tell you it is some great stuff! Only problem is that you couldn't hear it could you? (I think the microphone was on mute.)

Well, you are lucky enough to hear what's on my mind today! Insurance! I am so grateful for our health insurance, really, I am!! But sometimes it causes me undo stress. Why does it have to be so confusing? I don't get that.

Our insurance has not changed. Not even the copay amount, which seems to have gone up each of the past several years. Nothing changed. They sent us a new card, actually 5 new cards! Yep, I have to carry a separate card for each individual member of our family. And each of these cards now has a new ID number. Nothing about our insurance changed. However, because the ID number changed, EVERY SINGLE doctor, pharmacy, medical supply company, etc, etc, has to re-enter all of the insurance information. I keep getting calls saying that our insurance is not valid. It is, they just need the new number.

This week, I get a call from the medical supply company that ships Ally's insulin pump supplies along with her CGM sensors. They need the new info before they can ship her supplies this month. No problem. I had to call back as I had missed their call. After waiting 40 minutes on hold, I spoke with a customer service individual, who had to transfer me to another department because there are sensors on her order...and those are "specialty" items! After waiting another 40 minutes, I was irritated knowing that they only needed my daughter's new ID number. Pink cheeks.

The kind woman tells me that we are all set. "How would you like to cover your copay? It will be $6 hundred...blah...blah...blah." Sorry, I didn't hear anything after the words six hundred! She said that our insurance pays 20%. Wait! Our insurance pays 90%! Pinker cheeks.

I told her not to process the order because that cannot be correct. I immediately called our insurance company and waited another 20 minutes on hold. She confirmed that nothing had changed on our insurance and her supplies were definitely covered at 90%. After another call to supply company and another 40 minutes of waiting, I finally got it all resolved. Same exact copay that I had been paying for the past year plus her deductible. So basically, I spent over 2 hours unnecessarily. Red cheeks!

I realize this is not the insurance company's fault. Well, maybe if they hadn't changed those silly ID numbers! It is just so frustrating!!!

This little incident has me thinking about Ally's future. Funny how so many things have me going there in my head...she's only 9 for goodness sakes! As I sat there, in my flush-faced frustration, I thought to myself Ally will have to deal with this for her whole life. And then I began thinking about how I will prepare her for this part of managing her diabetes, so that one day when she does have to handle these insurance incidents, she will handle it with more grace than I did!

So, when I figure out how to understand insurance and get organized with it, I will most definitely begin a plan for preparing Ally for this stuff! The only notes I've made in my notebook to future Ally are 1) Know your insurance! Know your deductables, and plan ahead for those - they will surprise you every January if you don't. Know your copays. Know what is covered, and at what %; 2) Pay attention! Pay attention to the EOBs. Pay attention to the bills that come. and 3) Be organized.

That's all I've got!

In the meantime, feel free to share your ideas for the future Ally about staying on top of insurance :)

A Very Unlikely Shout Out

noreply@blogger.com (Misty) — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 23:16:00 +0000

Ally had to have knee surgery yesterday. The poor girl has gone through so much in her short life. Sometimes I feel like its just so unfair. It makes me feel better to blame diabetes for the crappy stuff that happens. Only this time, the orthopedic surgeon tells us that this is not related to her diabetes or her JIA (Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis). He said this is a normal person problem! Gee, how did she get so lucky to have a normal person problem too??

This is a picture of the MRI. You can see a piece of cartilage & small piece of bone that have broken off bottom of femur bone. (It looks like a half moon shape, located in middle of picture.)

After meeting with the surgeon, I felt comfortable and even though I wished that Ally did not have to go through this procedure, I felt good that he could fix it.

My anxiety was with the whole idea of putting her under for the 2 hour surgery. Maybe anxiety isn't the right word...panic may be better. I almost couldn't breathe thinking about her being away from us for 3-4 hours, under anesthesia. How could I be sure that someone was monitoring her diabetes during that time? You might say, well she WAS in a hospital, surrounded by doctors and nurses right? But being a doctor or a nurse does not mean that you understand how to manage diabetes.

The surgeon and his team assured me that they would work closely with our diabetes team and that they would be monitoring her blood sugars the entire time that she was away from us.

I spoke with our endo and nurses in the diabetes clinic several times before the big surgery day. They instructed us to keep her BG in range as much as possible overnight and leading into surgery. They wanted to keep her basal rate the same, but add extra BG checks to make sure she was holding steady. We had a pretty good plan in place, but most of you know how hard it is to "plan" a blood sugar number. Yeah, nearly impossible!

Ally could not eat after 3 am and could have clear liquids only until 7 am. Since her basal rate increases at 6 am, I was mostly worried about her going low and having to treat it. If she were to need juice or something to treat a low blood sugar, they would have to cancel surgery. So I set a temp basal decrease for a couple of hours beginning at 6 am.

Once she got her IV they would be able to pump glucose through that if she were low...I just had to get her to that point. I had a goal of a BG between 150-200 when we left for the hospital. This is higher than her normal range, but I felt better giving myself a little cushion because I could give her insulin but I wouldn't be able to give her sugar if she were low. I knew they would be checking her...and they did every hour, or more if they thought she was dropping. I also guessed that the stress of the surgery would make her bg climb.

Leaving our house, BG 165. Going into surgery, BG 156. Three hours later, coming out of surgery, BG 155. The flat line of her CGM overnight was beautiful!

It may sound as though I am tooting our own horn here...but I'm really giving a shout out to the big D for cooperating!

I can't even believe that I'm saying this out loud (and Lora, you warned me, so I'm giving you permission to say I told you so, when this comes back to bite me!). D actually cooperated! I know, that may be something you have never heard before. I can't even believe it myself.

We were even blessed with a perfect CGM sensor that has been dead on!

Surgery went well. Ok, except for the going to sleep part. She freaked out a little...or a lot! She was nervous and kept saying that she wasn't ready. Then they let her put the mask on, she tried, but chickened out and pulled it off. Then she started screaming that she felt low (I'm sure she inhaled just enough gas to make her feel that way). Then when they had to force the mask on, she screamed HELP! HELP! until she fell asleep. It was traumatic. I prayed that she wouldn't remember it and at first it seemed that she hadn't. When she woke up she said, "I think I worried for nothing." and "I'm really glad that they let me hold the mask myself. I don't even remember falling asleep." I felt a huge relief that she had not remembered that awful moment and wished there was a way for me to forget it. Then today she said that when she tells people about the going to sleep part, she will leave out the part where she screamed HELP! :( I guess she remembered after all :(

Ally is doing well today. She is having a moderate amount of pain, but that was to be expected. She will not be able to bear any weight on her leg for 6 weeks. As much fun as she thought the crutches were going to be, I think we are going to be spending a lot of time on this couch!

I am going to take advantage of this opportunity to get some extra snuggles for sure! So happy that this week is over and so very proud of my brave girl! She wrote me this note from the couch today between naps...

"Thanks (for telling me I'm brave)! You Rock!"

No sweet girl, YOU ROCK!!

Highlights

noreply@blogger.com (Misty) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 19:37:00 +0000

(No D day means no FB, Twitter, Blogs or the like that mention anything surrounding that D word.)

Highlights of our weekend...on a No-D day!

Showing the girls the inside of the horseshoe at

the Ohio State University...GO BUCKEYES!

Converting Flat Stanley
(who is visiting us all the way from the home of the Candy Hearts family)
into a BUCKEYE!

Observing the beautiful fall foilage!

Celebrating my dad's 66th Birthday! Happy Birthday Dad!

DSMA Parents Talk & Glucagon App

noreply@blogger.com (Misty) — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 15:10:00 +0000

Have you been tuning in to DSMA Live Parents Talk on BlogTalkRadio ? If not, you should. Lorraine from This is Caleb and Bennet from Your Diabetes May Vary are hosting the show every other Monday at 9PM EST. For more information visit http://dsmalive.com/.

While listening to the show last night, I learned that there is a FREE Lilly Glucagon App for iphone, ipad, ipod, etc.

We all hope that we will never need to use the glucagon. However, reality is that we might. I downloaded this app today and have been playing around with it. I think its great!

It is a good refresher for those of us who were trained back in the hospital at diagnosis years ago, but thankfully have never had to use it. It is also a great tool for training family members, childcare personnel, friends and school staff members.

The app has a Tutorial to watch and also a practice section. In Practice Injection Steps, you interactively go through each step. When you finish the practice steps, it asks you if you would like a reminder to practice these steps again in 3 months. How cool is that?

But wait, there is more! It also has a Manage My Kits section, where you can enter the location and expiration dates of each of your glucagon kits. And yep, you can set reminders here too so that you will be notified when one of your kits is expiring.

Along with these cool features, the app also contains basic glucagon information, emergency instructions, and safety information. I have already shared the link to this app with our school nurse and my familly members. It should be a really helpful training tool. Thanks Lilly! And Thanks to DSMA Live Parents Talk for sharing this great tool!

I encourage you to tune in to DSMA Live Parents Talk on Monday, September 24 at 9PM EST. Hallie from The Princess and The Pump will be the guest! Can't wait!

It Takes an Army

noreply@blogger.com (Misty) — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 18:16:00 +0000

If you read my blog, I'm sure that you know my friend Meri who blogs at Our Diabetic Life. She is a beautiful person, with a beautiful family, fighting her husband's cancer with everything they have. Please read her update below and consider joining us in prayer this Sunday. We need an army!

Dear Friends,

We received the news last week that our most recent brain scan shows a new army of tumors. Ryan no longer qualifies for radiation, or any trials. We will begin our last med option tomorrow morning. Urvoy is a medication given once every three weeks for 12 weeks. The medicine works on a small number of patients and takes a good 5 to 6 weeks to make any improvement. As things are progressing fast and furious, that is a very scary timeframe for us. Despite the odds, Ryan remains convinced that he will be ok. More than ever we need your prayers, as Ryan's body is so very weak right now. Our family is setting aside this Sunday as a day of prayer and fasting on Ryan's behalf. If you feel as though you would like to join us, we would sincerely appreciate each and every prayer offered. Thank you so much for all the good thoughts, love and prayers you have directed towards our family. It is now time to ramp up our prayers again. An army of believers has to be stronger than cancer. It just has to be.

Much love ~Meri

With this update from Meri, we (the SFM Admin) have decided to begin raising funds once again for this family. Please don't feel obligated, but if you can, please donate to the Schuhmacher family to help with continuing medical expenses. Any amount is appreciated. We have the goal set at $15,000 and a 2 week timeline. This will allow the money to get to Meri and Ryan as quickly as possible.

Continuing prayers are also VERY much appreciated.

Here is the link to donate if you can, and please feel free to share with your friends and family: http://www.giveforward.com/schuhmacherfamilymiracle2

Thank you ♥

A Very Special Thank You

noreply@blogger.com (Misty) — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 03:16:00 +0000

Yesterday was a special day. We were lucky enough to celebrate three special occasions in one day. First, it was Jessi's 7th birthday! While we are planning her party for another day, we did celebrate with chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast and a couple of gifts to open!

The second event was the wedding of a beautiful young lady who I babysat for when she was a little girl. (So far, both were special events, although both have made me feel old!)

The third of these special events was the wedding of my cousin, Joe, to his beautiful bride Miranda. I have to share with you their most special way of saying "Thank you".

(Please excuse the plain photo. I'm so mad at myself for not taking a picture of this note card while it was sitting on the table at the reception. The centerpieces were beautiful and this shimmering card was sitting in front of them, reflecting the glow of the candles.)

Isn't that the coolest thing ever? Instead of spending money on trinkets for the guests to take home, they donated the money that they would have spent to JDRF in honor of Ally. It made me cry, but it made my heart smile too. What a completely selfless act, on a day that should be all about the newlyweds!

Ally told Miranda "thank you" and her response was, "Thank you for being so strong in dealing with your diabetes." She also told me that she hoped that other guests at the wedding would read it and think about making a donation as well.

A few people around the DOC have been writing about the days when diabetes just makes us feel alone. We get that. But today we feel the opposite. What a beautiful thing for our family to advocate for Ally and for her future through their support of JDRF!

So, thank you to Joe & Miranda, for making us feel special on your special day!

Diabetes Can't Stop Me!

noreply@blogger.com (Misty) — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 13:19:00 +0000

Ally's thoughts on Friends For Life:

If you know anyone with diabetes, you should go to FFL!

It's so much fun!

If you don't have diabetes, you can learn more about it and how to take care of people with diabetes.

You get to meet other people who understand everything you do. Everybody is checking their blood sugar at the same time. I didn't have to be the only one.

Sugar, Ally and Brianna doing a group BG check.

If you do have diabetes, you can have more sleepovers because people understand how to take care of kids like me with D!

(There may have been a FFL sleepover in our hotel room :) Stay tuned for the scoop on that!)

It is one of the only places you can go where people don't ask you what is that on your arm? Or ask why you go to the nurse all the time. Or say things like, 'Ummm...you have a phone in school. I'm gonna tell!'

Friends for Life is awesome!! It makes you feel like diabetes isn't that bad after all. Now I know that I can still do anything that I want even though I have diabetes.

As soon as we got back home from our trip to Orlando, Ally made this sign for her bedroom.

I want to say thank you to all of the People With Diabetes (PWDs) for being an inspiration to my daughter. You taught her that...

"Diabetes Can't Stop Me! You can do anything even with diabetes."

So thank you to Ironman Triathlete Jay Hewitt, NFL Player Kendall Simmons, and Indy Car Driver Charlie Kimball and thank you to Novo Nordisk for sponsoring their participation. Thank you to Snow-boarding World Cup competitor Mike Fisher and to LifeScan, Inc. for sponsoring his participation at FFL. Thank you to Phil Southerland and other members of Team Type 1 (and to Sanofi-Aventis for their sponsorship). It was a bonus for us to pass members of Team Type 1 on the road as we traveled home from the conference.

Thank you to Crystal Bowersox! My kids are walking around singing "Live Life First!"

Thank you to Kim for showing our kids that You Can Do This!

Thank you to Lee Ann for encouraging our kids creativity through Diabetes Art!

Thank you to Kelly for helping the kids feel the meaning of SAME!

And thanks for just plain having fun with us! We you!

More than anything else, this is why we went to FFL! I agree with Ally, it was awesome!

Friends For Life: The Connection

noreply@blogger.com (Misty) — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 00:16:00 +0000

I feel so blessed that our family was able to make the trip to Orlando this summer for the Friends For Life conference. It was our first FFL experience - as you can tell by our "First Timer" ribbons!

I sat in the ballroom, overwhelmed by the beautiful people that filled the room, listening to Tom Karlya's keynote speech. I was thinking about how I wished everyone in the diabetes community could experience this atmosphere. My eyes were bouncing from one green bracelet to another. Earlier Ally had commented to me about all the green bracelets...she couldn't believe that so many people had diabetes like her.

The green bracelet of belonging for the Type 1s.
The orange bracelet of belonging for the people that love someone with Type 1.

Tom Karlya said that support is just as important as knowledge. He said, "We need to work together to move forward."

I told myself that I needed to carve out the time to blog. I'm sure that I've said before that I blog for different reasons. I blog to vent (it is therapy you know!). I blog to educate. And maybe more than anything else, I blog for the connection.

Connecting with other parents of children with diabetes - it is something so amazing that I can't even put it into words. Well maybe one - SAME. My orange bracelet gave me the same sense of belonging that the green bracelet gave Ally.

Eeny Meeny Miny Mo! Catch a meter by its toe!

noreply@blogger.com (Misty) — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 11:00:00 +0000

One of the wonderful experiences at the Friends For Life conference was the exhibit hall. We enjoyed chatting with folks from Medtronic, OmniPod, Eli Lilly & Co., LifeScan, Roche, Animas, Tandem Diabetes, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi-Aventis, Sugar Medical Supply, Skidaddle Bags, Glooko, Team Type 1 and the "You Can Do This" group. The list goes on and on.

THE purpose of these vendors is to share information with us - from insulin pumps to the insulin that goes in them; from glucose meters to the fast acting carb of choice for treating low blood sugar; from the products that help live life better to the people encouraging those with T1 to live life to the fullest!

It was great to see what's available out there!

However, I walked out of that exhibit hall feeling dizzy as if I had just stepped off of a spinning amusement park ride. The culprit - blood glucose meters! Oh the glucose meters! There are some really cool features available on these meters. It seemed as though every booth had a "new" meter to show us. I was impressed by several of them.

Here are a couple that caught my eye, with descriptions from dLife's Gadgets & Gizmos article:

http://www.bayercontourusb.us

Bayer's Contour USB meter which plugs directly into the USB port of the latest PCs and Macs so that you can download blood sugar data, and get analysis and trends to share with your healthcare professional. Bayer's Contour USB Blood Glucose Monitor is currently compatible with Windows 7, Windows XP (SP3) and Vista (SP2) as well as Mac OS X 10.5.7 and 10.5.8 (Intel 64 bit processors)

Medtronic reps explained that this meter will link with Ally's Medtronic Revel insulin pump, a feature that we have come to depend on with our current One Touch Meter. The USB port on the end will also allow us to download right to our CareLink software which we use for downloading pump and CGM data. Love that it will all be contained in one place so that I don't have to search for the little CareLink USB when I want to look over Ally's data.

www.telcare.com

TelCare's 3G blood glucose meter uploads your blood sugar data to a server via a 3G connection. On the TelCare server, you can manage your data, make graphs and charts, and communicate with your healthcare providers. You can also re-order supplies directly through the meter. There are no monthly charges for the use of 3G. TelCare also produces an iPhone app that allows you to track your blood glucose readings over time.

The feature about the Telcare BGM that is most appealing to me is that through cellular technology, when Ally checks her BG, the readings will automatically transmit to my phone. LOVE LOVE this idea!

http://www.ibgstar.us/

The iBGstar Diabetes Manager app for iPhone or iPad is designed for use with the iBGStar Meter. Connect your meter to your Apple device to download test results, store and manage data, review trends, and share your information with your doctors.

This meter is something that we may be interested in down the line. At this point, Ally does not have an iPhone so it doesn't seem to meet our current needs. We do love Apple products though, so I like that data may be downloaded to these devices.

The One Touch Verio IQ System has PatternAlert™ Technology, which detects patterns of highs and lows—and alerts you, right on screen, when it finds one.

We received a complimentary One Touch Verio IQ at the conference, so this one I can actually speak about from a little experience. At first glance, it looks cool! (That was Ally's reason for wanting to try it.)

The pattern alert is great! I keep a log book as well as download her cgm/pump data often though, so this is not a huge benefit to me at this time. It may, however, be a good thing for Ally as she learns bit by bit about managing her own diabetes. Kind of a beginning step to recognizing patterns and learning when adjustments need to be made. The light on the top of the meter is awesome! The verdict is still out about the rechargeable battery. It might be nice not to have to buy batteries, however we don't have to replace them that often. She has been using the Verio for 90% of her BG checks the past two weeks and just today we had to recharge the battery. My concern with using this meter at school is that who would remember to recharge it? Another drawback for us is that it doesn't link to her pump.

But what we have grown to love most about the Verio is that the test strips use a lot less blood than the One Touch Blue strips that we had been using. This alone is the reason that we are giving this meter a go for a while!

In my ideal world, I could get two different kinds of strips each month. We would use one kind of meter while she is at school and a different one when she is home. The problem with that would be that our data would be disconnected. In the end, each of these glucose meters has bells and whistles that I'd love to see in a meter. We just have to prioritize our needs at this time.

So, I guess for now its Eeny Meeny Miny Mo!

My Girl, My Hero

noreply@blogger.com (Misty) — Sun, 20 May 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Diabetes Hero -DBlog Week - Day 7

Let’s end our week on a high note and blog about our “Diabetes Hero”. It can be anyone you’d like to recognize or admire, someone you know personally or not, someone with diabetes or maybe a Type 3. It might be a fabulous endo or CDE. It could be a d-celebrity or role-model. It could be another DOC member. It’s up to you – who is your Diabetes Hero??

Click for the Diabetes Hero- Sunday 5/20 Link List.

She is smart. She is strong. She is beautiful.

She has Type 1 Diabetes. She is my first born.

She is my HERO!

Ally was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at 5 years old. At that age, you don't fully understand what is happening. (Not that I did either!) She heard the nurse in the pediatrician's office say that she had "diabetes" and that we needed to go straight to the hospital. She sat quietly in the car as we drove to the hospital - with a somber face, but without any tears. She did not let me know that she was scared.

(Meanwhile, my brain was racing...Where is Keith working today? Who can I call to pick Jessi up from pre-school?) She tried to keep a conversation going with me. "Mom, Uncle Bill is in heaven right?" Yes, he is honey. (Brain still racing...Don't cry. Don't cry. Which stupid exit am I supposed to take to Children's Hospital?) "Mom, do you think Uncle Bill was scared when he became an angel?" Well, I'm sure that Jesus was there to help him to not be scared. (Brain racing...Why is she asking so many questions about Uncle Bill? Should I call her rheumatologist? Call my mom, she can pick up Jessi.) "Ok, Mom." and she was quiet. She never cried, never complained. We went on to spend the next 4 days in ICU.

Months later, Ally told me that when she heard the nurse say that she had "die-a-betes", she thought that meant she was going to die. My brain instantly went back to the conversation in the car on the way to the hospital about my uncle who had recently passed away. I asked her why she didn't tell me that she had thought that! She said,

"I didn't want you to be scared."

Ally is my hero for so many reasons. But her character is my #1!

Diabetes Snapshots

noreply@blogger.com (Misty) — Sat, 19 May 2012 13:46:00 +0000

Saturday Snapshots -DBlog Week - Day 6

Back for the third year, let’s show everyone what life with diabetes looks like! With a nod to the Diabetes 365 project, let’s grab our cameras again and share some more d-related pictures. Post as many or as few as you’d like. Feel free to blog your thoughts on or explanations of your pictures, or leave out the written words and let the pictures speak for themselves.

Click for the Saturday Snapshots - Saturday 5/19 Link List.

Diabetes in a Snapshot

"Its' True, I Should Tell Them"

noreply@blogger.com (Misty) — Sat, 19 May 2012 01:47:00 +0000

What They Should Know - DBlog Week - Day 5

Today let’s borrow a topic from a #dsma chat held last September. The tweet asked “What is one thing you would tell someone that doesn’t have diabetes about living with diabetes?”. Let’s do a little advocating and post what we wish people knew about diabetes. Have more than one thing you wish people knew? Go ahead and tell us everything.

Click for the What They Should Know- Friday 5/18 Link List.

"One thing" I would tell someone about living with diabetes? Uh Oh.

There are so many different ways to go with this post. There are things I want people to understand about Type 1 Diabetes, so they may be more compassionate towards Ally regarding the day in and day out struggles of diabetes. She handles A LOT every single day whether she looks like it or not.

There are things that I want people to know so they don't make Ally feel bad about her diabetes...She did nothing to cause it. No amount of candy bars can cause type 1 diabetes!

There are things that I want every parent, grandparent, pediatrician, and child caregiver to recognize as possible signs of type 1 diabetes, so that not one child ever goes undiagnosed again.

And then there is the one thing that Ally wants people without diabetes to know..."Diabetes stinks!"

"It's true, I really should tell them, Mom. Some kids say, 'you're lucky'...and I look at them like 'Are you crazy?' It's annoying. People are always asking about my pump and my sites. It's really annoying...so, yeah, I'd tell them diabetes stinks - they should know that."

(And I thought diabetes stunk because of all the shots, finger pricks, carb counting, highs and lows, etc.)

Thanks again to Karen at Bitter~Sweet for organizing this Diabetes Blog Week. I find it interesting, not only reading other people's blogs and their take on these topics, but also I'm amazed that I look at a topic with one plan in mind and then I learn something else about it along the way. This topic gave Ally and I yet another opportunity for communicating about how she feels about diabetes. I love it when she can "vent" her feelings about D. So, thank you Karen, for that too!

The Magic Belt

noreply@blogger.com (Misty) — Thu, 17 May 2012 15:12:00 +0000

Fantasy Diabetes Device- DBlog Week - Day 4

Today let’s tackle an idea inspired by Bennet of Your Diabetes May Vary. Tell us what your Fantasy Diabetes Device would be? Think of your dream blood glucose checker, delivery system for insulin or other meds, magic carb counter, etc etc etc. The sky is the limit – what would you love to see?

Click here for the Fantasy Diabetes Device - Thursday 5/17 Link List.

As the caregiver of a young person with diabetes, I could fantasize all day long about diabetes devices that would make Ally's life easier. But this was too much fun for Ally to dream about, so I let her take the Diabetes Blog Week prompt for today.

My Fantasy Diabetes Device

by Ally, age 9

My Fantasy Diabetes Device would be like a magic wand, but its a belt instead. It would have different buttons on it and when I push a specific button, it would do whatever I want it to do. You know, like "Give Me Insulin" button. All I would have to do is hold my finger on the "Check My Sugar" button and it would read my blood sugar - without even pricking my finger! Of course, I'd still have to have a site for the insulin to get into my body, but it would be smaller and have no tubing. It would be small enough to cover with a band aid. And , I wouldn't even need to take it off...NO SITE CHANGES!! Oh, you know those iPhones that talk to you? It would have that too. I could just push the "MIC" button and speak into it and say what it needs to do. Like, "What's my sugar?" and it would tell me. I wouldn't even need to go down to the nurse! Except there would have to be a special charger for it...that may be the hard part!

(So in summary, she would like to morph me, the school nurse, her pump and blood glucose meter - oh yeah, and Siri - all into a magic belt. Cool!)

Who Needs An Adjustment?

noreply@blogger.com (Misty) — Wed, 16 May 2012 23:30:00 +0000

One Thing to Improve - DBlog Week - Day 3

Yesterday we gave ourselves and our loved ones a big pat on the back for one thing we are great at. Today let’s look at the flip-side. We probably all have one thing we could try to do better. Why not make today the day we start working on it. No judgments, no scolding, just sharing one small thing we can improve so the DOC can cheer us on!

Click for the One Thing to Improve - Wednesday 5/16 Link List.

Insulin Adjustments. Ugh. The very words make my face do a funny little cringe thingy. As I told you yesterday, I am a rule follower. So, I am very capable of following the insulin adjustment guidelines provided by Ally's endocrinologist. If she is running high or low consistently, for period of time, I can look at the numbers and make a pretty good judgement about whether to change basal or carb ratio. And the truth is, when I do it, I do it pretty well. The part where the "One Thing to Improve" comes in, well that's in actually following through with what my brain is telling me to do.

The place where I get hung up (AGAIN!) is all of the uncertainty that diabetes throws in the mix. My brain says that Ally is running high overnight because she is growing and I know that I need to increase her overnight basal. But what if it's actually because we are making mistakes in her carb counting. But what if it is because we tried to squeeze an extra day out of that site or bottle of insulin? And what if she is running high because she is getting sick? The what ifs could actually go on and on.

I KNOW that I have seen a pattern over a period of time and I KNOW what I need to do...adjust the insulin! But it is so hard for me to do. What if my adjustment is wrong, or I adjust too much, and cause her to go low overnight?

I'm sure that you can clearly see why this is an area that needs some improvement. I need to trust myself when it comes to Ally's diabetes care.

So, I guess the question is, does the insulin need an adjustment? Or do I?

Thanks to Karen at Bitter-Sweet for organizing yet another fabulous Diabetes Blog Week!

Teamwork, Our Great Thing

noreply@blogger.com (Misty) — Wed, 16 May 2012 03:10:00 +0000

One Great Thing - DBlog Week - Day 2

Living with diabetes (or caring for someone who lives with it) sure does take a lot of work, and it’s easy to be hard on ourselves if we aren’t “perfect”. But today it’s time to give ourselves some much deserved credit. Tell us about just one diabetes thing you (or your loved one) does spectacularly! Fasting blood sugar checks, oral meds sorted and ready, something always on hand to treat a low, or anything that you do for diabetes. Nothing is too big or too small to celebrate doing well!

(Check out the DBlog Week One Great Thing - Tuesday 5/15 Link List.)

I started out this post by asking Ally if she could tell me One Great Thing that she does regarding her diabetes. She said, "Well, Mom, I really shouldn't toot my own horn!" Love that girl!!

For me, giving Ally credit is so easy to do! She handles most things diabetes spectacularly! She is my hero...but you'll have to wait until Sunday to hear about that!

I think that as parents of a child with diabetes, we are generally hard on ourselves. Day in and day out I am looking at Ally's blood glucose numbers and wondering what we did wrong or what we could have done better. My husband and I take most of the credit for the blips in the road...and we probably deserve that credit! There was the time that I forgot to do a site change when I knew that Ally's insulin was old and most likely ineffective. And then another time when Keith forgot her D bag at the soccer field. There may have been an occasion or two where Keith or I forgot to give Ally her breakfast bolus. The good news is that we each do different things in our own spectacular way too!

Me, I am a rule follower. I like guidelines and I typically stick to them. If you know anything about diabetes, I bet you are shaking your head and thinking that I could not possibly be spectacular at diabetes management! Diabetes balks at rules and guidelines. In fact, diabetes makes its own rules...and they are subject to change at any time, without notice! Despite all that, I am spectacular at measuring out and weighing food. My carb counting is very precise! I know exactly what day Ally's site change should be on, how many days old her insulin is and what day of the month our insurance will allow me to refill her test strips. I am also a worrier. So, I remember every single move that Ally has made in a day and try to take that into account when making decisions about dosing her insulin.

Keith is a risk-taker and, well, let's just say that he likes to challenge the rules! He would prefer to think that guidelines are very general and that much is left to interpretation. You might guess that he is spectacular at SWAGging (Scientific Wild A** Guessing). He does not worry that she may have a little less or a little more than half a cup of macaroni and cheese on her plate...if it looks like half a cup, he'll bolus for half a cup. (I would carry a measuring cup around with me everywhere if he didn't make fun of me for doing so!!) He is great at setting dual wave and square wave boluses on the pump, where some insulin is delivered up front and/or some insulin is delivered over a period of time. He also has a fantastic memory...for things that he chooses anyway ;) He can remember the carb count for the most random food that Ally may have eaten one time, three years ago!

Together, we make a spectacular team in managing Ally's diabetes.

Ally did finally answer my question too..."Mommy, you are great at site changes. I will always let you do them, ok?" :)

Thanks to Karen at Bitter-Sweet for organizing yet another fabulous Diabetes Blog Week!

Finding a Friend, and Myself!

noreply@blogger.com (Misty) — Tue, 15 May 2012 03:10:00 +0000

Find a Friend - DBlog Week - Day 1

It seems the most popular thing about Diabetes Blog Week is that it helps us find blogs we weren’t reading yet and connect with some new blog friends. With that in mind, let’s kick off Diabetes Blog Week by making some new connections. Think about the d-blogs you read that you think we may not know about and introduce us to one that you love!! Let’s all find a new friend.

(Check out the DBlog Week Find A Friend - Monday 5/14 Link List.)

Well, before I introduce you to one of my favorite blogs, let me introduce myself to you! Ha! It seems that lately I have been quite absent from my blog and also from reading the other wonderful D blogs out there. Life is busy as usual, my computer has been less than cooperative and I'm terrible at blogging from the iPad (which is why this will be a short post!). Beyond that, I have actually been making time for myself, exercising even! It is something that I have needed to do for myself for a long time. Blogging is good for me too though, so I'm hoping that this Diabetes Blog Week will help me to find a way back to the blogging world.

And now, I could blog all night long about the awesome D bloggers out there. But for today, I would like to make sure that you know my friend Shamae's blog Welcome To Our Crazy, Happy Life! . Maybe I'm drawn to Shamae's blog because she has three girls like me. Maybe it's because her oldest daughter Sydney, also living with Type 1, is close in age to Ally. Whichever the draw is for me, I know that you will find something special there as well. So now you just have to head over to Welcome To Our Crazy, Happy Life! and see 8 year old Sydney singing "Please Remember Me". I promise that you will not soon forget it!

Thanks to Karen at Bitter-Sweet for organizing yet another fabulous Diabetes Blog Week!