Houston . . . We have a PROBLEM!

OmniPod, OmniPod . . . Oh how you disappoint thee!!

noreply@blogger.com (LaLa) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 17:53:00 +0000

On March 20th, 2010 I wrote a post titled OmniPod, OmniPod . . . Oh how I love thee! Nate had been pumping with the OmniPod for exactly 20 days. Yes, on March 1, 2010 we became fiercely loyal and outspoken customers of Insulet, the makers of the OmniPod. My most popular posts all have to do with OmniPod and the number one and number two search topics that lead people to Houston We Have a Problem . . . you guessed it . . . OmniPod and OmniPod for Toddlers. True Story. As a matter of fact, I have an entire section on HWHAP dedicated to my most popular OmniPod posts.

I believe anyone that knows me or has read HWHAP knows how much we love the OmniPod insulin pump that Nate wears. We fought hard to get it and have helped countless other families with toddlers navigate their way through hospitals and doctors that tried to discourage them from putting their tiny tots on this pump. I love helping others by sharing Nate's story!!

I've plastered pictures of Nate's bum all over this blog for the greater good of young pumpers and OmniPod has directed parents of little ones here for years.

I have been . . .

Fiercely loyal.

Fiercely outspoken.

And now I am . . .

Fiercely disappointed.

This past December, Insulet announced that the long awaited approval from the FDA had been granted for The New, The Improved, The Smaller OmniPod!! If you follow the link to that post written in May of 2010 you will see that at that time I was super excited and super naive about the smaller pod that we had been promised!

Almost 3 years later I am sitting here STILL WAITING with no idea at all when Nate will be able to start using that new, improved, smaller pod. They are being released to new customers right now and as of today I still have no answer from Insulet as to when we will be upgraded. I emailed our sales rep and asked about our conversion and expressed my disappointment with the lack of communication. I wanted some answers . . . I want a conversion date.

The response I got was super friendly as usual but was the standard answer that I think all existing patients are hearing . . .

' . . . no true conversion date for existing patients . . . only the HOPE that it will be soon."

BOO!

Our DME company, Byrum told me that they have to use all of their current inventory before they can start talking to anyone about upgrading to the new system. I heard the words . . . late summer . . . maybe August from them.

BOO!

I won't lie --- it is not fun seeing all the Facebook posts & pictures and blog posts from new customers that are already using the new smaller pod and we have no idea when we will even know when we will get the new system.

I understand --- I do. I know they have to work through the existing inventory and not take a loss but for the 1st time since we started this journey I am extremely disappointed with Insulet's customer service. I am not alone in my disappointement. The grumblings on social media are not nice --- the existing patients are restless. That might be putting it nicely!

Read more from existing patients here:

This is Caleb has ben waiting 6 years!
Sweet Grace has been waiting 3 years just like us!

And for some reviews on the new system by new patients or 'cut the cord' patients:

Sweetly Voiced - Melissa
Sarah Kaye (FKA Sugabetic)

Will I remain loyal ---- yes!
Will I remain outspoken ---- always!
Will I discourage people from going with this system ---- never!

I have seen comments from customers looking at the system now questioning if OmniPod's customer service will be ok. Let me assure you as a new patient you are going to get fantastic customer service. Sadly for us, the existing patient we feel forgotten.

And because it's been a while since you've seen one of these . . . here ya go:

Most likely the last one ever because he's almost 5 and will most certainly want to strangle me one day for posting his butt shots on here for the last 3 years! Oh and yep ---- rocking two pods in this shot --- pod change day! You're welcome!

Keep calm and OmniPod on . . .

Separation Anxiety & Controlling Diabetes

noreply@blogger.com (LaLa) — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 22:10:00 +0000

Separation anxiety in children is totally normal and to be expected. Both of my girls went through it at a young age when they started pre-school. It was hard to leave them there crying but I knew once they were done with the tears they would have a wonderful time.

Nate never really went through a separation anxiety time --- when he started pre-school he was totally fine. I on the other hand was a complete wreck. Diabetes makes everything harder! Nate started school when her was 3 years old at a school that had a full time nurse and an excellent staff willing to step-up, learn and help in any way that they could. All was going so well . . .

Then . . .

In November we moved out of the only home he had ever known and in with my parents. Jim kept the house. By early December Nate became my little shadow and by mid-December he would not leave my side. Not even for school. One day he went to school and the next day I drove up to the building and he refused to get out of my truck. Refused! I'm talking screaming, crying, kicking, hitting, holding on to the seat for dear life kind of refused. I had to pull out of carpool and drag him out of the truck and into the school (of course I was in my yoga pants that I had slept in and no bra --- doesn't it always happen that way?). His nurse and his teacher were there helping me get him inside with encouraging words. That was the beginning of the end. He refused to participate in class. He sat on the floor with his coat on for most of the morning and refused to participate with the class.

After that day he got sick, missed class for a few days and then it was time for winter break. In January I went out of town and he stayed with my mom. He refused to go to school and I told her it would be far to traumatic for her and Nate if she tried to take him. While I was gone his home health care nurse came on her regularly scheduled day to help my mom and he refused to stay with her. She's been with us for over a year so this was shocking! My mom snuck out while the nurse had him distracted but before long he realized she was gone and threw such a fit that our sweet nurse was actually scared for his safety and called my mom to ask her to return.

These fits although completely normal for children that have gone through major life changes as we have are not normal for Nate and most importantly they are not safe. While throwing these fits he refuses to let anyone check his blood sugar and with the crying, kicking, hitting, and screaming we have no idea what his blood sugar is doing ---- is it crashing from all of the activity or is sky rocketing from the adrenaline? His nurse was so concerned one day she had the glucagon out and ready to use. She actually thought he might be having a seizure. Yep, it's that bad.

Sadly, I was forced to withdraw him from school last month.

It is hard for most people to understand the concern that I have. I cannot tell you how many people have offered the standard advice of just leaving him and letting him cry it out. He'll soon enough be over it. Although, I do believe it is sound advice for most children . . . we are dealing with more. I left Sophie and I left Emma . . . they indeed cried for a few minutes and then went on about their day. Two problems with Nate:

1. These fits have lasted up to an hour

2. Diabetes

He is deliberately controlling the one thing that he knows will make me stay or make me return. If no one can check his bg then we are in a life or death situation and this is not ok.

As a parent I am frustrated. As a D-Mom I am terrified.

Frustrated because ---- well, clearly this is a frustrating situation!! Terrified because he is putting himself in danger and . . . . He's FOUR YEARS OLD and he knows . . . he knows that diabetes is the thing that he can use to have the upper hand. Yikes!

I started this post a month or so ago and since then I have left him with his nurse longer each time and the fits are shorter each time. He still screams and cries and begs me not to leave every single time. I sit down with him and tell him that it is ok to be mad and it is ok to be sad but we do not hit, we do not kick and not letting Ms. Nurse check his blood sugar is not ok and not safe. I always reassure him that I will always come back home to him. We are making slow progress but it is still completely freaking exhausting.

I feel like we have stepped back 3.5 years. From the time Nate was diagnosed at 14-months until he started school at 3 we were together ALL OF THE TIME. There was no one else that would or could keep him. Now that there are people that can and will keep him he is refusing. He will stay with me, my mom, Jim and Ian. (Ian? . . . ya . . . you'll meet him in another post.)

At our endo appointment last week I asked for help (so very rare for me) and the doctor suggested we start with the endocrinology therapist on staff at Children's Dallas. That was the 1st call I made upon my return home and I am still awaiting a call back but am very hopeful they he/she will be able to help.

I signed Nate up for gymnastics and am looking at other fun things like t-ball and soccer but the mere mention of his gymnastics class on Monday has him in tears.

I am at a loss.

It is so stressful that It's giving me anxiety. And . . . sadly, I just give in ---- it's just easier to stay then to deal with the stress of the fits. I am already dreading his gymnastics class tomorrow and want to cancel.

Unable to keep calm or carry on (right now) . . .

Type One Diabetes Rage

noreply@blogger.com (LaLa) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 19:57:00 +0000

After almost 3.5 years of Super Nate having T1D I rarely have diabetes rage anymore. I know that is hard to believe but it is totally true ----- there are days that totally suck but we pretty much just roll with it.

Low ---------------- Carb It Up
High ---------------- Rage Bolus
Pod Alarm -------- Change It
Sensor Failure ---- Change That Too
Carb Count? -------SWAG It

Ok, I may not really be that easy going when it comes to T1D but I have chilled A LOT. I've learned not to sweat it because it ends up just causing me and Nate more stress. I don't weigh, I don't measure, I don't freak out when he's high, or overreact when he is low, I don't get mad when a pod screams or a sensor fails < ----- I used to do all of those things!!

There really are still hard days and I do complain occasionally but for the most part I don't let it get me down. I have lots of support and the wonderful people in my life now are stepping up and learning how to care for Nate and I am letting them. That helps a lot with the stress.

I still don't sleep at night ---- that sucks big time but that doesn't cause rage. I haven't slept in 3.5 years --- that's just my normal.

Back to the reason I started this post . . . . so, I am cruising along not really raging about T1d and then BAM! Out of the blue Nate has decided to grow up! He's started to be an independent little boy who wants to play outside, ride his bike around the neighborhood, roller skate, and gulp . . . hang out with friends! What the What . . . he's only 4!! Okay . . . 4.5 but still!

The girls have made several new neighborhood friends so they come and go as they please and are in and out of certain houses on our street. One of the houses is across the street and another is just next door. I feel totally safe with this situation and love that the girls have made new friends that live so close.

Then the dreaded question came from the man child . . .

Can I go with Sophie over to [insert neighbor child's name here] house to play Wii?

Oh ...................... Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuudddddggggggggggggge. If you know me at all you totally know that I didn't really say FUDGE.

I was not expecting that!

After the question was asked I stood there for what seemed like an eternity trying to formulate an answer that was not going to make him resent having T1D. Not an easy thing to do especially since all of my resentment that I had finally let go of came flooding back.

In that instant I remembered all of the parties we had attended where I would stand and watch the other children drink juice boxes, eat pizza and cake and be completely carefree about what they were doing. I remembered the resentment I felt for those parents that were standing against the wall chatting and laughing without worrying about the activity level of their child. I resented them for not worrying about whether or not their child's blood sugar would drop and mostly because they weren't having to check blood sugars and stress about all the food that was about to be consumed ---- the carb counts, whether to extend the bolus or give it up front, whether to back off on the insulin due to the activity. All the craziness that we deal with came back in an instant ---- just like that I was resenting diabetes again.

It seems like with everything else diabetes related my emotions seem to ebb and flow. I really have let go of so much of the anger and resentment but I now know that as Nate grows up there will always be new experiences, new adventures and new hurdles & with diabetes in the mix all of those will come with new emotions.

I know that there will be a time when Nate is able to run around the neighborhood, play at the neighbor's house, or even go on a bike ride without me but not now. Not Yet. We are not quite ready for that at his age. He is just now verbalizing his lows which he still sometimes mistakes with highs. He thinks Danimals have 121 carbs and applesauce has 600 carbs. I have no idea where those numbers come from --- I think he's just being a silly boy! He can check his own blood sugar but has no idea yet what to do with the number he sees on the PDM. We will get there . . . I know we will but we are not there quite yet.

So, for now we have an open invitation to the neighborhood children to play & snack at our house where Nate can continue to explore his independence while I keep a (secret) watchful eye on him and am able to check his blood sugar so quickly that most of time the other children don't even notice. I'm good like that YO!

Right now he is content with hanging outside and at our house but I know the time will come when I will have to let go a little bit more. Until then diabetes rage is back in check. We will cross that bridge when we come to it.

Oh and for how I answered his question about playing at the neighbor's house . . . I actually let him go. I did a quick bg check, he was at a safe number so off he and Sophie went. I knew that dinner was almost ready and they would not be able to stay long. I've never finished making dinner quite so fast. Within 15 minutes I was texting the neighbor to send the minions home for dinner. He got to experience a little bit of independence and I only experienced mild heart failure.

Keeping calm ~~most~~ some of the time . . . and always carrying on . . .

It's her birthday and I will cry if I want to . . .

noreply@blogger.com (LaLa) — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 21:33:00 +0000

7 years ago today I was in the hospital giving birth to my beautiful and brave daughter, Sophia Elizabeth. It is always on my children's birthdays that I stop and take the time to actually think about the little miracles that they are . . .

I was in labor all day . . . . she was finally delivered at 4:27 pm . . . . funny how the memory of the pain disappears as soon as your sweet baby is placed into your arms!

I takes 2 people to create a life but only a woman, a mother experiences carrying a child for 9 months. Only a mother feels a life growing inside, only a mother feels the flutter of the 1st kick, only a mother wakes up 13 times per night to pee, only a mother experiences the excruciating pain and absolute joy of childbirth.

I'm not going to lie I hated being pregnant ----- yep, I did not glow AT ALL. I was pretty miserable the entire 9 months. I usually started begging my OB to get the baby out ASAP around 35 weeks and I wasn't kidding. But that being said I would do it again 100 times for the joy that each one of my children brings me.

So, 7 years ago today Sophie was born and each year on this day we celebrate her life with cake, balloons, gifts and wonderful memories. However, today this seventh anniversary of her birth I am sitting here without her. I'm trying to distract myself by staying extremely busy thus my 1st blog post in a very, very long time. My tears streak and stain my face right now as I sit here missing her beautiful smile. I know that she is having fun with her daddy. They are roller skating which she loves but my heart hurts and no distraction in the world can replace spending the day with my daughter on her special day.

It is me that gave birth to her, it is me that was there for her 1st word, 1st step. It was me that got up each night with her as a new born. It was me that was there when she was diagnosed with Crohn's ---- it is me that sits with her every 6 weeks at her Remicade treatments. Call me selfish all you want but I think the courts have it wrong with this one . . . . she should be with me today.

I missed her last night when I went to bed ---- I usually wait until they are all asleep and decorate the kitchen, put the cake on the table for birthday breakfast and place her gifts around her spot at the table.

I missed her when I woke up ---- I missed seeing her run to the kitchen, I missed eating cake at 7am, I missed seeing the joy in her eyes as we sing happy birthday and I missed her sweet, sweet kisses.

Divorce is hard. I know that. I'm living it. Being away from my children is hard always. Being away from them on Christmas (yep, that happened) and birthdays is excruciating.

So, today on the 7th anniversary of Sophia's birth I want you all to know how amazingly strong, brave, sweet, beautiful and fierce she really is ----- Her 7 year old self has been through more than my 40 year old self can imagine and she does it all with grace, strength and remains sweet and charming throughout every single thing that stupid Crohn's throws her way. She is truly the bravest little girl that I know. I do not take hero status lightly and I am telling you right now . . . she is my hero. My beautiful, sweet, little hero.

Happy Birthday, Sweet Sophie Doodle. Your mommy loves you to the moon and back and back and back and . . . .

Trying hard to keep calm and carry on . . .

3 Years Today

noreply@blogger.com (LaLa) — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 11:00:00 +0000

The years seem to fly by . . . how is it that it has been 3 years since Nate's diagnosis of type 1 diabetes? I rarely get sad about Nate's diagnosis anymore but this evening when I realized that tomorrow was September 17th it hit me hard. I've been a blubbering mess all evening.

I read Nate's diagnosis story and was taken back to that day. One of the worst days of my life. Is Nate healthy and happy today? --- Yes, he's a healthy, happy, holy terror really! It doesn't change the fact though that he was diagnosed 3 years ago with a lifelong medical condition that requires a ton of vigilance to keep him alive.

I found the synonyms interesting for the word vigilant. It is possible only a D-parent will understand how appropriate those synonyms really are.

vig·i·lant/ˈvijələnt/

Adjective:

Keeping careful watch for possible danger or difficulties

Synonyms:

watchful - alert - wakeful - awake - wary - open-eyed

Three years ago I made a promise to Nate and to myself.

I promised I would never let diabetes define Nate Houston.

Diabetes is not who he is ---- diabetes is what he has.
Nate is a spectacular 4 year old little boy that happens to have diabetes.

He also happens to have had his blood sugar checked (finger poked with a needle) over 16,500 times, received over 700 shots of insulin via syringe, and had over 300 pod changes which includes a very large needle inserting a catheter beneath his skin to deliver insulin.

Wow ----- that my friends is pretty spectacular.

He is a brave little boy.
He is a warrior little boy.

He is amazing!! ...and although I am mostly desensitized to the above facts I am occasionally reminded when I see other children watching in horror as I check Nate's sugar or change his insulin pump that it is this is not everyone's normal. Although it is our normal it should not be . . . I am still hopeful for better technology, better insulin, better everything . . . . and most of all I am still hopeful for a cure.

This year we are walking to raise awareness and money for JDRF --- the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundations.

JDRF is the leading global organization focused on type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Driven by passionate, grassroots volunteers connected to children, adolescents, and adults with this disease, JDRF is now the largest charitable supporter of T1D research. The goal of JDRF research is to improve the lives of all people affected by T1D by accelerating progress on the most promising opportunities for curing, better treating, and preventing T1D. JDRF collaborates with a wide spectrum of partners who share this goal.

Since its founding in 1970, JDRF has awarded more than $1.6 billion to diabetes research. Past JDRF efforts have helped to significantly advance the care of people with this disease, and have expanded the critical scientific understanding of T1D. JDRF will not rest until T1D is fully conquered. More than 80 percent of JDRF's expenditures directly support research and research-related education.

In honor of Nate's 3 year anniversary of living with diabetes I would like to reach our fundraising goal for Nate's JDRF walk team. If you would like to make a donation --- please click the blow link:

Team Super Nate - Sponsored by Quick Sticks

I cannot imagine life without T1D but I'm guessing I could get used to it pretty fast!!

Thank you so much to all that have already made donations ---- we look forward to sharing our walk day photos with you all.

Keep calm and Hope for a Cure . . .

Walking for Nate

noreply@blogger.com (LaLa) — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 21:45:00 +0000

Hello Friends and Family,

The JDRF Walk to Cure Type 1 Diabetes is quickly approaching and although we did not put a walk team together last year we have decided we would like to walk this year for our sweet son, Nate. We don’t have much time because the walk is September 29^th ---- nothing like waiting until the last minute to decide --- right??

We have a great sponsor this year . . . .

Quick Sticks has generously offered to provide walk shirts and other goodies for walk day. So, if you would like to walk with us this year --- I need to know ASAP so they can order our shirts. Please email me at houstonwehaveaproblemblog@gmail.com and let me know if you’d like to walk and your t-shirt size. Families are welcome!! The walk is a very family friendly event and we always have a lot of fun before and after the walk.

Walk Deets:

Date:	September 29, 2012
Walk Location:	Oak Point Park - Spring Creek Pkwy @ Jupiter Rd 2801 E. Spring Creek Pkwy Plano, TX
Registration Start Time:	7:30 AM
Walk Start Time:	9:00 AM

Please consider walking with us this year to show your support for our Super Nate.

On September 17^th of this year Nate will have been living with Type 1 Diabetes for 3 years. He was diagnosed at the young age of 14-months. Although, we do not let type 1 diabetes define Nate in any way his diabetes is always there. He never gets to take a break or have a vacation from diabetes. I truly believe that in the 3 years our family has been living with diabetes we have adjusted and made our life with diabetes look easy and if you asked Nate today he would not complain. Please know that living with type 1 is not easy. Diabetes hurts my little man in so many ways. We need your support on walk day and every day ---- please, please consider walking with Nate to show your support.

If you are able to make a donation, we would be beyond appreciative. Every dollar donated to JDRF brings us one step closer to finding a cure.

Here is the link to our JDRF Fundraising page:

http://www2.jdrf.org/site/TR/Walk-TX/Chapter-GreaterDallas4632?px=1397892&pg=personal&fr_id=1806

Once you respond about the walk I will send out more details about walk day.

Many, many thanks,

Jim, Laura, Emma, Sophie and Super Nate

houstonwehaveaproblemblog@gmail.com

Keep Calm and Walk On!!

Super Sweet Sophie - Remicade Update

noreply@blogger.com (LaLa) — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 03:57:00 +0000

I can't believe that tomorrow is Sophie's 5th round of Remicade. I'm pretty sure I haven't blogged about Sophie since . . . .The Shit that is Crohn's. If you haven't read that one. Do it. I just read it again and it made me cry. I hate to cry alone.

As you can see from the above pictures Sophie is a little trooper when it comes to infusion day. She doesn't like getting the IV inserted (who does?) but the nurses and child life specialist help keep her distracted during insertion. It takes about 4 hours and she usually plays Wii, watches movies, plays with the iPad and sometimes sleeps. They still give her Tylenol and Benedryl before the infusion to counteract any reaction she might have. Those 2 combined are enough to knock me on my behind!

All in all the Remicade is helping Sophie with her Crohn's symptoms. It was truly a miracle how quickly it began to work in the hospital. Amazing. She improved within a day.

She has completely normal poops now and has also stopped bleeding. Her labs have been slower to improve which is frustrating. Her hemoglobin continues to stay a bit low and her inflammation although improved is still a bit concerning. We tried to go 7 weeks between infusions and that didn't work so we are going to stick with 6 and see how that goes this time. The problem that we have now is she has terrible stomach pain. Her gut just hurts. A lot. We started a new medication (took her off of Nexium) called Cyproheptadine (4 MG). She has been on it for about 4 weeks -- it's supposed to help with the pain but I haven't seen a huge improvement but I'm willing to give it a little bit more time. She can't do anything for a long period of time. If we swim, she will swim for a bit but them wants to go inside and get in bed. It's the same story for just about any activity that we try to do. She just doesn't feel great and it hurts this momma's heart.

I'm looking forward to meeting with her doctor tomorrow to get her thoughts on the continued belly pain. They always do a blood draw so I'm going to ask them to run another Celiac screening just to rule that out. Otherwise I'm at a loss.

All in all she is SO much better but just not quite 100% yet. With each day we continue to have hope that the next process will improve her quality of life. Forever Hopeful.

Keep calm and Hope on . . .

Back to School

noreply@blogger.com (LaLa) — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 04:14:00 +0000

School starts next week for my littles. I've been counting down the days ---- truth! Does that make me a bad mom ---- maybe?! Or just a really tired one! As excited as I am about back to school I'm just as scared and nervous. I was doing fine until I started filling out all of the medical forms --- yes, the same ones that I filled out last year. The diabetes ones are exhausting ----

Medication Request Forms
Diabetes Management Plan
Insulin Pump Physician Orders
Authorization for Administration of Diabetes Management and Care Services by Unlicensed Diabetes Care Assistant ---- what the what??
Section 504

The list seems to go on and on . . .

I find the 504 pretty easy --- cut and dry. You will allow this and will not do this. The management plan is the one that is so hard. I find it incredibly difficult to plan out how to treat diabetes! When does diabetes ever stick to the given plan?

Here is what I have come up with for Super Nate:

Diabetes Management (Care Plan) for Nate
Our basic plan for care.

Diabetes Cheat Sheet
I have these laminated and hanging on the wall of any area Nate will be in during school

Section 504
Nate attends a public pre-school within our school district so he qualifies for a Section 504

Lanyard Tags
These are hanging on Nate's diabetes bag that goes with him everywhere
Huge thanks to Heidi at D-Tales for these. HUGE HIT!!

Section 504 Information
I created this document to hand out at our last OmniPod meet and greet

I could not have done any of this without these great bloggers ---- Mommy bloggers are the best! Thank you, Ladies for blazing the trail and making it so much easier for the rest of us.

www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/504/

www.theprincessandthepump.com/p/school-stuff.html

www.sweet2thesoul.blogspot.com/p/school-504-plan-docs.html

www.betabuddies.blogspot.com/p/home-made-documents-for-education-of.html

www.candyheartsblog.com/p/sugars-504-plan.html

www.diabetes-tales.com/p/school-stuff.html

For Super Sweet Sophie and living with Crohn's Disease here is what I've come up with to keep her safe, healthy and happy while at school:

Section 504

Sophie attends a public elementary school so she qualifies for a Section 504

Crohn's Care Plan

We give this to all of Sophie's teachers and in the substitute teacher file

I'm still working on updating the documents for 2012-13 so if you think of anything that I'm missing --- give me a shout!

Keep Calm and 504 on . . . .

Quick Sticks Winner

noreply@blogger.com (LaLa) — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 14:23:00 +0000

Thank you all so much for entering to win the Quick Sticks drawing, Facebooking about it, Tweeting about it and liking the Quick Sticks Facebook page. I hope you all also checked out the Quick Sticks website and signed up for a free sample of Quick Sticks. Most importantly I hope you or your kiddos will love them as much as Nate does!

I let Random.org pick the winner this morning.

And the winner is . . . .

Entry #4

Alexis Nicole from Chronicles of D-Boy and Ribbon

Thank you all again for entering and check back next month because Quick Sticks is going to allow me to give away another Quick Sticks package including the following items:

Here's what you will WIN:

A box of Sour Apple Quick Sticks
A box of Watermelon Quick Sticks
(12 Sticks per Box)
A Quick Sticks Drawstring Bag
A Quick Sticks T Shirt
A Quick Sticks Wrist Band

Congratulations, Alexis!!

See you all (hopefully) again next month!

Quick Sticks Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (LaLa) — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 19:10:00 +0000

It has been a long time since I've given anything away so I thought (probably out loud to myself), what the heck, Laura Leigh ---- let's give something away! So, I asked my good friends at Quick Sticks if I could give away their product and they were kind enough to say YES!

The above picture was taken a few weeks ago while I was working with the awesome Quick Sticks team at Camp Sweeney. They let me tell Nate's story and help give away goodies!

I think I've posted on Facebook a couple of times about how much Nate loves these but nothing is ever official until it's on THE BLOG!

So . . . Hey . . . Nate loves these!

LOVES THEM! And . . . so do both girls!

Here's the deets:

Imagine no more oversized pills, warm liquid drinks, or gel tubes that leave a gooey mess. Quick Sticks are designed to be easily carried and are perfect for adults and children on the go!

Gluten Free
230% of recommended daily Vitamin C
10 Grams of CARBS per stick
Mother and Kid approved!
Durable packaging
No water needed! Pour right into your mouth

Quick Sticks are easy to use and dissolve quickly! Just tear open the Quick Stick and pour directly into your mouth. Enjoy a quick boost of glucose. It’s that simple!

They come in 2 flavors --- Sour Apple and Watermelon

Here's what you will WIN:

A box of Sour Apple Quick Sticks
A box of Watermelon Quick Sticks
(12 Sticks per Box)
A Quick Sticks Drawstring Bag
A Quick Sticks T Shirt
A Quick Sticks Wrist Band

Here's the Rules:

To enter: Post a comment before midnight on Sunday, July 8th. Please be sure to include your 1^st name. Comments without names will be eliminated.

To earn extra entries...

-Tweet about this post and leave another comment.

- Facebook about this post and leave an additional comment.

- Like the Quick Sticks Facebook Page (be sure to tell them I sent you) and leave an additional comment.

Winner will be selected via random.com on Monday, July 9th.
Winner's name will be posted here on this blog.

After winner's name is posted, winner will have 48 hours to send a message to me at houstonwehaveaproblemblog@gmail.com

If I do not hear from the winner within 48 hours, I will select a new winner.

Here's the Luck:

GOOD LUCK!!!

Also, if you don't want to wait for the contest to end . . . go to the Quick Sticks website by clicking here and sign up for for a free sample!

Here's the Disclosure:

**Disclosure: I.AM.NOT.A.DOCTOR. Anything I say should not be taken as medical advice. I am just a crazy, sleep deprived D Mama doing the best I can!!

In addition, I have not been compensated in any way by Quick Sticks to write this post. I do not work for Quick Sticks nor do I get paid to promote their products. Quick Sticks has simply been awesome enough to offer their goods for this giveaway.

Finding Laura . . . More than a D Mom

noreply@blogger.com (LaLa) — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 22:56:00 +0000

If you are a faithful follower of HWHAP then you may have been wondering where I've been lately but then again maybe not so much. Maybe you could care less. Or if you are on Facebook you probably know exactly where I have been because I post there like every 5 minutes.

That's funny ---- Right?

Anyway when I started this blog it was an outlet for me to discuss the wide array of emotions I was going through after Nate was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and then Sophie with Crohn's disease. I'm never afraid to keep it real and let people know exactly how I am feeling. I have certainly been through some tough times over the past couple of years. I am not sure that I have handled any of it with dignity or grace but at the time I really didn't care ---- survival was my only goal.

Reading back over some of my posts I still feel every bit of the sadness, anger and frustration that I was feeling at the time that each post was written. I remember vividly the sadness, the feeling of loss, frustration and anger. At times I did allow myself to get wrapped up in each and every one of those emotions.

I truly believe I went from being what I like to describe as a full-time, stay-at-home, want-to-be-perfect mom to a D-mom and then a D/C-Mom. I was no longer a woman, a wife, a daughter, a sister or a friend. All I could be at the time was a mom to 2 chronically ill children (we won't even talk about how bad I feel for Ms. Emma). I felt overwhelmed and sad ---- some days I still do but for the most part something has changed over the last 6-months or so. I am still a stay at home mom and a D/C-mom but I have found me again. I am no longer trying to be the perfect mom, the perfect D-mom or perfect C-mom . . . is there really such thing? I am just me . . . a woman, wife (yes, still married), a daughter, a sister, and a friend. I am funny, silly, sarcastic (I actually speak sarcasm fluently), kind of bitchy, and rather snarky. I have found that getting away from my littles occasionally is actually good for my mothering abilities . . . when I don't escape often enough I can lose my shit FAST!

In March I started running and working out again. It is my all about me time. I love to run --- it clears my mind and lets me leave diabetes and Crohn's behind when I know my littles are in the capable hands of someone that I trust. I am back down to my pre-Emma pregnancy weight and it feels really, really good. I've also started reading again which I was passionate about before Nate's diagnosis. After his dx I felt too overwhelmed and exhausted to let myself escape in a book. Not any more! I can't believe I am going to admit this but I read all three 50 Shades of Grey books (go ahead and laugh) and am now reading a funny book by Chelsea Handler given to me by a friend (or maybe it was a loaner --- not sure --- will have to check on that?).

I think through my experiences with 2 life changing diagnoses I have learned empathy, compassion and understanding. I've never wanted sympathy ever and I don't believe that others do either so I try to help others in need, even if it is just an understanding nod or compassionate look. I never want anyone to think that because his or her child doesn't require the same amount of care that mine do that their child's illness is any less important to me. It's not. I want to help! I want to understand! I want to be there!

Well, except for this one post I read recently by some woman that went on and on and on about how stoic and strong she was because she was able to get through some random surgery her son had to have and then he ate a flower or a rock or something and she freaked out ---- it was weird and I had no sympathy or emapthy for her whatsoever. It was the most ridiculous thing I'd read in a while. To her I did actually want to shout . . . HEY ---- COME OVER HERE AND WALK A MILE IN MY FLIP-FLOPS, DRAMA MAMA!

I know I should be more empathetic of the rock mom but geeeez can you imagine her living my bloody and crappy life? She would crumble FO SHO. I could actually link to 100 diagnosis stories that are 100X worse than what that woman went through and each and every one of the mom's I have read about were stoic and graceful through the most horrifying diagnosis stories --- most much worse than what I have gone through.

How did I get off on that? Clearly needed to get that off of my chest.

I read this recently on a blog I came across recently and loved it . . .

Don’t judge me. You couldn’t handle half what I’ve been through. As a matter of fact, most would crumble just watching my life play out. There’s a reason I do what I do. There’s a reason I am who I am. Until you live my story, please just pay attention to your own.

--- Stolen from Diary of a Sick Girl.

So, back to me. That's what it's all about . . . in my mind anyway.

I am still devoted to my children, dedicated to caring for their needs and I will never stop hoping for a cure.

I will allow myself the breaks that I need to keep my sanity and not allow one ounce of guilt to seep into my mind while I am taking said breaks --- whether it be running, working out, hanging out with my girlfriends or even escaping to the solitude of my closet to enjoy a glass of wine in peace (yes, that makes me a closet drinker!).

I feel like I have survived ---- I am still surviving --- my life isn't any easier all of the sudden it's just that I have accepted that this is my life. I've embraced my new normal and I am no longer angry about it. Don't get me wrong I can still get mad at diabetes and Crohn's when I am in the midst of dealing with either one but I think I have finally learned to live by the words that I post here so often . . .

Keep Calm and Carry On.

OmniParty Invitation

noreply@blogger.com (LaLa) — Wed, 30 May 2012 16:21:00 +0000

Join us for an OmniParty

_________________________________________

Saturday June 2^nd 3:00-5:00 pm

Top Golf Allen

1500 Andrews Pkwy

Allen, TX 75002

(75 & Stacy Rd)

Dealing with Illness and Diabetes Management

· Sick day management

· Hospitalization protocol

· DKA prevention

Guest Speakers:

Suzanne Weldon RD, LD, CDE (Adult) & Angie Burris RN, CDE (Pediatric)

Our purpose is to create a community of people with diabetes, In order to allow patients and families already on a pump or those interested in learning more to:

· Make connections

· Be supported & support others

· Get information

· Be inspired & encouraged

· Spread the word about the benefits of pump therapy

Almost everyone who has or deals with diabetes knows someone else with diabetes who could benefit from an OmniParty. Make a difference and invite them to come.

Please RSVP to: Paul Legg at plegg@insulet.com

Sponsored by:

Type One Family Network (TOFN)

The Houston Family will be there . . . will you?

Day 7 - D-Blog Week - Wildcard Hero

noreply@blogger.com (LaLa) — Mon, 21 May 2012 03:19:00 +0000

Click for the Diabetes Hero - Sunday 5/20 Link List.
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 Creativity Wildcard Link List.
Creativity comes in all shapes and forms, so take this where ever it leads you. Write a diabetes poem. Create some D-Art. Record a vlog. Write a diabetes song parody. Scrapbook, collage, sew, knit, crochet . . . . use your favorite creative outlet to create a diabetes project!

It's kind of a combo or 2 for the price of one deal . . .

Obviously, it goes without saying that Nate is my Diabetes Hero and I've written about that many, many times. I honestly do not think I could have diabetes ----- I'm a total wimp! He is so totally amazing and strong and awesome and brave and super adorable!

See ---- total diabetes hero.

For the creativity part I thought I would share this video I made back in 2010 not even a year after Nate's diagnosis. If I made one today which I should have done for this post but didn't have the time. It would be to a much more upbeat song --- maybe . . . The Fighter by Gym Class Heroes or something bad ass like that.

Nonetheless, here is the super sad, going to make you cry video I made for our JDRF Super Nate walk team in 2010:

Enjoy!

Day 6 - D-Blog Week - Diabetes & Me

noreply@blogger.com (LaLa) — Mon, 21 May 2012 03:15:00 +0000

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

Diabetes has changed me. I'm not sure if it has made be better or worse but I do know it has made me stronger.

_______________________________________________________________________________

I was going to just post the above picture but while looking for something else I found the below picture that I posted back in 2010 and it seems fitting for this post . . .

Day 5 - D-Blog Week - Diabetes Hurts

noreply@blogger.com (LaLa) — Sat, 19 May 2012 04:30:00 +0000

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

To learn a lot --- I mean a whole lot about living with type 1 click the link list above and read some of the other blogs participating in D Blog Week. Lots & lots of good information being posted today.

There is a ton I would like to educate the general public on about type 1 but today I am just going to remind those not living with type 1 diabetes . . . that diabetes hurts.

I think people forget because Nate doesn't flinch when I check his sugar that there is still a little needle poking him until he bleeds ---- he may be used to it but that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt. And we do it 12-15 times a day. So far today we've actually done it 20 times!!

UGH --- picture proof. No judging on the WAY CRAZY numbers we've been having lately!

19 bs checks TODAY on the PDM and 1 on meter (see video below)

That's a lot of BS!
School days Nate gets checked more than other days

Our 90 day number is 1,111 on the PDM alone

Now that is really a lot of BS!

Also, very few people in my real life actually see Nate getting his pod changed. We change it every 2 - 3 days (sometimes more frequently) and he hates it. I've posted videos for my readers before of Nate's pod changes. They are hard to watch. After 2 years, 2 months and 18 days Nate still cries almost every single time we change his pod.

Diabetes Hurts.

The littles and I decided to make a couple of silly videos about checking Nate's sugar and then tonight was pod change night so we made a video of that as well.

SUGAR CHECK

POPPING BALLOONS

TODAY'S POD CHANGE

DECEMBER 2011 POD CHANGE

AUGUST 2010 POD CHANGE

I want everyone to know a lot of things about living with type 1 diabetes but I think the one thing I want you to remember today is that DIABETES HURTS. If you think it is just a physical pain you would be mistaken. That is my son, my baby in those videos. I do that to him every few days. Diabetes hurts Nate but it hurts me and the rest of our family too.

Keep Calm and Pod Change On . . .

Day 4 - D-Blog Week - Give Me What I Want!

noreply@blogger.com (LaLa) — Fri, 18 May 2012 01:40:00 +0000

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

This is going to be really easy for me. There are a million things I wish we had to help deliver insulin, check and monitor blood sugar and/or something that would do both simultaneously while sending all of that data to my iPhone for me to review and approve.

Really though there is no imaginary device that can take the place of what I really want for Nate and for all of my friends living with diabetes. What I want more than anything is a cure.

If you know me at all you know that I don't sit around waiting for a cure, or blah blah blahing about a cure or most importantly filling my children's heads with thoughts of a cure coming soon.

But if I'm going to be honest ---- it really is what I want the most.

Keep Calm and D-Blog Week On . . .

Day 3 - D-Blog Week - Room for Improvement

noreply@blogger.com (LaLa) — Thu, 17 May 2012 01:01:00 +0000

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

Well-- Well . . . since I said I totally rock diabetes yesterday I guess today I must confess to a few things that I could improve.

1) Changing of the Lancet --- Seriously cannot tell you the last time this happened. I know - I suck!

2) Washing of the Poking Finger --- I'm really bad about just wiping Nate's finger on my shirt and calling it clean. I know - GROSS!

3) Stressing over the Highs --- Oh yes, highs stress me out far more than lows. I get seriously stressed out and rage bolus the crap out of them. I know - Relax

4) Diabetes in the House --- I think the worst thing that I do is put Nate's diabetes on everyone in the house. I strongly believe that it is a family disease --- we all live with it but I sometimes put too much of it on Emma and Sophie. The only example I can think of right now is that Emma wants to get her ears pierced which I am ok with -- sort of. But, the latest trend is to get numbing cream from the doctor (EMLA) before going to get them pierced so they won't feel it. I say NO WAY! Nate's fingers get poked 12-15 times a day, he gets his pod changed every 2-3 days and Dexcom every 7-14. NO STINKIN WAY am I letting my daughters get numbing cream for an elective poking of the ears. I wonder if I would even care if Nate didn't have diabetes? I know - I'm a meanie!

I could go on and on but I think we were only supposed to focus on one.

Keep calm and D-Blog Week On . . .

Day 2 - D-Blog Week - I Rock this Job

noreply@blogger.com (LaLa) — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:16:00 +0000

Click for the One Great Thing - Tuesday 5/15 Link List.
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!

This weekend I was chatting with a friend's husband and while eating one my of super delicious chocolate chip cookies he asked me the following question:

Besides making awesome cookies, what other talents do you have?

I had no answer. I seriously don't really do anything well. I have no talents! I didn't play sports growing up, or dance or do gymnastics. I don't paint or draw. I really have no talents whatsoever. Sad, I know. I couldn't think of anything that I do well.

Then when I was trying to think of a diabetes thing that I do spectacularly for this post and it came to me.

That's what I do.

Diabetes.

I do it all well.

Don't get me wrong ---- I'm far from a perfect pancreas but I think I balance it all so well that most of my friends forget what all I deal with on daily/nightly basis.

I think they forget that I check Nate's sugar 12-15 times per day, they don't realize that I have to make critical decisions to his well being at every single check, I change his insulin pump every 2-3 days (hell, I think 1/2 of them think the pod just sticks on his arm with the sticky tape ---- FYI --- there's a very large needle that inserts a ---- oh good hell never mind!), I do a lot of math, I am accountable for everything that he puts into his mouth, the list goes on and on.

What I do --

What I do spectacularly is . . .

that I make it all seem NORMAL and OK and EASY and like it is NO BIG DEAL.

I'm actually quite pleased that I've gotten to a place after almost 3 years where I can make it all look easy.

It's not easy. It is hard. It is exhausting. It is frustrating. It is bloody. It is painful. It is total and complete suckage at times. But I am glad that I make it look easier than all of that.

Here's how it really is for me and for all of moms raising children with diabetes ---

A beautiful post written by my friend and fellow D Mom, Meri from Our Diabetic Life

We are the D Mothers

We are called D Moms. D Mamas. Even Type 3's.

Sometimes we get a bad rap.

~We're too "intense."

~We worry too much.

~We are overbearing.

~We over think.

~We over react.

~We over manage.

And I only have one thing to say about all of that...

You are probably right.

I want to tell you that if you are a parent, you can understand.

But that is not true.

I want to tell you that if you have diabetes yourself, you can understand.

But that is not true either...just as I will never fully understand your diabetic life,

you will never fully understand mine.

The only way you would understand what goes on in the swelly brain of a D Mama,

is if you were a D Mama yourself.

We are special. Chosen for our story, as you were chosen for yours.

We are fighters, and we will fight until our last breath to keep our children safe.

New technologies like fast acting insulin and insulin pumps provide keys for better management, but they also provide a clear and present danger at all times.

We have to be vigilant.

We look into the eyes of our children and we love them with a bright tenderness. We want more than anything for them to live a life free from restrictions, free from prejudice, free from complications, free from emergency rooms and hospitals.

We feel a responsibility well beyond any bounds of normalcy. We do not want to live a life of regrets. One day we will need to look into the eyes of our adult Type 1 Children and we want more than anything to say...

"I did my best."

The mothers of Type 1's spend every day racked with guilt. Every blood sugar number pierces our heart. We feel responsible for every high and every low.

An argument can be made that diabetes is responsible for every one of those numbers, but in our eyes...whether a reasonable notion or not, we feel they are a reflection of our efforts.

We may not always admit it to you, or to ourselves...but we take those numbers personally.

The A1C isn't called the mommy report card for nothing.

We do not sleep. That is a choice. We choose to keep a close eye on the numbers while the world takes a break. We don't take breaks. We know that waking up with a off number can domino to the rest of the day.

We know that pancreases sputter.

We know the soccer game from 5 hours earlier can affect the nighttime numbers.

(Yet we urge them to play.)

We know that Pizza can wreak havoc hours after consumption, and we know that Chinese food for dinner means a sleepless night for us.

(Yet we delight in serving them their favorites anyway.)

We know that diabetes never sleeps. That is why we don't either.

We know that a 200 can turn into a 52 in 30 minutes flat.

We know that on field trip days our children may spike with excitement, or bottom out from activity.

We know nothing is for sure.

So we check, and constantly ask our children how they are feeling...and we hover...watching every move...looking for changes in our children's faces...changes in their gait...tiny beads of sweat on the back of their necks...we know the signs of lows. We know our children better than anyone else.

We love hard.

We try hard.

We cry hard.

We hug hard.

We hope hard.

We stress hard.

We are hard on ourselves.

We are D mamas.

Don't judge us because we fret over the details. To us...Our Diabetic Life is all about the details.

We are 100% responsible for the well being of children we love more than anything on this blessed green earth.

No, we will not back off.

No, we will not calm down.

No, we will not stop making noise.

As mothers, we know that our children are special. Diabetes makes them stronger. It makes them resilient, responsible, amazing. It gives them a sense of humor. It makes them grow up too fast, and let's them spread their wings too slow.

We wish we could take away the pain.

We wish it were us.

We are warriors.

We are D Moms.

Hear. Us. Roar.

I love Ms. Meri ---- she does the making it look easy spectacularly well too! What can I say . . . I learned from the very best!

Keep calm and D-Blog Week On ---

DO IT!

Day 1 - Diabetes Blog Week - Find a Friend

noreply@blogger.com (LaLa) — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:54:00 +0000

Day 1 --- Find a Friend

Click for the Find A Friend - Monday 5/14 Link List.
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 today!

Day 1 - Topic 1 and I am already having problems. Excellent. The problem? I've been so busy I've all but stopped reading blogs. I know ---- it totally sucks. I miss it!

I am sure all of my PWD bloggy friends already read this blog but I'm not sure if all of my D-Mama bloggy friends do . . . so I thought I would make the introduction. Melissa of Sweetly Voiced is not only one of my friends that lives inside of my computer she's actually a friend in real life!!

She lives super close, we have met lots of times and I absolutely adore her. I love reading her blog and I love sitting down and discussing diabetes with her. She has taught me a ton and she always has such an interesting twist on things. I always leave the conversations thinking . . .
hmmmm . . . I never would have thought of that. Genius! Plus after I wrote this post ---> The Sh*t that is Crohn's Disease which has some serious foul language in it she left the best comment ever (I hope she doesn't get mad at me for posting):

God, Laura. I love you. I'm going to hug the f*ck out of you when I see you this week.

The greatest part of the comment is that she actually did it ---- she hugged the F*CK out of me and I loved it. I love her and I love her blog so get the F*CK out out of here and go check out Sweetly Voiced.

Keep Calm and D-Blog Week On . . .

Insulin Overload --- what could have been a fatal mistake

noreply@blogger.com (LaLa) — Tue, 08 May 2012 11:52:00 +0000

in·su·lin/ˈinsələn/

Noun:

A hormone produced in the pancreas by the islets of Langerhans that regulates the amount of glucose in the blood. The lack of insulin...
An animal-derived or synthetic form of this substance used to treat diabetes.

Insulin . . . such an important part of my life today. The small vial of insulin that I pick up at my local CVS pharmacy each month literally keeps my son, Nate alive each day. Without his insulin pump, the OmniPod infusing insulin into his body 24 hours a day/7 days a week Nate would not be able to live.

I've said it many times the scariest part of Nate's T1 is that the very same insulin that keeps him alive and healthy can actually cause extreme hypoglycemia which could lead to a coma, brain damage or death. It's a very, very fine line.

The insulin isn't magic and Nate's pump isn't magic . . . although that would be really nice. Jim and I have to calculate each dose of insulin that Nate receives through his pump. It is a non-stop, never-ending, always-changing job that keeps us on our toes at all times.

Mistakes are not an option when it comes to insulin.

That being said . . . Saturday the 5th of May, 2012 a monumental mistake was made and it could have been fatal. I'm not saying this to be dramatic ---- it is a fact! If we had not realized what we had done --- the mistake that was made ---- it would have been fatal.

Most of my readers know that Jim and I are going through a divorce, he works out of state most of the time and I handle most of Nate's diabetes care. Jim can do everything that I can do --- he's just not here most of the time so the every day ins and outs of D care are mine. Nate has been pumping with the OmniPod for over 2 years now and I can probably count on one hand the number of insulin injections I've had to give Nate from a syringe. In that same time Jim has not had to give Nate any injections via syringe.

So, Saturday was a rare day for us. Jim was in town, it was his weekend with the littles but he had a ton of work to do so I volunteered to hang around and help out so he could get it all done. Yea . . . pretty much I had nothing else to do all weekend so you know --- I was nice. :)

I decided to take the kids hiking Saturday afternoon and at the last minute Jim decided to take a break from work and tag along. I was actually happy he decided to go. As much as I love hiking with the littles --- it can be a bit challenging solo.

As we were hiking Nate's pod fell off and being the stellar D Mama that I am I didn't have another one with me (I always have an extra or 2 with me EXCEPT for when I actually need one). I wasn't worried at all during the hike because he stays in range with the help of a lot of carbo boosting along the way. After our very long, hot and dirty hike we decided to grab a bite to eat and instead of doing a pod change we decided to just give Nate an injection to bolus for dinner. No. Big. Deal. Except it turned out to be a VERY. BIG. DEAL.

We SWAGGED dinner and decided that Nate needed about 1.25 units of insulin. Jim drew up the insulin and was handling giving Nate the injection while I took the girls to the restroom. As I was leaving the table I could tell that Nate wasn't too thrilled about a shot so I decided to grab the syringe and give the shot in Nate's arm really fast while Jim was distracting him. I never even looked at the syringe just picked it up, stuck it in, and pushed down on the plunger. As soon as I did I knew something was very, very wrong. I asked Jim how much insulin he put in the syringe and he very confidently answered 1.25 units. I asked him to show me on the syringe because I knew . . . I knew by the feel that I had never given that much insulin before. When he showed me on the syringe he pointed somewhere between the 10 unit line and the 15 unit line and my knees went weak. He thought the 10 was 1.0 and the 15 was 1.5.

I actually felt the blood drain from my face and I saw the look of absolute fear in Jim's eyes when I told him what we had done.

We gave Nate 12 units of FAST ACTING APIDRA.

To date Nate's largest bolus has been 4 units and that made him bottom out. His current total daily insulin intake is around 11 units per day. 12 units of fast acting insulin in my 3 year old son was a fatal dose and we kind of freaked the F out.

The part that scared us both the most is that if I had not decided to turn around and help with the shot Jim would have never known that he gave Nate 12 units of fast acting insulin. The what ifs and the what could have beens were pretty overwhelming.

I usually handle all things diabetes pretty calmly --- I avoid the hospital like the plague when it comes to Nate and diabetes. I'm pretty cocky . . . always thinking ---- I got this. This time I was ready to go straight to the ER --- I was pretty scared. I stayed calm and Jim and I very calmly and quietly discussed our options. We were soon overwhelmed when we realized Nate's dinner time insulin to carb ration (I:C) is 1:30. That means he only gets 1 unit of insulin for 30g of carbs eaten. That meant we need to feed Nate 360 grams of carbs to keep him safe. CRAP! I did call the on call endo at Children's but she said 'just give him some ice cream' . . . ummmmmmm ok!

Jim and I decided we could handle it and it would be more traumatic for Nate if we took him to ER for glucose drip. So, we began the carbo overload right there at Uncle Julios! We started with regular Coke --- 2 glasses, ordered sopapillas with extra honey & ice cream. When we left the restaurant we stopped and picked up a few treats . . .

Jim kept up with carbs on paper and I kept up with my iPhone calculator.

I kept adding to my calculator each time we convinced Nate to eat something else. I like this picture because if you look closely at the top you can see a message from Lexi was coming in to check on me. I absolutely loved the way the D moms and dads, family and friends rallied around us Saturday night. Every text message, phone call and FB message seriously kept us going and kept us encouraged enough to know that we would be able to get through one of the scariest nights of our lives.

And no . . . Nate didn't eat GaGa . . . she brought cookies and treat over for him to eat so I guess instead of writing all of those things down he just wrote GaGa. :)

Nate's blood sugar hovered between 90 and 159 all evening. It would drop, we would feed, drop and feed, drop and feed. We ended up finally giving 270g of carbs and 2 mini glucagon (4 units each) and he never dropped below 90 not even when the Apidra peaked.

When we finally saw his bg rising later that night we put a pod on and started his basal again. He ended up pretty high after the pod change but after the long night that we had . . . I was so ok with it!

Oh yea - - - did I mention that 270g of carbs had Nate bouncing off the walls? He was CrAzY!

As per usual all pics were taken with my iPhone so please excuse the terrible color and all that blah blah blah!

Nate was in carb heaven . . . he and the girls never knew the severity of the situation or really that there was a situation at all. They just enjoyed munching on candy, coke and ice cream all night.

We kept calm and carbed on!

The Sh*t that is Crohn's Disease

noreply@blogger.com (LaLa) — Tue, 01 May 2012 02:14:00 +0000

On Monday, April 9th Sophie was admitted to Children's Hospital of Dallas for the 2nd time in less than a year for her Crohn's Disease.

Looking back now I try make it less horrific than it was but it is still too fresh in my mind to be forgotten. Sometimes time makes it better, sometimes it does not and in this case I'm pretty sure it will stick with me for quite a while.

How did we get there?

On the 29th of February Sophie had her 3rd colonoscopy in less than 2 years --- you can read about it here. The days before the procedure required a special diet and fasting. During that time we took Sophie off of the steroids she has been on for 2 years and her Imuran (azathioprine). After the scope her diagnosis was officially changed from Ulcerative Colitis to Crohn's Disease and we made the decision to keep her off of steroids and Imuran and move forward with a new treatment plan of Remicade as soon as possible. Unfortunately, Sophie was diagnosed with Strep twice and then Scarlet Fever in just over a months time. Each illness required antibiotics which always helps tremendously but each time caused her to have C-Diff. Each time delaying further our being able to start her Remicade treatment.

So, without the steroids Sophie got very sick very fast. It's hard for me not to use a lot of curse words when I type out this post. So, I think I will start now. Some people believe that people that curse are uneducated and/or can't think of more appropriate words to use. I disagree, I believe sometimes situations such as these call for a lot of cursing 1) to portray how strongly I despise fucking Crohn's 2) to explain how truly fucking horrific this damn disease can be and 3) sometimes it makes me feel better just to fucking cuss! You have been warned!

Thank you, Alexis for this awesome picture!

By the time Sophie was admitted to the hospital she was having 12-15 bloody stools a day. Really, she was just pooping blood but there wasn't that much poop involved at that point. Along with losing massive amounts of blood, she was having sever stomach cramps and pain, was dehydrated and her hemoglobin level was 7.3 (if I remember correctly). It was fucking bad! She felt terrible and as her mommy I was just emotionally overwhelmed watching her suffer.

Jim left town Monday morning and Sophie was admitted that afternoon. Although friends and family offered to go with me to the hospital I thought sure I could handle it alone. I dropped Nate off with my parents and had a friend pick up Em from school and Sophie and I headed to Dallas. Just hours after arriving I felt overwhelmed. Emotionally and physically. The IV team couldn't seem to get the IV into her vien which caused a lot of tears and screaming, the constant trips with Sophie to the bathroom where I was literally holding her up on the toilet all while maneuvering her around with an IV, and heart monitor, plus feeling for the 1st time that I was totally alone with Sweet Sophie and her stupid, evil Crohn's Disease was pretty damn tough.

Luckily, starting on evening 1 friends and family started streaming in which was a nice distraction for both me and for Sophie. I literally would have not eaten or had anything to drink if it had not been for my friends and family bringing in food, diet coke and coffee for me. With it just being me and the Doodle I was pretty much at her bedside the entire time and could not or would not leave her unless someone else was there with her.

Instead of trying to remember each day I am going to import my Facebook statuses from each day as that was my main form of communication with everyone. Which saved my sanity because I could not have given each and every person their own update so here we go . . .

Monday, April 9 at 4:36pm

Checking in Sophie Doodle. Blood work needed - possible transfusion and lots of meds. Her labs came back very bad. She's a sick little little. :( — at Children's Medical Center.

Tuesday, April 10 at 3:10am via mobile

I always forget how completely impossible it is to sleep here. — at Children's Medical Center.

Tuesday, April 10 at 11:53am

Quick update. Sophie is enjoying some music therapy right now which has cheered her up a bit. She has not been able to eat since last night so she is a bit grumpy. She will go under for a scope today at 1:30. We are hoping that the infection in her colon is not too bad and that her current antibiotics will clear it quickly and we can still begin her Remicade treatment later this week. — at Children's Medical Center.

Tuesday, April 10 at 2:28pm via mobile

Sophie is back in OR ---- waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting! — with Helen at Childrens Hospital Dallas Tx.

Helen took this photo before they took Sophie back to the OR:

Tuesday, April 10 at 11:31pm near Dallas, TX via mobile

Sophie update --- we are awaiting biopsies from scope today and hoping the IV antibiotics are clearing her infection so that we can go forward with her Remicade infusion (possibly) Friday. The infusion is scheduled to take about 4 hours. We will make final decision on blood transfusion tomorrow. Sweets is a sick little little --- she's lost 5lbs and feels pretty yucky. Thank you all for all of the thoughts and prayers. I'm overwhelmed and still full of HOPE. ♥

Wednesday, April 11 at 8:09am via mobile

There are so many things I would change about CMC (not complaining at all) ---- the 1st one would be to add Starbucks delivery to each room for the sleepy mommies! — at Children's Medical Center.

Wednesday, April 11 at 4:28pm

Sophie update: potassium and hemoglobin levels are both down. She is now getting potassium through her IV along with antibiotics. Her heart rate is still good so no blood transfusion today. We are still awaiting biopsy results from scope yesterday. Still HOPEful that she can begin Remicade on Friday. — atChildren's Medical Center.

Wednesday night late ---- Jim arrived home and spent the night with Sweet Sophie so that I could get some much needed wine, pizza and rest. :)

Thursday, April 12 at 1:25pm via mobile

Sophie update: Miss Priss is pretty sick today. She's now throwing up and unable to eat. Zofran ordered --- hoping it helps. Biopsies all came back ok so orders have been placed to begin Remicade today. They will give her steroids, Benadryl and Tylenol thru IV to counteract any reaction she may have to the drug. She will be monitored very closely for the entire 4 hours.

Someone this week called me a warrior mom. I like it. But I'm scared to death and hurting for my baby. Working today to keep calm and fight Crohn's.

And because I love and admire Ms. Meri so very much . . . this message meant the world to me.

From one Warrior Mom to another:

Meri postedposted toLaura Williams-DeJulius Houston

Thursday, April 12 at 2:07pm

According to the dictionary Warrior means: A person who shows great vigor or courage. You are a warrior mom, and she is a warrior little. Keep calm and warrior on! Love you!! Shooting prayers your way all the time. ♥

And Thursday afternoon we started Sophie's Remicade infusion around 5:30 or so. Finally.

I was nervous and scared and relieved all at the same time. I cried a lot during the infusion as Sophie lay there sleeping. I didn't help that I repeatedly was reading the black box warning from the FDA ----

Some children, teenagers, and young adults who received infliximab injection or similar medications developed severe or life-threatening cancers including lymphoma (cancer that begins in the cells that fight infection). Some teenage and young adult males who took infliximab or similar medications developed hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma (HSTCL), a very serious form of cancer that often causes death within a short period of time. Most of the people who developed HSTCL were being treated for Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis with infliximab or a similar medication along with another medication called azathioprine (Imuran) or 6-mercaptopurine (Purinethol). Tell your child's doctor if your child has ever had any type of cancer. If your child develops any of these symptoms during his treatment, call his doctor immediately: unexplained weight loss; swollen glands in the neck, underarms, or groin; or easy bruising or bleeding. Talk to your child's doctor about the risks of giving infliximab injection to your child.

Finally, Jim took my iPad away. Our decision was made, the infusion had begun and we hoped for the best.

Thursday, April 12 at 10:04pm

Sophie update: We are done. We survived round one!! Sophie slept through the entire infusion. Her blood pressure dropped scary low but they slowed down the infusion and it came back up. She's not feeling great but she is resting again now. I'm totally drained. Ducking Frohn's.

Thank you again for all of the thoughts and prayers. ♥

Helen Posted:

Friday, April 13 at 10:10am

Tired mama and spirited Doodle — with Laura Williams-DeJulius Houston at Children's Medical Center.

Friday, April 13 at 5:20pm via mobile

Hospital cafeteria sushi ---- good idea or bad idea? At least I'm in ... the hospital already! Oof.

And for the record . . . it was a very bad idea.

Friday, April 13 at 4:05pm via mobile

Sophie is so excited and suddenly feeling better!!! Some wonderful friends sent her JULIE --- an American Girl doll.

Friday, April 13 at 6:15pm via mobile

Sophie is BORED!!

Friday, April 13 at 8:25pm via mobile

Sophie update: tonight Sophie is running a fever (currently 102), severe headache and feeling nauseous. We are about to do a blood culture to check for an infection in her blood. She's pretty sickly and very upset about the 3rd blood draw of the day. :(

Saturday, April 14 at 8:46am via mobile

Sophie update: Fever is down with help from Tylenol. Her headache feels better and so does her tummy. She was up a couple of times over night. Overall showing signs of improvement. Still awaiting test results. As always thank you all for the love, prayers and support. ♥

Saturday, April 14 at 2:23pm via mobile

Slept, showered, and ate. Now back with the Doodle — at Children's Medical Center.

Saturday, April 14 at 3:18pm via mobile

Sophie is SO HAPPY!!!
The hospital bed provides tons of entertainment for 6-year olds!!!

Saturday, April 14 at 3:57pm via mobile

OMG ---- we are out of here. 150% Improvement!!

Saturday, April 14 at 6:13pm via mobile

Sophie & her friend John with all of her loot. :)

Jim and I loaded up the Doodle and headed home to get the other littles.

Once home we REALLY realized how much STUFF Sophie had accumulated over the 6 days in the hospital.

The Remicade worked quickly and Sophie is feeling much better. The Crohn's symptoms are almost gone but we are dealing with a few side effects from the Remicade. We went in today for her 2nd infusion. I'll post about that experience tomorrow.

I am at this point very grateful for the quick healing effects of the Remicade but somewhat still pissed off in general that I've had to make a decision to put my sweet child on such a harsh medication at the age of 6. The fear of the black box warning stays in the back of my mind and that my friends, is why Crohn's Disease fucking sucks the big one!

Sometimes Keeping calm and sometimes freaking the fuck out . . .

Finally Feeling HIGH

noreply@blogger.com (LaLa) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 04:20:00 +0000

When Nate was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes all I remember is that his bg was over 500 ---- I'm not sure they ever game me an exact number. In the ped's office they just used a regular glucometer so it probably just said HIGH. The hospital stay is all a blur now so I don't remember the official dx bg.

The 1st year after Nate's diagnosis we saw a lot of high numbers and the word HIGH on the meter frequently. I've read so many times how terrible high blood glucose makes people feel. Stomach aches, vomiting, and sluggish. I've even heard it compared to the worst hangover ever! UGH! --- yea for me that would be a red wine hangover. :) For Nate he has never acted any different. He'd be rocking a high bg and still happy as a clam.

Lately though, things have changed. He now feels his highs (still no hypos). He feels bad. He cries and moans. He tells me his tummy hurts and he is so sluggish. It. Is. Heartbreaking. Last night he went high after a pod change while sleeping and I woke up to him crying and moaning in his sleep. Poor little guy!

I don't know if it is because he is older and becoming more aware of how he is feeling or if because we have tighter control the higher numbers are just feeling bad. Whatever the reason ---- being HIGH sucks!

Keep Calm and RAGE BOLUS!!
Also Ducking Fiabetes!

Miracle

noreply@blogger.com (LaLa) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 04:51:00 +0000

noun

an effect or extraordinary event in the physical world thatsurpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribedto a supernatural cause.

such an effect or event manifesting or considered as a workof God.

a wonder; marvel.

a wonderful or surpassing example of some quality: a miracleof modern acoustics.

Meri and Ryan have set aside tomorrow, Sunday, as a day of fasting and prayer, and they have asked others to join them in asking for a miracle for Ryan.

________________________________________________________________

I enjoy learning about different religions, cultures and beliefs and am very open to the things that I learn. My beliefs may differ from yours. Your prayers may differ from mine. That's ok, sweet friends. Whatever your beliefs, whatever your religion, whatever your culture let's lift the Schuhmacher family up and specifically request a miracle for Ryan. It doesn't matter if you pray it, chant it, or sing it. If prayer isn't your thing send good and healing vibes. Whatever you believe --- whatever you are comfortable with doing, please do it.

This sweet family needs a miracle.

_________________________________________________________________

To follow Ryan's progress and lend support to the family, please visit their "Schuhmacher Family's Miracle" Facebook page here.

Besides the Facebook page, a fund has been established to help with the family’s inevitable expenses. Please consider giving. No amount is too small, and all donations will be deeply appreciated. If you can help in any way, please visit the GiveForward site. Thank you!

________________________________________________________________________

This post is incredibly hard for me to write. I rarely struggle when writing for my own blog about my own family and my own emotions. Tonight as I sit here I just cannot find the right words to convey to you how important this is to me. Meri has not only been there for me but for the entire diabetes community. She is an amazing woman, friend, sister, wife, and mother ---- she is truly one of a kind! Please do not confuse my lack of emotion as me not caring enough to compose a moving post. It's not that at all. It is just the opposite. I am so incredibly overwhelmed with emotion that I just cannot find the words.

Please, please, with everything you have inside . . . ask for a miracle for this family. Share this with your church, synagogue, prayer group, bible study, Sunday school class, friends and acquaintances. Please spread the word about the Schuhmacher Family Miracle request.

Keep Calm and Pray for a Miracle . . . .

There is always HOPE

noreply@blogger.com (LaLa) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 03:59:00 +0000

Today is Nate's 2-year anniversary pumping with OmniPod. I love the fact that Nate started pumping on National Day of Hope!! That is no coincidence, my friends!

After Nate's diagnosis I was in a sad, dark, and confusing place. I felt hopeless. There's no sugar coating it at all here on HWHAP --- I hated diabetes. I hated that Nate had diabetes. I hated that my life was turned upside down. I pretty much hated everything. I was sad and angry. I was HOPELESS.

I'm not going to tell you that the day Nate started pumping everything became ok but it sure as hell helped! I hated life on MDI (Multiple Daily Injections) and OmniPod did give us our freedom back. It has taken 2 years of podding and 2.5 years living with diabetes to say this but there is HOPE back in my life.

Diabetes is something that we live with daily --- it's always there and until there is a cure it will never go away. It's there on Christmas, birthdays, Easter and on vacations. It rears its ugly head at the most inopportune times but it is just part of our life now.

I no longer hate diabetes, I no longer cry at the drop of a hat and I want you to know that although it is different for everyone . . . for me it's taken all this time to be ok. For some people it takes much less time and for others it takes much more time. But today I can proudly say that I am ok. I still want a cure and I still HOPE for one in my lifetime but I don't sit around thinking about it all day ---- we are far too busy living our crazy life.

In July of 2010 I wrote the post --- Why I Still Cry which continues to be one of my most read posts on this blog. I was sad. Read it --- you'll see. I just read it and although this post is about how I don't cry anymore going back to that day in my mind made me tear up. It's ok to cry and it's ok to be sad but believe me at some point it gets better. It doesn't really get easier ---- you get better and things do seem easier.

I still check Nate's blood sugar 10-15 times per day.
I still infuse insulin in his body to keep him alive.
I still don't sleep at night.
I still count carbs and weigh food.

The difference is now I make time for me. I ask for help. I let people know when I need a break.
I allow myself to cry if I need to but then I pick up and move on. It feels good not be be sad and angry anymore.

So, in closing I hope that today on this day of HOPE that by reading through my journey you know that even on the darkest diabetes day there really is light at the end of the tunnel. I can't tell you when you will reach it but I can assure you, sweet friends that it is there. Just because I am no longer in that dark place does not in any way mean that I don't remember those days. I do --- I always will.

I am here for those that are there now, on their way out and finally finding reasons to have HOPE again. XOXO

Emma and Sophie have HOPE

______________________________________________________________________________

2010 Day of HOPE ---- Pump Start Day! HOLLA!

Check out Nate's pump start day ---- Pumping, Good Grief and Hope from 3/1/10

I know you guys have missed the bum shots!!

______________________________________________________________________________

2011 brought our 1-year Pod Anniversary and Day of HOPE

You can read about it ----- here: Super Nate Running on OmniPod for 1 Year

________________________________________________________________________________

And . . . Today!

HOPE

My Hope --- age spots and all!

Daddy has HOPE too!

Nate wouldn't let me write on his hand today so I took pictures of him shoveling ice cream in his mouth for his 2-year Pod Anniversary!

Keep Calm and HOPE On . . .

Keep Calm and Fight Crohn's

noreply@blogger.com (LaLa) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 03:48:00 +0000

Today Jim and I took Super Sweet Sophie to Children's hospital for her 3rd colonoscopy and endoscopy in as many years. Yea - she's 6 and this is just another day in the life. SUCH A TROOPER!

I know everyone thinks their kids are amazing and fantastic and beautiful and perfect but seriously my kid really is amazing and fantastic and beautiful and perfect! Sophie is a ROCK STAR.

Sunday we started a low residue diet with a little Ex-Lax on the side until Tuesday when we went to an all clear liquid diet combined with 32-oz of Miralax in 3 hours followed with an Ex-Lax chaser. That's right the girl didn't have anything but clear liquids all day Tuesday! She didn't complain once. I fasted with her and I was freaking hungry!! We had juice, water, sweet tea, a popsicle and some chicken broth and that's it!

We started the Miralax at 2p and had it complete a little after 5p. That's really hard for an adult to do but sweet Sophie managed to get it done with little complaint. She certainly didn't enjoy it but she did it and I think she is just the bravest little girl I know!

So, back to today . . . we arrived at Children's starving from lack of food but also starving for answers! Sophie has been on steroids for 2 years on and off and for 9-months straight without being able to get off without having severe UC symptoms. She's been on Aziathiaprine for 9-months with various other drugs in the mix along the way. All with no success. We decided to do the scopes today because even on the steroids right now she is losing A LOT of blood each time she goes to the restroom. Her blood work all looks good so we needed to figure out what is going on inside her sweet little body.

After the scope was done we met with Sophie's wonderful doctor and he showed us the the pictures of her colon. The inflamed area has moved from just the left side of her colon to the entire colon in a classic Crohn's Disease pattern. Her diagnosis has officially become Crohn's instead of Ulcerative Colitis. This is something that although we thought would happen eventually was still a very hard pill to swallow.

You can read about the differences between UC and CD here.

Sophie never complains but we have determined that although she thinks she feels ok she has most likely forgotten what good feels like. We need to change that.

At this point in our journey we feel like and Sophie's doctor feels like the only thing that will bring her some relief is to start her on Remicade.

We will get the results of the biopsies next week as well as the result of a TB test that she had to take before starting Remicade. We are hoping that the Remicade is the answer we have been looking for but we are also scared at the same time. It's a big drug to give to such a little girl and the warnings and side effects frankly scare the hell out of us.

Jim and I came together as parents today and made the decision that this is the course of action we need to take, this is what is best for Sophie, and we will have faith that everything will turn out the way it is supposed to turn out. As parents we are often faced with tough decisions and we can only do what we feel is best ---- not ever really knowing what the correct answer is or should be ---- this is certainly one of those times for us.

Keep Calm and Fight Crohn's . . .

Houston . . . We have a PROBLEM!

OmniPod, OmniPod . . . Oh how you disappoint thee!!

Separation Anxiety & Controlling Diabetes

Type One Diabetes Rage

It's her birthday and I will cry if I want to . . .

3 Years Today

vig·i·lant/ˈvijələnt/

Walking for Nate

Super Sweet Sophie - Remicade Update

Back to School

Quick Sticks Winner

Quick Sticks Giveaway

Finding Laura . . . More than a D Mom

OmniParty Invitation

Day 7 - D-Blog Week - Wildcard Hero

Day 6 - D-Blog Week - Diabetes & Me

Day 5 - D-Blog Week - Diabetes Hurts

Day 4 - D-Blog Week - Give Me What I Want!

Day 3 - D-Blog Week - Room for Improvement

Day 2 - D-Blog Week - I Rock this Job

Day 1 - Diabetes Blog Week - Find a Friend

Insulin Overload --- what could have been a fatal mistake

in·su·lin/ˈinsələn/

The Sh*t that is Crohn's Disease

Meri postedposted toLaura Williams-DeJulius Houston

Finally Feeling HIGH

Miracle

mir·a·cle

My friend, Meri from Our Diabetic Life needs our help and I would turn the earth upside down for this woman and her sweet family. She has been an amazing source of support for me since Nate's diagnosis and although we have never met in real life I consider her one of my dearest friends.

Ryan and Meri Schuhmacher have been married for 19 years.

They have four sons, ranging in age from 8 - 16 years of age.

Three of their boys have Type 1 Diabetes.

On February 26, 2012, Ryan was taken to the emergency room for an evaluation of right sided leg numbness/heaviness. The head CT discovered that he has 6 brain tumors. Further testing revealed tumors in his lungs and abdomen as well. Ryan is 40 years old.

There is always HOPE

Keep Calm and Fight Crohn's

Houston . . . We have a PROBLEM!

OmniPod, OmniPod . . . Oh how you disappoint thee!!

Separation Anxiety & Controlling Diabetes

Type One Diabetes Rage

It's her birthday and I will cry if I want to . . .

3 Years Today

vig·i·lant/ˈvijələnt/

Walking for Nate

Super Sweet Sophie - Remicade Update

Back to School

Quick Sticks Winner

Quick Sticks Giveaway

Finding Laura . . . More than a D Mom

OmniParty Invitation

Day 7 - D-Blog Week - Wildcard Hero

Day 6 - D-Blog Week - Diabetes & Me

Day 5 - D-Blog Week - Diabetes Hurts

Day 4 - D-Blog Week - Give Me What I Want!

Day 3 - D-Blog Week - Room for Improvement

Day 2 - D-Blog Week - I Rock this Job

Day 1 - Diabetes Blog Week - Find a Friend

Insulin Overload --- what could have been a fatal mistake

in·su·lin/ˈinsələn/

The Sh*t that is Crohn's Disease

Meri postedposted toLaura Williams-DeJulius Houston

Finally Feeling HIGH

Miracle

mir·a·cle

My friend, Meri from Our Diabetic Life needs our help and I would turn the earth upside down for this woman and her sweet family. She has been an amazing source of support for me since Nate's diagnosis and although we have never met in real life I consider her one of my dearest friends.

Ryan and Meri Schuhmacher have been married for 19 years.

They have four sons, ranging in age from 8 - 16 years of age.

Three of their boys have Type 1 Diabetes.On February 26, 2012, Ryan was taken to the emergency room for an evaluation of right sided leg numbness/heaviness. The head CT discovered that he has 6 brain tumors. Further testing revealed tumors in his lungs and abdomen as well. Ryan is 40 years old.

There is always HOPE

Keep Calm and Fight Crohn's

Three of their boys have Type 1 Diabetes.

On February 26, 2012, Ryan was taken to the emergency room for an evaluation of right sided leg numbness/heaviness. The head CT discovered that he has 6 brain tumors. Further testing revealed tumors in his lungs and abdomen as well. Ryan is 40 years old.