Flying!

We had a great experience flying to Portland. As you can tell from the picture, Ollie was thoroughly amazed. (You can also see hubby's T1D tattoo on his wrist in the 2nd pic).Only kidding, he did enjoy it. He and Doug sat together for the first leg and played games and watched the inflight movie. Emi slept beside me. (These pics were taken 2nd leg- LAX to PDX). We switched kids on the next flight and that's when Ollie fell asleep... Beside me! I must have that effect. (In my defense, they had woken up at 5am, way earlier than usual!) We had no issues with his T1D supplies. The TSA agent at Dulles didn't even bat an eye. The only problem we had was the ice pack didn't stay cold as long as we needed for his new/extra meds and they got warm :/ On the way home, I forgot to tell them what the bag was/had in it, and not one word was said. Seriously, we had more issues with the kids car seats than we did his supplies. Anyway, we did touristy things in Oregon- (Tillamook Cheese Factory)

 attended a wedding (the reason for going out!), 

hung out at the beach house with family and friends

 played on the beach,

Had a bonfire,

(That's my cousin, Andrea- it was her wedding! I hope she doesn't mind this picture of her talking ..)

Moral of the story: don't fear flying or traveling!! We took more supplies than we ever needed, but felt better about traveling. We were prepared with a letter from the Endo but didn't need it. Oh, his sugars were so wacky, (I think due to time change/meal difference) but we just went with the flow. Next time I will come up with a better solution for new, unopened meds.

We had an amazing time! I wish Andrea and April the most amazing life together :)  thanks for sharing your special day with us!!

I'm ecstatic that I got this in the mail -

This was the most challenging semester for me yet. We started clinicals, I missed a week because of DS's T1D diagnosis, and we had a bunch of ups and downs, yet I still had the energy, the time, the drive and the support (especially from my amazing husband and family!) to get on the Dean's List. It may have been by the skin of my teeth, but I did it :)

(If anyone doesn't know, it's for Respiratory Therapy, by the way!)

Yay!

Hey! There's an app for that.... Blogger mobile!!

A1C, the Pool and Vacation

First A1C -
What is A1C? It's a blood level that kind of gives a picture of how blood sugars have been for the past several months. When Ollie was diagnosed, it was over 10. At his first appointment it was 9 something. At his appointment this month, it was 6.6! I've always heard under 7 is great... however, that isn't for a preschooler. It's too low.. who would have thought?? His goal is 7.5-8. He's apparently having lows at night. Have you ever attempted to wake up a sleeping child to force feed them candy or chocolate milk?? No?? Yeah, me either until this year :P

This was Ollie being forced to eat a Starburst. The rest of his appointment went well, however. No changes to his doses or anything.

Next up - the pool.

Any summer activity is a challenge for glucose levels. Happily, he seems to be doing well. We spend a decent amount of time in the water. Yesterday, it thundered (boo!) while we were there and if you've ever been to a public pool you know you have to get out for 15 or so minutes to make sure it doesn't storm. We (we met 2 of my BFFs and their kids there) decided to wait it out and went over to the playground beside it. There was another little boy playing, who I guess asked Ollie about his bracelet. Ollie, being the champ he is said "Oh, it's my bracelet. I can't take it off. I'm diabetes" Well, close kid. Good enough to make this momma proud. I think the kid moved on and didn't question him anymore.

Lastly, vacation. I'm so glad for all my new D friends who have given me so many links and information about traveling. Here's to hoping the Dulles TSA agents don't question us (most people have said they have no issues, possibly a swab of meds to make sure they don't give off a toxic substance or something?) and Ollie holds ok on the plane. We're flying to IAD to LAX, then to PDX (for those non flying people [which I am one of you, I'm just pretending to be in the know because I know these acronyms ;)] that's Dulles (Wash DC) to Los Angeles,CA to Portland, OR). The first flight is the one I'm worried about, because it's the longest at about 5 hours. Thankfully I found out we can take food past security, just not liquid (although, because of the D we probably could, but I don't want to chance it and we CAN buy drinks. It's not a necessity for lows, we have options.) I'm planning on taking several snacks for each kid, along with new activities.

Now, just pray for my sanity and upper arm strength through the airport.

Two months already?!

I missed our 2 month anniversary (which was 4/22)

Eh, not a day I really want to remember over and over anyway! However, looking at it differently - we have survived 2 months! 2 months? It feels like a lifetime. It feels like 2 years some days. I'm starting to feel like an old hat "Oh, you want shrimp, ok, if you take the breading off like normal, it's about 2-3 carbs" (Allowing for leftover breading on them). "Oh, you want a PBJ? 26 for the bread, 3 for the jelly, 5ish for the PB". Then other days he eats a donut and ends up sky high. The doctors and nurses said we'd get it. We'd just become carb counting experts and 'know' it. I laughed - remember MORE numbers? Ha! But they were right. It did come, we did realize what to do and how to do it and when to panic and when to relax. Now, if only I could find the missing medic alert necklace I'd be feeling better!



Switching gears...here's some facts about Type 1 Diabetes:
It is NOT caused by what you eat.
It is NOT preventable.
It IS autoimmune - your body attacks itself for a reason that is unknown.
Insulin is NOT a cure - it's a treatment until a cure can be found.

Please think twice before 1) asking if a diabetic can eat something and 2) saying that your sugary treat is going to cause you diabetes. I've only been confronted by these a few times, and normally it's not hateful. But really, don't think that witholding that cupcake from your kid is going to prevent diabetes. Heck- Ollie ate a cake ball earlier today!

Some days are frustrating. Well, a lot of days are frustrating, but when you have a kid with T1D, it's a different kind of frustrating. I worked today, but his numbers this morning looked something like this - Waking, 60. After breakfast, 310. Before lunch, 67, Before dinner, 217. After dinner 69. Whaaaaat??? Imagine the above. So, he bounced between that and feeling crazy off the hook from being high ALL DAY. Back and forth.. screeching about whatever - it's never a normal voice -and then imagine not being able to figure out WHY - Is it the carb count? Is it the overage factor? Is it what he ate? Should he eat something else? Life is hectic enough with 2 kids, school, work, Doug's work, but now we have to second guess EVERY.THING. it seems.

Happy Easter!

A week after Easter 2012:

Yep, chugging chocolate milk.

Easter 2013:

Yep, runny nose, bunny hat and all (I'm sure I'll pick on him years from now for this). Do you know what I find amazing? We got a handful of candy for Easter and that's it. Normally we'd have a  TON - in eggs, in baskets, all over. This year, Doug and I got some Starburst (which is Ollie's preference for when he's low.. so yes, I kind of cheated and he got "medicine" for Easter :P Ha!), a family friend got him some sugar free candy and then a friend of mine got him some diabetic bars and sugar free candy. I am so happy with how people have adapted and thought of him. That is seriously what gets me - not the fact we have to deal with diabetes or shots or glucose checks - the fact that people are all thinking of him and keeping us in mind and not making it so I have to be stuck explaining why he can't have something someone gave him. (Geez, did that make any sense?)

So, what do you DO for Easter that doesn't include tons of sugar??? In their baskets the kids (from us, err the Bunny) got Matchbox cars, an Angry Bird pencil kit, 2 snack bags each from my friend's store 6 Silly Monkeys, a small notebook for each, bubbles, playdoh, and Ollie's big present was an Iron Man mining vehicle. As for the eggs- the Starburst were in there, yogurt covered raisins, pistachios, finger flashlights, coins, some cars for Ollie and binkies and nailpolish for Emi.

Surprisingly enough, after breakfast (eggs, cinnamon rolls made from crescents and a couple Starburst thrown in there) he was LOW. Say whaaaaat? I'm glad he had those Starburst, who knows how low he would have been without them!

Anyway, I'm happy to say we conquered our first T1D holiday!

Oh, and a bit of advice? When someone tells you their child has Diabetes 1) don't assume it can be fixed by diet. and 2) DO NOT tell them about your great aunt's boyfriend's daughter's mother in law who had to have a kidney donated to them and then lost a leg or eyesight or whatever. Seriously, just don't do it, ok? KThanks.