Friday, December 30, 2011

Ah, the Things Bug Says

My mother boarded a plane back to Georgia in the wee hours of the morning, much to the chagrin of the girls...and me!  It was fabulous having her here and we all look forward to our or her next visit, whichever comes first. :)

While she was here, Bug had a few choice things to say to her that I just had to share.

We were driving in the car...most likely going to Target because it seems for some reason or another we were there almost every day while she was here!...and Bug asks her if she has anymore of 'those orange string things.'

We looked at each other, trying to find some understanding of what she was asking about; neither of us had a clue.  I asked Bug what she was talking about and she further clarified something to the effect 'the orange string things you put in your mouth.'

Light Bulb...Tic Tacs!!!  My mother almost always has some in her pockets and Bug must have, at some point, seen them.

My mother told her that she had thought she had more, but couldn't find them in her suitcase.

Bug asked if she has some when she first got here, to which Mamaw answered, 'yes.'

Bug then said, 'Well then why didn't you share them with me when you had some?!"

~ ~ ~ ~

Another day, my mother was trying to escape the constant tea partying to go to the powder room.  She didn't turn the light on as there is a night light in there that provides enough light to get the job done.

Bug approached the folding door and asked if she was in there.  My mother said, 'yes.'

Bug then carefully opened the door, head down, announcing 'I'm not looking, I'm not looking.'  She made her way into the laundry room and turned on that light.

She then proceeded into the bathroom, head still down, back towards my mother, saying 'Still not looking' and turned that light on.

She then told Mamaw, 'You can't pee with the lights off, Mamaw!' and exited the bathroom, back still towards her, through the laundry room and shut the folding door, confident that she had spared Mamaw from the mistake of peeing in the dark!!


Ah, the mind of my almost three and a half year old!  She never ceases to entertain!!

Monday, December 26, 2011

Here, There, and Everywhere

Christmas was an exciting day around here.  Thankfully, we didn't have to travel farther than downstairs to enjoy all the day had to offer.  Ubergeek's parents came over and my mother is here for the holidays.  It was a day of celebrating, eating, unwrapping, eating, playing, eating....you get the picture! ;)

Bean got her "Just Like Me" doll from Santa...with a couple of custom additions.
"Bean" as the doll has been named, has an 'omnipod' 
on her tummy and 'dexcom' sensor on her arm.  
The real Bean was in total shock when she noticed them!
matching PJs courtesy of Grandma & Grandpa

Bug had asked Santa for a ladybug pillow pet.  She then announced to my mother the day before Christmas that she had, in fact, asked for a snowflake pillow pet.  Um, they don't exsist!  So we did our best to try to convince Bug of what she had actually said, but there's not much you can do to convince a three year old once they have set their mind of something.
So, Santa did the best he could with such last minute notice and put a name tag on the ladybug that said "Snowflake" and all was well with the world!


I was surprised with a Kindle Fire and was happily whisked away to the world of King Henry the 8th as I popped in earbuds and watched a couple of episodes of The Tudors once the chaos had settled down.


Diabetes, of course, was with us, as always.  Totally deserved coal in his (or her?) stocking that's for sure!!
Bean woke up at a lovely 121 after I had turned off her basal for an hour when I had checked her earlier and she was at 118. (insert only pat on the back for the day!)

An hour later (after a yogurt, which I've gotten pretty good at dosing for as of late) she was at 317!  Hello, Christmas excitement!!  We were downstairs, in full on present sorting and opening.

An hour later, as we settled in for brunch, she's at respectable 185.  She didn't fancy the quiche, but chowed down on the cheesy grits (totally a southern girl at heart!!).

We spent the rest of the morning and early part of the afternoon playing with our respective gifts...until the crash hit.  Thankfully it was caught at 67 and it wasn't stubborn and the playing resumed.  The girls were actually mostly nice to each other...a Christmas miracle in and of itself!

Dinner time rolled around, and Bean was at 129...beautiful!  Well, she balked at my homemade ravioli (OK, insert one more pat on the back for me as I made it from scratch!) because it had a little bit of mint in it, so we tried to make up for the carbs with a cupcake and it didn't quite work out so well since she ended up at 320 not quite two hours later.  UGH!

Thankfully she was back to a lovely 120 at bedtime, so I guess the day started and ended well enough.


I am glad that today has been a bit quieter.  
No food to cook...leftover quiche for breakfast; leftover sweet potato casserole for a snack; popcorn at the movie; and headed out to dinner shortly.

Saw this little guy as we were headed home from the movie and just had to share. :)

Saturday, December 24, 2011

The Light of Christmas

May the Light of Christmas bring peace, hope, and joy 
to you and yours this Eve.




Thursday, December 22, 2011

Monday, December 19, 2011

Rockin' the SWAG...and snow pics ;)

As is tradition in every school I've ever known, the last day before Winter Break brings the well anticipated holiday party.

Generally a fun, treat-filled hour of overly stimulated children who can't wait to start their two week vacation.

This past Thursday was no exception to that rule.

As I was trying to man the chaos in my room, I was mindful that Bean would be experiencing some similar chaos in her room and was waiting for the "need a carb count" call over the radio.

It didn't dawn on me that that call never came until I was retrieving Bean from her class's line after I helped with afternoon pick up.

As we made the trek up to my portable, I said something to the effect of 'Oh, I guess your class didn't have a party this afternoon, huh?'  To which she replied, 'yes, we did.'

Enter conversation about not getting a radio call for carb counts and her telling me that she did it herself.


Sound familiar to anyone?  She did this a few weeks ago with her Girl Scout party and way overshot the dose and was only 'saved' by the IOB feature that kept her from getting the full bolus.

Thankfully, 100 carbs isn't a terrible SWAG for two sugar cookies with lots of sprinkles and two brownies.  Granted, I have no idea how big these treats were, but a good guess none-the-less.

We had the obligatory "if you ever do that again you will not be allowed to have any, any, birthday or party treats for the rest of the school year" conversation in a relatively stern voice.  She got the picture, judging by the repentant look on her face and the tone of her 'I'm so, so sorry, Mommy.'

I kept an eye on Wilma (her dexcom) for the next hour or so and she held pretty steady, so all in all, it turned out OK.

Fast forward to that night, after the 'before I went to bed' check.

I was going over her numbers for the day and here is what I see:
I'd say she nailed it!  And yes, I did give her 'props' for the good job, with a reminder that she needs to double check with me before bolusing next time!!


Oh, and some overdue pictures of the snow...which, by the way, is melting and icing over due to our little pre-Christmas warm up over the weekend.  Don't mind mid 30s, but detest the icy mess they leave behind!!





Monday, December 12, 2011

Monday...this one I'll take!

Just as I had dosed Bean for her breakfast I hear Ubergeek talking on the phone in our bedroom.  This is not a completely uncommon occurrence for him at 6:30 in the morning, but he sounded a bit too happy about this particular conversation and that usually isn't the case.

I headed back into our room to see what was going on and he happily announces that schools are closed.  SNOW DAY!!!  I have to tell you that this is an extremely rare thing here in Alaska.  But, when you've gotten close to 18 inches of heavy, wet snow overnight it's a bit less rare.

Now, I would have been way happier to have gotten that phone call an hour earlier, BEFORE I was completely ready for the day, but whatever.  A day off is a day off!
Since Bean had been dosed, she downed a glass of milk and then settled back in bed for a bit more sleep.
Bug wasn't thrilled about having to stay in bed, but I convinced her that she had to and back to bed I went, too.
Unfortunately I was only there for about 45 minutes until the girls could no longer handle being in bed, but being able to hang out on the couch in sweats was a tolerable option. :)

During the day, I was able to get some stuff done in between playing referee with the girls.  They are so not used to being together all day like this!  I 'stored' some grown out of clothes in our nonworking shower.  I moved a ton of books from the room where my mother will be sleeping in 5 days so the futon will actually open into a bed.  (Hee Hee! SO excited she's coming!)  I put four loads of the girls' laundry away that had been folded and patiently waiting for about four days.  And I did a few other loads of laundry. I also sat my butt on the couch during Bug's nap and watch some 'me' shows...a treat anytime, but even more so in the middle of a MONDAY!

Then, I escaped for a few minutes to go pick up dinner.  Ubergeek has a meeting tonight and he came home for a bit in between work and the meeting and wanted to hang out with the girls, so I jumped at the chance to leave the house.

I hadn't checked the mail in a few days...just something that doesn't get done often for whatever reason...so I checked in on the way down the street.

SOOOO glad I did!!!  There were three wonderful things waiting for us there.

First ~ A petit paquet from Scully of Canadian D-gal.
  She had posted a while back about some 'wrong' strips she had gotten and was looking for a good home to send them to.  They are the ones we use, so I jumped at the chance to get them.  They arrived at the perfect time since we've been going through way more test strips lately because of some wonky numbers.  It's awesome to have 100 of those precious little butterflies on the shelf!  Thanks, Scully!!!
Oh, and she included the sweetest note for Bean which made Bean smile from ear to ear.

love the drawing of a bean at the top!


Second ~ Holly from Three Sweet Kids and a Seven-Year-Old Named Diabetes had this super give away of stinkin cute holiday towels that I won!  And they are just as stinkin cute as they looked in the picture!  I am always amazed at the stinkin cute stuff Holly comes up with and am in awe that she has the time to DO it!  Thanks, again, Holly!

embarrassed to say these are the only Christmas decorations up so far
hey, I still have time!!! 


Third ~  I was drooling over the awareness pendants that Lorriane over at This is Caleb had for WDD.  Again, even more beautiful than the pictures of them.  And, while I was checking the pendant out at Cari's etsy
shop, I found a beautiful awareness bracelet, too.  Love the smoky gray beads and 'hope' ribbon.

hoping there is school tomorrow so I can wear them!!


So, all in all, this Monday was pretty dang good.  And to top it all off, the girls will be going to bed early because I'm so done with their bickering, so I'll have a nice, quiet house very soon!


Oh, in case you are wondering, that rage double bolus did the trick...and then some.  That night brought three lows...one we caught at 73, the others were at 55 and 58.  But, the super stubborn highs went away and Bean is pretty dang good at drinking and eating while asleep, so whatever!

Saturday, December 10, 2011

The End of the Vial

HIGH, two arrows straight up.

Never what you want to see on a dexcom receiver, to state the blatantly obvious!  (And I totally should have taken a picture, but I just couldn't...you understand!)

Yesterday, Bean was at 176 for breakfast...leftovers from coming up from a 69 at 2:48am.  She was at 197 before recess...usually a 'respectable' number, but an uncovered cookie sent her up to 224 for lunch.  350 when she checked and corrected at 1:50.  Down to 195 for a late after school snack at 4:19, then 340 for dinner at 5:48, 435 at 7:32 (correction) and 343 for bedtime at 8:43.  I checked her at 10:59 and she was at 282 and I corrected, again.

We stayed up past 1am chatting with the T1 babysitter we had for the first time last night.  (AH-MAZING!  More on her later) so I totally slept through checking her (HATE that!).  At 6:17, she was at 250 and I corrected her because I knew she'd be sleeping for another two hours and I really wanted her at a nice place for breakfast.

No such luck.

This morning she begged for something other than yogurt for breakfast.  I've been making her have the same thing all this week as I've been testing out a 15-20 minute pre-bolus (thanks to a comment on Wendy's Candy Hearts by Alexis of The Chronicles of D-Boy and Ribbon...love my d-mammas!!) to try to lessen the god awful breakfast BG spike.  Yeah, she was at 229 (hello, how do you only come down 31 points with a correction?!?), but I gave in to her request for Nutella toast and milk.  Now, this breakfast isn't fabulous for her, but it's also not super terrible.  And it was a good test to see how the pre-bolus would work on a bigger, carb-heavier breakfast.

Two hours later, she's at 498.  CRAP on a STICK!  A hefty correction and almost an hour of ice skating brings her down to a pathetic 371.  UGH!

On the way home, Ubergeek and I discuss an early pod change (we generally don't think 'pod issue' when Bean's BG is high like this, but it was obvious something was up and something needed to be done!) and during this discussion I remember that this current pod was filled with the last of the insulin in the vial.  We had this same issue with the last of the last vial, when Bean had ketones for the first time.

So when we get home Bean did a quick ketone check and she's at 1.9.  More crap on a stick!  A pod change using a new vial of insulin is done, as well as a unit given by syringe just for good measure (it was W.E.I.R.D filling a syringe...something I haven't done in over a year ~ the ones to fill the pod don't count!)  She starts lunch at 333.

Three hours later the ketones are down to 0.1 (yeah!) and the BG is down to 323 (crapidty, crap, crap!).

I decide it's time to pull out the big guns.  She's hungry (duh, that lunch hasn't been effectively processed) and is begging for a snack.  I let her have carrots...pretty big bang for your carb buck when you can have a hefty 85g by weight for 8g carbs.  Guns blazing, I double her correction.

Yep, you read that right, double!  No more fiddily farting around with this stupid high BG.  Aim and SHOOT!

So, we'll see what happens in a couple of hours...hoping the bullet doesn't bite me in the butt, but honestly I'd rather have her sucking down a juice to bring her back up from a low than deal with this stupid, stubborn high any longer!!!

And what's crazier is that I was going to be doing some basal changes this weekend because she's been dipping low more often than she 'should.'  So much for that!!

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Kicking Off the Holidays, Family Link Style

On Saturday, Ubergeek and I helped our local ADA host a Family Link holiday event.

We provided lunch, bowling, ice skating, and painting a cookie plate at a pottery place at a local mall.

There were about 85 people who attended; all of which either had or were part of the family of a kid with Diabetes.

It was a BLAST!  Having all those people together, seeing all the kids pause to test, and getting to chat with those who have been doing this for year or for just a few short weeks was great.  Four hours of 'same' to kick off the holiday season...just amazing!!

At one point, Bean felt low and went to test.  I guess another boy (the one who had just been diagnosed five weeks ago) decided to test at the same time.  They were both at 72!  A juice box later for each of them and they headed back to the fun.

I was the one manning the 'party room' at the pottery place.  It was slow at first... manageable with just a handful of painters.  Then all of a sudden both tables filled up within five minutes and I had 20 painters to juggle.  Crazy!!  Especially since the paints are numbered, so they were all asking for this number and that number....and for a T1D-mom, having numbers bombard you nonstop got to be a bit much after a while!  But they all had a blast and the plates all turned out great.

Our local ADA office is amazing, I must say.  They made sure everyone had what they needed and supported us through the entire process from planning to clean up.  We are so lucky to have such an amazing group of people who are committed to supporting families living with Diabetes here in Alaska as well as supporting research for a cure.


To wrap the day up at the mall, we took the girls to visit Santa.  Last year, we waited until we were in Georgia with family to go, putting Santa in a bit of a crunch to make sure the requested items were ready in three days.  (Stupid, stupid, stupid idea!!)  I wasn't going to make that mistake again this year!!!  Plus, this way, the girls are 'locked in' to their choice and can't change their mind at the last minute...which also happened last year.  Santa was NOT a happy camper to say the least!!
They both did great.  Bug wasn't thrilled last year, but this year she walked right up to Santa and even gave him a hug!  Bean, of course, is a pro at the whole Santa thing by now.


Now I just need to get to the Christmas shopping.  UGH!  Running short on time to get things shipped to family in the lower 48, so I best find time this week to get everything for them.  I can do some 'last minute' shopping once my mother arrives....it will be a great excuse for us to leave Ubergeek with the girls!!

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Two Drink Minimum

So wish I was alluding to some awesome event Ubergeek and I got all dolled up to go to, but alas, no.

I'm talking about Bean's night last night.

We had a fabulous time at a post Thanksgiving get together with friends.

Well, other than a few D slip ups.  Bean had been at a party for most of the day.  She neglected to mention when I picked her up, however, that her pod had alarmed while she was there....at 1:45pm.  Now, at 6:45pm, while we were preparing to eat dinner, she tells me that she thinks she remembers her pod alarming at the party.

UM, HELLO?!?!  Kinda important information!

She was 'scolded' while I was trying to activate a new pod.  Yea, trying....stupid thing wouldn't 'beep, beep' after filling it with insulin.  (We've had a 'bad run' with this shipment...way more alarms and issues that normal.)  Thankfully Ubergeek had a pod in his backpack that he keeps with him all the time.

Then during the 'party within a party' (one Bean's friends was celebrating her birthday since everyone was there anyway!) Bean conveniently forgot to test and dose for the cupcake she was consuming.  I made eye contact with her no less than four times, eyebrows raised, trying to clue her in to the fact she was EATING a flipping CUPCAKE, and had forgotten something.

About 30 minutes later, she comes to me asking for water....um, high much?  So I had her test....lovely 434.  At that point, she was 'scolded' again for eating (a cupcake, no less!) without testing.  She corrected, and bolused for the cupcake and went on her merry way.

We kept an eye on her BGs via Wilma (our dexcom) the rest of the night and she seemed to be doing better.

We got home and I sent her upstairs to get ready for bed.  Ubergeek called her back down to test (standard procedure before bed) and she was at 56.  Lovely!  Juice, cheese, wheat thins; then off to bed.

I set my alarm to check her at 2...slept through it...ugh!

Wilma buzzes at me through the monitor at 3:28....down the hall I go to test Bean and she's at 60.  WHAT?!?  Guess that decision to cover some of those carbs wasn't a good one.  So, another juice box is consumed by a sleeping Bean.  I also reduced her basal to be on the safe side.

I set my alarm for 6, hoping that I'll wake up this time.  But at 5:58, Wilma buzzes at me again.  66.  WHAT, WHAT?!?!  This never happens...juice box at 3:30 should totally get her through the night just fine, not to mention a reduced basal to boot!  Love it when D does things it usually doesn't do!!  So, yet another juice box is slurped (any one else have a kid that burps in the middle of the night with a juice box, but never during the day?!?)  and basal is turned OFF for two hours.

Bean wakes up and comes into our room shortly before 9....gotta love late mornings after late nights!  She tests and is at a respectable 144.

She's been doing this lately....crashing for no real reason, needing less insulin than before.  Guess the growth spurt or whatever is over.

Time for some basal tweaks....could swear I just did some of those not too long ago!!

Friday, November 25, 2011

Bean's Thankful List

Yeah, so this should have been posted yesterday, but we were busy sleeping in, hanging out, going to a movie, and eating dinner with family, so whatever!


Bean is thankful for:
*insulin
*my family
*my diabetes friends
*my life
*the world
*everyone trying to cure Diabetes

And Thanksgiving wouldn't be complete without 'hand' turkeys!!



Hope everyone had a wonderful turkey day!!

I am truly thankful for all of my bloggy friends.  I wish everyone a wonderful holiday season!!

Because it would be nearly impossible to edit real names, I"m not going to post the news story on the blog.  However, I am willing to email the link to those of you who we know and can trust to keep the names to yourself! ;)  So, email me at momofbean@mysweetbeanandherpod.com and I'll send you the link if you'd like to see it!

Monday, November 21, 2011

It's Quiet

The girls are in bed...pretty close to 'normal time,' but it feels like it's way early for some reason.

Ubergeek is at a meeting...love that he's in the thick of it at Bean's school, but sometimes it's annoying when he has yet another meeting.

At the moment, the TV is off...no Shake It Up or Good Luck Charlie or Jessie in the background.

The only sounds are the aquarium, refrigerator, and heater.

I know it won't last long, this quiet.

Soon enough Bug will cough.  Just can't seem to shake that nasty cough.

Soon enough I will have to hear the 'beep....beep, beep' of a  BG test for Bean or the vibrating of Wilma (her CGM) alerting me of some issue with Bean's BG that will need my attention.

But for now I can enjoy the quiet.  I can let my mind slow down.  I can just be and not have to do, for a while.

At the beginning of this Thanksgiving Week, I am thankful for the quiet...even though these moments are few and far between, I am thankful when they come around!

Friday, November 18, 2011

DxONE ~ sneak peek!

*first off, no, the world isn't about to end...I am actually posting two days in a row!!!  now if I could just get around to reading your blogs and commenting, the world might just stop turning!!

Ubergeek has been following the progress of DxONE, the short film about living with Type 1 Diabetes.  He had this great idea to contact the creator about showing it at an ADA Family Link event once it was finished, so he sent an email the other day.

He now has a new BFF Type 1 Dad in the film's award winning creator!  They have emailed back and forth, chatted on the phone from one coast to the other, and got permission to have a screening of the film once it's ready.

What's super cool is that we had the opportunity to view a rough cut last night and OMG it was amazing!  It's like he wrote our story, all of our stories.  The middle of the night check, the having to adjust a dose for a high BG, the behavior issues that come with highs and lows evoking the 'you better hope your BG is responsible for this' comment we've all made at one point or another, the constant back of the mind worry, everything.

It's powerful.  It's accurate.  It, I hope, will shed some light on the day in, day out-ness of this disease for those who can't possibly imagine it because it's not their life, their child's life.

If you would like to check out some of the scenes, visit Dan Masucci's You Tube channel.  You'll be glad you did!


*on another quick note, Bean and I were interviewed for a piece for Diabetes Awareness Month for a local TV station.  If I can get it edited to remove real names, I'll post it. :)  It was nothing big, but it was crazy to see ourselves on the news!

Thursday, November 17, 2011

What's In A Number?

...a LOT!

Yes, I know; I know:  I'm not supposed to let that number define me, grade me, judge me.  I know that.

So why do I find myself wanting to scream and throw a fit when that number prints out?!?!


Today was Bean's appointment.  I was hoping, no make that expecting, a significant drop in her A1c.  She's been podding Apidra for three months and we are seeing much better numbers.  Way more time 'in range' and way fewer 300s and high 200s.  Sure, she's had lows more often that usual, but nothing terrible and a little basal tweaking is in order and should 'fix' those lows...as much as they can be, anyway!

So when we were chatting with our ANP at her new office...we were the only ones there and we're more like family than "doctor/patient" and Ubergeek went over to the machine and said "8.7" my response was "What the Heck?!? That can't be right."

Last appointment she was at 9.1, which was up from 8.8.  I was bummed, but I knew that a lot of that was summer issues and trying to figure out her insulin needs with the mega shift in routine.

I was hoping for low 8s.  But I also knew in the back of my mind that it might not be quite that low because the last week or so hasn't been fabulous and I've heard that even though it's supposed to measure the last 90 days, the two weeks prior plays a more significant role. (Don't quote me on that, just what I remember hearing somewhere!)

But the hope was there none-the-less.

I got the usual "you are doing an amazing job; these numbers are looking great" comments which I tried really hard to accept and not just roll my eyes at because I totally don't feel like I'm doing anything amazing right now.

But, Bean is happy, healthy, growing, and her BGs are looking better.  I really should focus on that and not the stupid 8.7...so hard to do, though!

Lowest A1c to date, so that's something.  Not where I want her, but honestly, what are the chances of me getting what I want with this stupid disease?

Now it's time to start working on the next 90 days!  Ugh.

Monday, November 14, 2011

'Circle' of Blue

In honor of World Diabetes Day, I let Bean break the rules a little bit. According to the dress code at her school, nail polish can only be light colors.  So, a sparkly, bright blue doesn't really qualify.


And you know all the girls had to get into the action!  I'm usually a clear polish kind of gal; even when I had acrylic nails, I always went for a French manicure.  So, it's been quite the switch to have blue on my nails, but it's growing on me, I must admit.

It was our small way to participate in World Diabetes Day.  A way for us have a visual reminder of this invisible disease that effects so many, from one side of the globe to the other.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

The Joys of Ketones

Last week was our first experience with ketones.  Yeah, go ahead and hate us for a minute.  OK, time's up!

Even when Bean was diagnosed, she only had trace ketones, so we would read stories of kids having stubbornly high BGS with moderate or high ketones and wouldn't 'get it.'  Sure, we know ketones are nothing to be flippant about, and they can cause some serious issues, but they were never an issue for us.  Bean could hang out in the 200-300s for the majority of the day and would finally respond to a correction and would have only trace, if any ketones.  Thankfully she doesn't do that often, but there are those days, as everyone knows!

That brings us to last week.

Last Wednesday, Bean was running pretty high.  Like 300s high.  And since Wilma (our dexcom 7+ CGM) was giving us the wonderful ??? we didn't know if those 300s were spikes or if Bean was running consistently that high. Each BG test showed high 200s and 300s; even the overnight checks, even after some pretty big corrections. When she woke up Thursday morning and she was still in the 300s, I knew we had a problem.

We did an early pod change (she was due that evening, so it wasn't that early) and a dexcom sensor change (again, due for one, and with those darn ??? I was more than happy to stick on a new one ~ Bean, not so much, but she dealt with it!).

Ubergeek suggested that I test Bean for ketones.  My response was less than cooperative for many reasons...1) it was morning; 2) Bean never has more than trace ketones, if any; 3) I had just done a pod and sensor change; 4) I was sick and didn't feel like being out of bed much less like going to work; and 5) it was morning...perhaps I mentioned that already.

So, he got out the meter and tested for ketones.  Can I just say that I LOVE our blood ketone meter!  And a 2.1 popped up.  Um, what?!?!  He had to do some googling to find the chart of what that reading meant since we haven't ever seen anything above 0.2.  Finding that 2.1 was not a good thing, Ubergeek insisted Bean stay home from school.  Since I had taken Wednesday off (kinda funny when they have to get a sub for a sub!) because I wanted to chop my head off because my throat hurt so much, there was really no way I could take Thursday off.  So, Ubergeek said he would stay home with her.

He pushed water, gave an additional unit of insulin by syringe (the FIRST Bean has had in over a year of using the Omnipod), and contacted our CDE to double check he was doing the right thing...he was. :)  By lunch, about 4 hours later, Bean was down to 117 and 0.2 ketones.  NICE!

After some thinking things through, we decided that it was most likely a combination of a 'bad' pod placement, filling said pod with the last of the vial, so it most likely was 'done,' and Bean had been fighting a bit of the same cold that was kicking me in the butt.

So thankful that our ketone experience was short and easy to resolve.  And very thankful that Ubergeek has the kind of job that allows him to work from home in situations like these...and that he is on top of D things and was the one to think of checking for ketones!

Saturday, November 5, 2011

The Bean Team walked to Stop Diabetes

     Sunday, October 30th, was the StepOut Walk to Stop Diabetes.


We woke up to the first snow of the season, 
so it's a good thing the walk was inside!!


There were lots of vendors to visit along the walk and they had a cool "Red Striders' Lounge" (Red Striders are walkers with diabetes) where they had free supplies, books, hot cocoa, homemade banana bread, and a massage table.  (Oh, yeah, totally got a massage!!)

We were joined by Ubergeek's parents, G and her parents, and another one of Bean's friends and her mom (our friend).  We were a small group, but we had a blast.

The girls got their faces painted.

We gathered 'goodies' from the vendors and other volunteers at the stations around the walk, including a really cool pen that's shaped like a syringe.


We made a connection with a mom and her daughter who had flown in from Nome.  It was amazing to meet them and we were in awe that they had been living this life for four years as the only family with T1 in their area. We look forward to connecting with them more, both via email and when they come in for appointments. That's always the best part of these events....connecting with other families who live the same life as we do.

We raised more than last year.  Last count was over $1400.  A drop in the bucket, but every penny counts.  Best of all, it more than qualifies Bean to go to diabetes camp next summer...something we are all looking forward to!

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Wordless Wednesday ~ Night Check Mishap


nothing like dropping the strips container during the middle of
the night BG check...and yes, I totally just picked up a strip
and left the mess for the morning!!

Monday, October 24, 2011

Guest Post: Adam from Socks4Life

EDITED TO ADD:
**On August 23, 2012, I was sent an email and asked to 'unlink' to the links I had.  Until I hear otherwise, they will stay disabled. Thanks for your understanding with the company until they resolve their Google issues.**

A few months back I received an email from some guy from some website that was putting together something about diabetes.  I let it sit in my in box for a while then finally replied to see what it was all about.  Come to find out, Socks4Life was developing a resource guide for not only their customers, but for the population as a whole who happened upon their website.  I am proud to be included as one of the many DOC blog links on their site.  They also have other great information about diabetes.  You can check it out here.

In the back and forth emails, I 'met' and 'got to know' Adam.  He's the Outreach and Philanthropy Coordinator at Socks4Life.  He's been patient with my delayed responses...life got really busy around here a couple of months ago!  He asked if I would share about the resource page and if it would be OK for him to do a guest post.  I'm always up for sharing about people who are doing things to help out the diabetic community.

Please take a minute to check out their resource site.  And if you happen to be in the market for socks, diabetic or otherwise, they have those, too! :)

Without further ado...here's Adam's guest post:


Don’t Let Diabetes Stop you!

            During second grade, a family moved in on my street and one of their kids was Michael who happened to be my age. The first time I met him was at the bus stop for our first day of school. He was a nice kid and we quickly became friends. We would talk on the bus and play soccer during recess and after school. Over a month after we had met, we were shooting hoops in my driveway one afternoon and had a really close game going on when he suddenly said that he needed to run home for a few minutes. We were almost done with our game, but he insisted he’d only be a few minutes and he walked down the street to his home.

              He returned shortly after and we finished the game a few minutes later. At the end of the game, I asked him why he couldn’t wait a few minutes for the game to finish and that’s when I learned that he had diabetes. He showed me this gizmo looking gadget (I now know is a pump) that was clipped on the inside of his shorts. I had never really noticed the bulge on the side, but like any curious 7 year old, I asked him questions about diabetes. To this day, I’m surprised that he completely opened up about the disease and made it sound like it was no big deal. He explained to me how he tested his blood sugars, how he kept track of what he ate, etc… All of this sounded so overwhelming, but he made it seem like it was nothing at all.

            We are still friends to this day and I have never seen him let the disease get in the way of enjoying life. When I was home recently, we were playing a friendly game of football and we still tackle and drive each other into the ground. I never treated him differently with the exception of giving him a few minutes to treat a low or test his blood sugar levels. He even played on the soccer team during his sophomore and junior years at college.

            When I asked him what it was like to be the only player with diabetes on the team, and possibly at the university, he said it was shameful. Many coaches are hesitant to have a player with a disease on their team. On the other side of the coin, he spoke to many people with diabetes who don’t want to play sports due to their disease. I was shocked to hear Michael say that, considering there are several well known athletes who have type 1 diabetes. The list includes, and certainly is not limited to:
Ø  Jay Cutler: Quarterback for the Chicago Bears
Ø  Brandon Morrow: Pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays
Ø  Mark Lowe: Pitcher for the Texas Rangers
Ø  Ty Cobb: Arguably a MLB legend who set many records during his career
Ø  Chris Dudley: Played with many NBA teams

 These are just a few professional athletes with type 1 diabetes who have careers in professional sports. The point is that you should never think you can’t do anything you put your mind to, despite having the disease. Just because you have diabetes doesn’t mean you can’t be the next best quarterback in the NFL!


In the interest of full disclosure, I did receive a gift certificate for some socks from Socks4Life. But I'd totally share this resource site and let Adam guest post without it! :)

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Wordless Wednesday ~ Scat


black bear scat, about 30 feet from the playground at school 
and right next to the stairs for the third floor entrance

Monday, October 17, 2011

Pod Ponderings, a year later

Last Friday marked the one year mark for Bean using the Omnipod insulin pump.

It's hard to believe it's been 365 (well, 368 now) days of button pushing instead of injections.  In fact, Bean hasn't received her insulin from a syringe or pen in all of those days.

Has it been fabulously wonderful; full of rainbows and glitter?  Um, no.  Would I go back to MDI?  Um, hell-to-the-no!

Our first shipment of pods had an alarming pod in it...yep, even before I had opened the box one of those little stinkers was beeeeeeping at me!  The rest of the box was alarm happy, too.  In fact, the first pod we put on Bean alarmed when we were getting in the car to leave our appointment.  And there was a week that we did five pod changes instead of the 'should have been' two.

Thankfully the boxes to follow have been way better.  The alarms have gotten fewer and farther between.  And except for the pods that alarmed, we've gotten the full life (72 hours, give or take a bit for ease of scheduling) out of all of the pods.

Bean has really enjoyed having only one 'shot' every three days instead of at least 4 injections everyday.  She doesn't enjoy the pod changes a whole lot, but even on the days when the split second, automatic insertion hits a tender spot and it hurts for a while, she still wouldn't trade it for any other insulin delivery system.  I LOVE the easiness of the pod changes.  In fact, Bean can pretty much do the whole process herself and even walked the new school nurse through a pod change at school when her pod alarmed.

As far as the BG numbers go....we've had our fair share of ups and downs, highs and lows.  The pod wasn't (and isn't) a magic fix for perfect, in range BGs.  However, it has made a big difference in how we manage Bean's numbers.  On MDI, we wouldn't give her an 'extra' shot to bring down a high.  That made things difficult for her and for us.  With the Omnipod, we are able to correct highs with a push of a few buttons; and it accounts for that insulin when calculating other doses within our set time frame.  We're also able to set multiple basal rates instead of having to hope her Lantus is releasing evenly or chasing lows during the night to keep from chasing highs during the day because of the amount of Lantus injected.  Now that we're pumping Apidra, we're seeing even better numbers.  Still not perfectly in range, but much better.  I'm anxious to see what Bean's A1c will be in November.

All in all, we are extremely please with the Omnipod.  Is it perfect? No.  But I don't think any insulin delivery system is without its faults.   Bottom line, it works for us...for Bean.  And that's really what it all comes down to.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

A D Disconnect

I am feeling a bit disconnected with Bean's D care.

It's an odd thing to say because I'm still counting carbs, weighing food, doing basal adjustments, changing IC ratios, waking up in the middle of the night to check her BG...all the D care stuff.  Everything I've been doing for the past 16 months.

It's the 'school care' part that I'm feeling most disconnected from at the moment.

That's another odd thing to say since I'm AT Bean's school now.  But, I'm out in a portable, not in the main building.  And that's actually a good thing because she's going through this weird, clingy phase at the moment and I think it would be really difficult for her if I were more accessible.

There's a disconnect because I'm not always the first call or text when something's up with Bean.  And with her doing more of her own care in the classroom, my main point of contact (the secretary, because we still have a nurse only a few hours a week) doesn't see her as much as she did last year.

I'm thankful that Bean is able to do more of her own care in the classroom...especially being on the third floor...but it makes for some gaps in information that are driving me a bit nuts.

Thank God for Wilma (our dexcom 7 plus CGM).  She is helping me fill in those gaps.

I can see the horrible post breakfast spike that I still can't figure out.

I can see her dip low (far too often lately) in the afternoon for no apparent reason.  And then the lovely bump from the trusty apple juice.

I can see her sky rocket when she feels she's too low to dose for lunch and then forgets to dose at all until she's in the 300s.

But even seeing all that data, I feel so disconnected with what's going on with her.

The BG numbers tell one story, while the CGM graphs tell another.

I'm adjusting basal rates to try to ward off the highs only to end up with lows instead.

I'm adjusting IC ratios to try to ward off the super spikes with no success.

Even though I am still a full time pancreas, I feel disconnected.

I look at the numbers, the graphs and it's like I'm looking at something completely foreign.

Not that I don't understand, there's just something that's keeping me at arm's length.

Like I just can't focus.

Almost like I'm looking at someone else's kid's numbers.  They mean something, but don't mean something to me.

I'm frustrated.  Not just with the disconnect but with the issues Bean is having because of the disconnect.

I think it's going to take a appointment with our NP and CDE to bring some clarity.

I'm hoping they can see what I'm unable to see no matter how hard I look.

There has to be a reconnect...for my sake and for Bean's!

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Step Out with The Bean Team

October 30th is our ADA Step Out Walk to Stop Diabetes.  I'm a bit late in getting out our letter, but with me working now, it's had to take a backseat until now.
I know that most of you have your own walks and fundraisers, but if you'd like to support our team, even small amounts add up!
Here is our letter:



     
Hi!

This fall our family will be joining more than 130,000 walkers from across the country in this year's Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes to raise money for the American Diabetes Association.

We will be gathering donations and walking to help Stop Diabetes.

We are asking for your help. By making a donation on Bean's behalf, you will be helping the Association provide community-based education programs, protect the rights of people with diabetes and fund critical research for a cure.

Why help us Stop Diabetes? There are 25.8 million Americans living with diabetes, a disease that is outpacing heart disease, cancer and AIDS. If we don't act now, one in three children born in the year 2000 will develop diabetes in their lifetime.

We believe that our participation in this year's Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes can and will make a difference. Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes is one of the Association's biggest fund raisers. With the help of people like you, the American Diabetes Association can raise over $20 million to help Stop Diabetes.

Please help us reach our goal and go to my Web Page at http://main.diabetes.org/goto/thebeanteam, to make a secure, 100% tax deductible donation.

Every donation, no matter the size, will help us reach our goal.

Bean has the opportunity to go to Diabetes Camp next summer if she meets her goal.  She was able to go last year because of your generosity and had an amazing time.  She was around other kids (more than 50) who also had to test their blood sugar and count their carbs at every meal.  "Same" for five days was so great for her and she is looking forward to hanging out with all of her D-camp friends again this summer!

Together we can Stop Diabetes. One step at a time.

Thank you,
Bean's family

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Monday, October 3, 2011

"I Have Juice"

If you happened to 'like' the DxOne facebook page, please let me know so I can let him know if I had ten people 'like' it...would love to share a sneak peak with you!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I noticed the top of a little girl's head a row up and over from where we were sitting as service started on Sunday.

She was trying to get in a comfortable, reclining position in the padded chairs and was struggling a bit.

I was concerned, as any mother would be, for a child that was obviously not having the best morning.

It took me a minute to realize it was our friend R, who is also T1.  (It was odd to see them in service (we tend to pass each other while dropping of our kiddos) as they usually don't sit near us...and in a room that can seat around a thousand people, it's not a given that you will see friends who go to the same service.)

My concern grew.

Her mom sat down and was trying to help her get settled and was pulling out a granola bar for her.

Immediately, my 'is she low?' radar went off.

So I went over and let her mom know that I had juice if that would help, if she didn't want to eat the granola bar or needed something a bit more fast acting.

She smiled and said, "Oh, she's not low, she just doesn't feel good and is hungry.  Thanks, though.  That's really sweet."

We chatted briefly as everyone was singing and I gave R a little 'feel better' rub on her head and then I went back to my seat.

I watched, knowingly, as R's mom dosed her for the granola bar, feeling a tug at my heart because we live that same life.

Nothing's easy about anything, even a little snack during church when your kiddo isn't feeling well.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

DxONE ~ go 'like' it!!

If you haven't heard about this film, then for Pete's sake, go check it out!

DxONE is a short film about Type 1 Diabetes.

So, now that you know what it is, head over to their facebook page and 'like' it.
 
  The creator is going to give an on line sneak peek to those who get 10 friends to 'like' them, if they get 883 'likes.'

I don't do facebook, so I'm not sure how it would work for me, but maybe if you mention my blog in a comment?  Dunno...or if those of you who do facebook get friends to like it, then I could join the viewing.

However it works or doesn't work, just spreading the word about this project is important.

So, 'like' away!!

Monday, September 26, 2011

Among 3000 Lions

At the zoo event that was hosted by our local ADA office, Ubergeek and I were talking with the ADA reps about this, that, and whatever and Ubergeek just had to mention the song and our "You Can Do This" video.

As a result, I was asked if I would be willing to share Bean's story at the Lions Club Conference that was held this weekend.  I said sure, not knowing exactly what it would en tale, but knew that any chance to talk to people about T1 was a good thing.

I found out later, as I was prepped for the evening, that the Lions Club is very supportive of the ADA and make such events like Diabetes Camp and Family Link possible.  What an honor to be able to not only share our family's story, but to be able to thank them for their support of events that have made an impact on our family.

I also found out that this was not just local Lions, but was a HUGE conference and I would be speaking in front of 3000 people!  Yeah, not really in my comfort zone, but it was too late to make up an excuse and not do it! ;)

So, I bought the girls fancy dresses (love second hand stores!) and off we went.

our ADA friend Michelle bought the girls lions...so cute!

It was quite the site when everyone was seated and the dinner service began.  Bean and I were wisked away just after the salads were served and escorted to the stage.

view from our table in the back left corner of the HUGE room
I'm stage right, Bean is stage left with our Lions escort...not that you can see us!


It went really well.  I didn't mess up too many times. ;) And Bean was super cute on stage.  Ubergeek recorded it, edited it (I used Bean's real name lots of times), and uploaded it to youtube.  You all know by now he's awesome like that. 



Love that I was able to give a shout out to all my DOC friends!



Monday, September 19, 2011

When Tears Fall Again

Last week, Ubergeek and I met with the team at Bean's school to start the 504 plan process.

This is something we have been waiting to get started for a year now.

There is a new principal and a new nurse, so we are already having a better year in those areas.

Other areas are not going so well.  Bean is having issues taking a super long time in the bathroom (yeah, she's a dawdler and has a tendency to go A LOT) and she is having a hard time getting her work done (just now starting to get her ratios and basals set so she's not running high or crashing all the time!).

We came prepared with a 504 plan already written, based on the sample one from the ADA, because I knew that I wasn't going to trust anyone else to make sure Bean's needs are met.  Unfortunately most of the meeting was centered around the problems that Bean is having with very little regard for her diabetes.  No matter how hard the nurse, Ubergeek, or I tried, they just weren't 'getting it' that pretty much all of Bean's 'issues' having either underlying or blatant D connections.

Thankfully, the nurse did finally get across a few D points and was going to be following up with Bean's teachers later that week to make sure that certain things (like making sure she's actually testing before recess instead of just giving Wilma's (her CGM) number and her teacher taking her word for it ~ yikes!) were addressed immediately while we are waiting for the 504 plan to be put into place.


It wasn't a 'feel good' meeting.  I went into it knowing that I was going to have to keep myself calm, and for the most part I did.  It could have very easily escalated because it was about my Bean and as much as I know she has 'issues' (D or not) and as much as I know that she's not a perfect child (shocker, I know!) I do not like it when other people hone in on those issues and make them out to be bigger than they are, or don't take into account that those issues might not be entirely under Bean's control.  We don't allow her to use D as an excuse, but there are times that D is the reason, like it or not.

Later that night, Ubergeek and I were talking about the meeting and I couldn't keep the tears from falling.  It's been months since I've cried because of D.  I honestly couldn't tell you the last time.  But that night I cried and cried and cried.

I cried for my 'smart kid' that is testing second to lowest in her class because of blood sugar issues.

I cried for my 'trustworthy kid' that is being seen as someone who can't be trusted to go where she's supposed to go.

I cried for my 'honest kid' who is now feeling the need to lie about things to keep from getting into more trouble.

I cried for my 'focus and get the work done kid' who now struggles with her assignments because of out of range BGs or 'holes' in her knowledge from missing class time last year because of D.

I cried for the 'involved, supportive mom' that I'm struggling to be now that I'm working and our evenings are even shorter than they were before.

I cried for the unfairness of D to rob my Bean of so many normal things that no other mom or kid has to worry about.

I cried and cried and cried because there was nothing else I could do.  And I'm crying again, damn it!




I know that it will all work out.

I know that the 504 plan will help ensure Bean is getting what she has the right to get and I will make sure of that.

I know that we will work our butts off at home to fill those holes and help her succeed this year.

I know that D will again take a backseat and not drive us over the cliff...maybe right up to the edge, but I WILL NOT let it drive us over!

I know that you, my fellow D'rents, have been there and have come out the other side with dry eyes and 504 plans.

I know that the tears will be wiped away and my eyes will be dry.


But, I know they will fall again, it's just a matter of time....

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Wordless Wednesday ~ A Girl Can Dream




Can I just say that I can't believe it's Wednesday already!  I so planned to post Monday or Tuesday to try to keep from just doing "Wordless Wednesday" and another 'cram it all in' post.  UGH! 
Here's to trying to get to post before Sunday rolls around again!!! :)

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Sunday Synopsis

Another week has come and gone.

Lots of things have been going on.

So I thought I'd take a minute or two

And share the goings on with you!! ;)





** I was asked this week to commit until the end of November with the substitute teaching position I have been doing for the past four weeks.  This is a fabulous thing as it allows me to go in to 'long-term sub' status which comes with a pay increase!!  So, it's now more financially rewarding to be busting my arse each day! ;)

** While in the front office area the other day, I was a part of a conversation between a parent and our secretary about this parent's child who had been called a 'pretty boy' at recess (just for the record, this kid is quite the looker).  The name caller thought it was a compliment because he liked the other boy's hair...it was quite 'fixed' with gel.  Come to find out the mom had recently switched products so as not to be spending $13 per jar on hair gel for her two boys.  She is now using a product call Gorilla Snot. seriously!  Come to find out there is also Bear Snot, but it doesn't work as well.  So if you ever need to know, Gorilla Snot is better that Bear Snot!! :)

** Ubergeek worked his magical IT ways and fixed my blog.  One of the pictures in one of the posts had freaked it out and all of the side bar 'things' were gone.  They are back now...YEA!!

** After some serious fit throwing on Bean's part yesterday at a get together, Ubergeek persisted with Bean today and she is now RIDING HER BIKE!!!  Granted, she still needs help getting started and she has trouble in the stopping area, but SHE'S RIDING HER BIKE!!!  She went from saying 'pedal, pedal, pedal' to 'I'm doing it, I'm doing it, I'm doing it' while I was running along side her.  It was an amazingly proud moment for all of us!


I'm sure there are things I'm forgetting, but that's what I got for now!

Thursday, September 1, 2011

...and the winner is...

The winner of the Lauren's Hope give away...






The amazing D-Mama who thinks her wacky kiddo would love this bracelet...

Mood Bead Medical ID Bracelet





The author who left comment #6





That winner?  


Well, it's none other than Amy, Emma's mom, from Mom of an Extra Sweet Insulin Challenged Girl!!


CONGRATULATIONS!!  


Send me an email in the next 24ish hours so I can connect you with Lauren's Hope so you can place your order!!


Wednesday, August 31, 2011

"You're My Friend's Mom"

So I was in the hallway the other day, trying my best to avoid the Kindergarten line that was coming towards me.

The cute little girl at the end of the line stopped and turned to look at me and said, "Hey, you're Sophia's mom.  No, you're not; you're my friend's mom."

I asked her which friend that was, since I didn't recognize her as someone I knew Bean knew.

She was obviously thinking and couldn't come up with her name.  So after a couple of seconds she said, while motioning to her own arms, "My friend, the one with the things on her arms.  That one!" (making reference to Bean's CGM sensor and Omnipod)

I said Bean's name and she was excited that I knew who she was talking about.

She trotted along to rejoin her line and I went about my teacherly business of making copies with a big smile on my face.

Gotta love friends who have friends with things on their arms!! ;)

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Come On...You Know You Want One! ;)

Welcome to My Sweet Bean and Her Pod's FIRST GIVE AWAY!!!

  Way before we became a part of the DOC and won Karen's give away, we were HUGE FANS of Lauren's Hope.


  When Bean was dx'ed we knew that a medcial ID bracelet would be a must:  she would be going places and doing things where we wouldn't always be.
  I did some looking around here and there and found an inexpensive hot pink rubber with 'silver' tab clasp that could have "type one diabetes" engraved on the back bracelet and ordered it.  It was way too big, so we had to punch our own hole in it for it to fit Bean's little wrist.  It lasted a few months before it broke...both the clasp and the rubber band part.
  When I noticed that bracelet would be 'going' soon, I started looking some more.  I stumbled upon Lauren's Hope and fell in love!!  There were so many options...a MUST for a girly-girl almost seven year old.  And I loved that you could engrave more than one line of information on the back of the tag!  So nice to have her name, Type 1 Diabetes, and contact phone numbers all right there on her little wrist!  And I loved that I could order a size that would actually FIT Bean's wrist.
  Over a year later, Bean's first Lauren's Hope bracelet is still going strong!
  That brings us to Karen's give away that I won!!  Bean picked the Mood Bead bracelet.  It arrived during the first week of school, so we waited until that Saturday to give it to her....she so didn't need another distraction for her while getting used to the new routine...hello, a bracelet that changes color!!
  We gave it to her, she squealed and danced around, and she's been wearing it ever since!  She loves checking to see what 'mood' she's in and really loves the pink caduceus tag that I got to go with this bracelet...and loves the fact that she can clip her already existing bracelet to the new tag, too. (If she ever remembers she has that one!!)

  So, after we won the new bracelet, I was contacted by Lauren's Hope to see if I would like to host a give away...um, YEAH!
  With the craziness that has been the past two weeks, I needed to wait...and now the wait is over!! :)

Here is some information about Lauren's Hope:



     When you or your child was diagnosed with diabetes, your life instantly changed forever. As your doctor explained medical procedures, medications, and other lifestyle adjustments, you may have been overwhelmed thinking about all the things that would have to change. One thing that your condition shouldn't affect, though, is your individualized sense of style! In the past, medical bracelets have been big, bulky, impersonal and unattractive - which meant a lot of people would opt not to wear them.

     That’s why Lauren’s Hope was founded - to create medical alert jewelry that people would actually want to wear. This inspiration for the business came from a family friend of the company’s founders.  As a teenager with diabetes, Lauren refused to wear medical ID jewelry because it was “ugly” and could “draw attention” to her illness. Lauren’s mother asked for a fashionable medical ID to keep her daughter safe, and the rest is history.


      Today, Lauren’s Hope is still dedicated to making beautifulmedical ID jewelry for people of all ages, with any condition, and with any sense of style! Whether you have a style-savvy teenager with diabetes or you feel self-conscious wearing your own chunky diabetes ID to a dinner party, we can help you find a fashionable alternative that will keep you safe. People with diabetes, severe food, drug, and insect allergies, heart conditions, asthma, autism, a visual or hearing impairment, epilepsy, or any chronic illness need to wear medical alert jewelry with that information engraved, as well as people who are on certain medications or are gastric bypass, lap band or organ transplant patients.

     In the event of an emergency, your medical ID will do more than just make you look good - it can also save your life.  Your medicalID bracelet should be custom engraved with a few important details so medical personnel will know how to treat you best. They will need to know your name, your medical condition(s), any allergies and important medications that you have, and emergency contact numbers.


Here are the bracelets you can choose from.
The winner gets one bracelet, custom engraving and shipping included!

Mood Bead Medical ID Bracelet
      This is the Mood Bead Medical ID Bracelet.  Don't like to keep your emotions all bottled up? Set them free with this psychedelic, color-changing mood bracelet! Featuring color changing mood beads surrounded by Swarovski crystals and sterling silver Bali beads, this medical ID bracelet will take you all the way back to the 70s. Attach your custom engraved medical ID tag to complete the look and show the world what you're feeling.  The lobster clasps attach to your custom engraved medical ID tag.  Slap on your medical ID bracelet and see what kind of mood you are in today!



Fiona Medical ID Bracelet
     This is the Fiona Medical ID Bracelet .  Everyone loves stylish simplicity - especially when it comes to medical ID jewelry. If you want a style that is elegant-yet-modest, you can't go wrong with this triple strand medical ID bracelet. This sophisticated design features black tubing and gray Swarovski crystals to create a look that is subtly stunning. Simply attach your custom engraved medical ID tag with our signature lobster clasps for instant, trouble-free elegance.





April Showers Medical ID Bracelet
     This is our AprilShowers Medical ID Bracelet. They say April showers bring May flowers.  Now you can have flowers anytime of the year.  This darling medical ID bracelet features 3 clay flower shaped beads (colors may vary), surrounded by delicate, colorful beads in pinks, greens and blues with stainless steel lobster clasps. This design will make it feel like springtime all year long!  Attach this sweet medical ID bracelet to your custom engraved medical ID tag and you'll be dancing in the rain!





Into The Dark Medical ID Bracelet
     This is the Intothe Dark Medical ID Bracelet.  Are you a fan of glow in the dark beads?  This unique medical ID bracelet features 2 lime green glowing beads.  The sides of the bracelet feature black tubing and you can attach this medical ID bracelet to your custom engraved medical ID tag with lobster clasps.







Undercover Medical ID Bracelet
     This is the Undercover Medical ID Bracelet.  If you are confident and strong, with a bit of an edge, this stainless steel medical ID bracelet is perfect for you.  The unique crisscross pattern and durable stainless steel are things you might not want to keep under wraps! This stylish bracelet can hold up to 3 lines of your important medical information. Combine safety with style when you snap on this medical ID bracelet.


Now for the important details...aka...HOW YOU CAN WIN!!

To Enter: (each one counts as one entry)
  1.  Leave a comment, with your first name, and the bracelet you would like.
  2.  Mention this giveaway on Facebook, and then here comment about it.
  3.  Tweet about this giveaway, and then here comment about it.
  4.  Post about this give away on your blog, and then comment here about it.

Entries will be accepted until 11:59pm Alaska Time Wednesday, August 31st.  The winner (chosen by random.com) will be posted Thursday, September 1st. (not promising when on Thursday, just that it will still be Thursday when I post the winner!!)