Someone got Hacked and they deserved it!!!

So this is Ubergeek and MomofBean just got Hacked by her husband.  So here is the latest.... Everyone is doing just fine.  Bean is awesome and she is in fourth grade being the most independent for her age, insulin dependent Type 1 D kid I know.  Bug is a kindergartner, and loving it. She is also amazing in so many way, she is many blog post to be posted in the future. Now for the rest of the story.  Denise has a thousand and one blog posts she wants to write but here is the truth.  She is to busy right now settling in to her new school with a new full time position as a second grade teacher.  So I am going to guess as soon as her phone starts blowing up with emails from comments to this Hacked Blog Post this may motivate her to take a couple of minutes to update some of her best friends in the whole DOC world.  Yes we saw snow on Monday September 23rd, 2013 only briefly thankfully but this is Alaska after all.  We had an amazing summer so maybe we should buckle down for a amazing winter.

Free Stuff Friday WINNERS!!

Congrats to the Winners of Lauren's Hope Free Stuff Friday!

Thanks to everyone who shared their tips for back to school time and for managing T1 at work.

Here is the announcement from Lauren's Hope....

Aaaand the winners of Free Stuff Friday with Denise of My Sweet Bean and Her Pod (http://www.mysweetbeanandherpod.com/) are...

Marisol Gutierrez

Allison Lafferty

and

Alexis Newell 

Congratulations, ladies! You have 72 hours to claim your prizes by emailing tara@laurenshope.com! 

Didn't win this time? You can still pick up a fab new medical alert at Lauren's Hope Medical ID Bracelets for 10% off using our "FAN" coupon code! Happy Monday! 

Guest Post AND Free Stuff Friday!!

Today I have the privilege of partnering with Lauren's Hope and doing a guest post AND being part of their awesome Free Stuff Friday!!

I'm writing about back to school stuff and you have the chance to share your helpful hints and enter to win one of THREE awesome medical alert IDs.

Head on over to Lauren's Hope Blog and leave a comment to enter!

Go on, GO...you know you want to win!! :)

Wordless Wednesday ~ Matchy Matchy

Wordless Wednesday ~ Do You See What I See?

"Awe, It's So Cute!"

Bean is off to Diabetes Camp this week.

She has been looking forward to this week all summer (no, make that since she got off the bus last year!) and was super bummed that it was at the end of JULY this year instead the end of June like it's been the past two years she's been.

Her numbers had to be logged all week, so of course they were all over the place!  We even did an extra pod change to try to fix some stubborn highs and then ended up with several lows, of course!

Here's where she was when she ate her lunch during the registration process....

yeah, it's upside down...what's it to ya?!

So, needless to say, she didn't cover any of her lunch carbs!  She eeked up to 75 with an applesauce...she had already had her juice on the way there when she was at 57.  No BG lowering excitement going on there AT ALL!  With a quick debrief with her CDE...love that Bean's medical team is at camp with her!!...they loaded the bus and off they went.

So, of course, today would be the day that the NEW PODS arrive!!!  Ironic, much?  Who says Diabetes doesn't have a sense of humor!

All I have to say is "OMG THEY ARE SMALL!!!"  

     And in case you are wondering, yes the new PDM came with them, but we only got one box of ten pods.

Yes, I've seen all the pictures.  Yes, I knew they were going to be small.  But, I was not prepared for just how stinking small they are!  I can't wait for Bean to see them!!

While I was talking to Ubergeek on the phone about HOW SMALL they are, Bug wanted to see one.

She cradles my hands (I was holding the pod package) in her hands and says with the tenderest voice and sweetest expression on her face, "Awe....it's so cute!"  Ri-dic-u-lous!

She returned to the couch and then about a minute later she pops up and, with a very concerned look on her face asks, "Is it going to be able to hold enough insulin? Cuz it's really small!"

I assured her it would hold the same amount of insulin and she went about her business once again.

I've flipped through oart of the User Guide and am excited to get the PDM setup and get one on Bean....

let's see, she should have a pod change tonight, then Thursday....UGH...that means we'll have to wait til Sunday...or will we?!?!

Muhahaha

Suckered Into A SleepOver

Bean is 9 and a half.

She has a group of friends that see each other often, a thus, a lot of sleepovers occur.

For the other girls, that is.  Not for Bean; not unless I'm sleeping over, too.

It's not fair and I get it.  I remember being told 'no' when I asked to go over to a friend's house and it was like the world was coming to an end.  I can only imagine how much more it sucks when the main (and sometimes only) reason for the 'no' is D.  I hate it, she REALLY hates it, but that's where we are right now.

So, this week Bean's numbers have been wonky, wonky, wonky.  I'm sure it has to do with the fact that it's full moon time AND that I have to log her BGs to prepare for camp that starts on Sunday.  (UGH, packing!)
Because of those extra wonky numbers, the 'no' came pretty fast last night when Bean asked if she could join in on the sleepover two of her friends were having.  Granted, I was a 'good mom' and at least told her I'd talk to Ubergeek about it before we told her no and the fit started.

She was mad.  No, she was super-duper pissed!

We let her stomp off and have her time to fume and cry, then Ubergeek went to talk to her.

When they came back, I was informed that the sleepover was now happening at our house.  Oh, joy!

Now before you get all 'you shouldn't give into a fit' preachy on me, this is only the second time in three years that we have adjusted sleepovers for Bean and honestly in those three years these friends have had hundreds of sleepovers without her.  We generally stick to our guns and she eventually gets over it and life goes on.

I guess last night's fit was followed up by a conversation that warranted a sleepover at our house.  And, honestly, it wasn't a that big of a deal.  My house was still relatively clean from my mother's visit.  Stores were still open so I could get breakfast stuff.  It was only two friends and we have car space and sleeping space.

Bean gets the shaft a lot because of D.  And, yes, it isn't fair and yes, it sucks.  And, yes, most of the time we have a 'suck it up and move on' approach because, let's face it, life isn't fair.  But, every once in a while we 'give in' and rearrange everyone's plans to try to help her feel a little more normal.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Perfect Camp PJs

Checking Out Lauren's Hope

As we all know, there are a LOT of things that come along with a chronic condition like Type 1 Diabetes.  Some of those 'things' are non-negotiable...insulin, strips, meter, etc.  And as far as I'm concerned, a medical ID bracelet is one of those 'non-negotiables' as well.

That's why we LOVE Lauren's Hope!  No matter what condition or allergy you might need others to know about in an emergency situation, they've got you covered....and with style!

Bean is a true girly girl and has always been into jewelry.  So, getting her to wear a medical ID bracelet has never been an issue.  However, she does like to coordinate what she's wearing with the bracelet, so that can get a bit tricky. :)

When I was contacted by Lauren's Hope to test out a bracelet, I jumped at the chance!  I have been a customer of theirs since Bean was dx'ed...within the first couple of months she was sporting one of their bracelets.  I know, and appreciate, the quality and variety of their products.  From the basics to the glamorous, everyone can find what they need.

Bean was beyond excited to choose a bracelet to test out....and even more excited when it arrived!

She picked one of the triple strand bracelets with the purple aluminum tag.

I love that they have so many choices for the tag part of the bracelet.  Anything from your 'standard' sliver tag with a red caduceus to, well, purple!

The underside of the tag has room for 5 lines of engraving, so there's plenty of room to put important (life saving!) information. On Bean's tag is her name, the fact that she has T1 and is on the Omnipod insulin pump, is allergic to amoxicillin, my cell number and Ubergeek's cell number.  Yes, it all fits (with a few abbreviations) and is easy to read!

Bean has been wearing her bracelet since the moment it came out of the package!  It's just part of her and I love that.  She doesn't even know it's there...which is saying something for a triple strand, beaded bracelet!

just chillin'

bike riding around campgrounds

testing and dosing for a yummy treat

enjoying said 'yummy treat' with Spencer

and yes, you do see a juice box...campy fun can make those BGs drop!

exploring the gardens 

sound asleep while I do a wee-hours BG check

With her Lauren's Hope bracelet on, Bean is able to provide the most important information needed to help her in an emergency, even if she's unable to provide it herself.  It's an added layer of security that helps her feel safe and helps me feel safe for her.  

As you can see from the pictures, Bean has done just about everything in her bracelet and it's hanging tough!  Sure, there are a few scratches on her tag, but it doesn't effect the immediate identification that it's a medical bracelet and since the engraving is on the inside of the tag, it's protected and stays easy to read.

Like I said earlier, Bean has had a Lauren's Hope bracelet since the early days of this crazy D life that started for us just over three years ago.  We have a few different styles and a couple of different tags.  I love that they are all interchangeable so she can mix and match.  And, even with all the wear, they all have stood the test of a very active girl and are still in very good condition!  The tags are very readable and the bracelets still look great.

I know there are a lot of choices out there when it comes to medical jewelry, but I have to tell you that I have found the items we have from Lauren's Hope to be outstanding in quality and design.  It's always the first place I think of whenever Bean needs/wants something new or different and when making recommendations to others who are looking for medical alert jewelry.

Keep an eye out in early August because I've been invited to do a guest post on the Lauren's Hope Bog AND we will be doing a GIVE AWAY just in time for the 'back to school' shopping frenzy!

Lauren's Hope sent Bean her bracelet free of charge and I was asked to blog about it.  If I had not been impressed with this company already, or if this bracelet wasn't fabulous, I would have told you. :)

Wordless Wednesday ~ Pod Tattoo

A Girl and Her Dog

We have been tossing around the idea of a dog for a while.  Never anything overly serious, but always a thought in the back of our minds and always a wish in the front of Bean's mind.

Of course the service aspect was a given.  Whatever dog we got needed to be able to be trained to alert to BGs.  If that meant going the 'fully trained' route or 'go an do training' route or 'DIY training' route, it didn't really matter all that much.  Well, financially speaking it matters a whole helluva lot, but you know what I mean.

The breeds we had initially thought we really wanted aren't well suited for smelling, so out went Boxers and American Bulldogs.
Those breads more suited for smelling tend to make my silly, random allergy go haywire, so we thought we were destined to either not have a dog or have allergy shots!

Then came Spencer.

Yeah, he's dang cute, I know!

I had been trolling craigslist, always keeping my eye out for appropriate breeds and good temperaments, but you never really know what you're going to get.
Then came a posting about a 'partially trained service dog' and I about fell out of my chair.
We decided to go check him out and fell in love!  As far as I'm concerned, he was more of a therapy dog than a working service dog, but honestly I don't much care.  At two years old, e's out of the puppy stage (though he still loves to chew on things), is kennel and house trained, and knows a good deal of basic commands and learns fast.

He's a yellow lab/shar pei mix, so he's got this adorable wrinkled brow and slightly curled tail.  He LOVES the girls and has already shown such compassion for them whenever they have gotten 'hurt' when they have a mishap on their bikes.

He's shown great skills in smelling things out....we've hidden treats and his toys and he's located them with ease.  Ubergeek's reading lots and watching lots of videos on training for the BG alerting and is looking forward to starting that training soon-ish.

I know that there's no guarantee that Spence will be able to alert to all of Bean's lows or highs, but if he's able to catch some here and there, I'm good with that.
We have a great family pet that loves us as much as we love.  The BG alerting will be bacon grease on the dog food! ;)

yeah, no puppy love going on here at all!

Now You See Her, Now You Don't

Bean loves to swim.  Like, loves  to swim.

Even before she really knew how to swim, she loved being in the water.

In fact, the first time we went to the beach when she was a mere 18 months old, she ran full tilt towards the ocean.  Yeah, fun times!

But I digress.

Last summer, we put the girls in swimming lessons in preparation for our trip to places that are hot enough to have swimming pools.  (I won't mention FFL because it makes me sad that we aren't going this year.  But, again, I digress.)

Since we were in the summer session, we were able to be on the wait list for the school year lessons and we got the call in April that there was room for them....yeah, it's a popular and hard to get into program!

We have continued into the summer session and Bean is doing great.  Bug, on the other hand, STILL won't put her head under the water....ugh!

So, now that we have a ridiculous amount of back story, on to the point.....


Bean uses the Dexcom G4 Continuous Glucose Monitor.  We call it Wilma.  She's amazingly wonderful for so many reasons.  However, she doesn't seem to like the water as much as Bean does.

We get spotty, at best, readings from an unobstructed (unless you count the water) five to ten feet.

reading about halfway through the lesson

six minutes later

um...where'd she go?

duh, Wilma, she's right there!

one minute later

oh...there she is!

Yeah, good times!  Especially when Wilma has had no trouble in the past picking her up from a good one hundred feet away in an auditorium.  Sure, there weren't any people in the way, but I was in the back row of the mezzanine and she was on stage...far, far away!  And, yes, I am freely willing to acknowledge that that instance is totally the exception, not the rule, but COME ON...she's RIGHT THERE!!!

Now, since the lesson is only 30 minutes and she tests her BG before and after, it's not really a big deal that Wilma isn't keeping up with those 6 or so readings.  However, it stresses me out when I know that swimming can take a pretty hefty toll on her BG.

see what I mean?!?!

Thankfully she doesn't always crash like that!  Most of the time she holds pretty steady, with just a small dip that tends to even out nicely.  But, not always...obviously.  It is D and exercise and constancy isn't a strong suit for D in that area!!

And, honestly, if this is Wilma's 'issue', I can live with thirty minutes of spotty coverage twice a week!

"I Should Get Bean One Of Those"

The other day, Ubergeek and the girls were hanging out, watching TV...one of the many things they like to do together. ;)  (OK, just to balance out the couch potato vibe, they did bike to the playground and play for over an hour this afternoon!)

They were on some channel other than Disney (amazing, I know!) and of course along with that comes a variety of commercials.

On this particular commercial break, an all too familiar "I've fallen and I can't get up" frail old lady voice rang through the speakers.

As the cute grandma spokes-ladies chatted about being able to live alone and press the magical button on the oh-so-fashionable necklace to summon help, Bug turns to Ubergeek and says, in all seriousness, "I should get Bean one of those necklace things so she can get help if she's low when she's alone."

Yep, she's awesome like that when it comes to D stuff and Bean.

But, when it's just sister-stuff, Bean has to fend for herself because Bug always comes out swinging! :)

Summer, Summer, Summer Time!!

We have been enjoying the lazy days of summer around here.

Granted, I've been sick for the past three weeks and Ubergeek hasn't been feeling the best either, so we're more than happy to laze the days away doing nothing.

Bean and Bug have been enjoying the freedom of going to be whenever....when the sun doesn't set until well after midnight, it's hard to convince them that it's time for bed!  We've been trying to make it a reasonable bedtime of around 9, but that doesn't always work.
They have also been enjoying sleeping until whenever....like this morning Bean rolled out of bed around 10:30 and Bug had to be convinced to get out of the bed at 11:30.  (She had been awake, just not interested in getting up yet.)

With the lazy days comes some D related laziness, too, unfortunately.

Bean has been getting her own breakfast, some days, when she remembers that she should probably eat.  There's no issue with a 9 year old getting her own breakfast.  In fact, I'm all for it!  However, she doesn't do the significant pre-bolus that I would do on school days.  Nor does she always remember to crank her basal to offset the massive spike that always comes with breakfast.

So, there are mornings that she'll test, dose, and eat, but an hour later she's sky high, pushing 300 and can't understand why she's in such a fowl mood.  (Uh, duh!)

And there are mornings...like today....that she'll 'forget' to eat something because she gets involved with some project and then I'll check with her and she's "SUPER hungry" and "feels REALLY low" and then she'll test at 57!  Um, DUH!  You should maybe eat something BEFORE you start feeling this low!

So, it brings me to this.....We NEED a Schedule!!!

As much as I would LOVE to laze away the days, it just can't happen.  There needs to be a set-ish bedtime with a set-ush time to get up.  I'm not talking craziness here....just something a bit more structured than 'whenever the heck you feel like rolling out of bed.'  And, I know it will do me good, too.

Plus, there's learning to be done!  Bug needs to be challenged and do some Kindergarten prep.  And Bean desperately needs to fill in all the holes that have been slowly growing over the past two years.  She's doing OK, but it's a very easy slip from OK to way behind and I just won't let that happen because she's way smarter than she's shown at school for one reason or another.
I'm not totally blaming that on D, but it has a LOT to do with it.  If her BG is low, she can't learn well.  If her BG is high, she can't learn well.   That creates lots of holes in the learning process.

So, starting tomorrow....or maybe the next day so there's not too much pressure on us because it is summer after all!!!....we will begin our more scheduled, structured days.

Wish me luck!!

DBW ~ Diabetes Wild Kingdom Wildcard

yep, running a day late on this one...it's been a crazy week and I got the wonderful cold that all my students seem to have...love it when they share!!

Pulling the Wildcard today...
What is the ideal diabetes service animal? Think beyond the obvious and be creative in explaining why your choice is a good one. For example, maybe a seal would make a good service animal - it flaps its flippers and barks every time you get a good blood sugar reading! 

We joked the other day that Bug was Bean's Diabetes Service Monkey when she rushed to the pantry to get her a juice because she said she felt low.

But, the more I thought about it, the more having a monkey for a service animal makes sense.  And, no, it's not just because I've always wanted a monkey!!

Think about it...a monkey would be great!

They can be taught to use sign language so they could give detailed information about what's going on.

They can scamper up and down shelves to retrieve any and all D supplies.

They could open the straw wrapper on the apple juice box in the middle of the night.

They could go around the house and pick up all those crazy test strips that the vacuum cleaner refuses to pick up!

Yep, totally wanting a monkey even more right now! ;)

DBW ~ Accomplishments Big and Small

Today's Topic:

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

I'm sitting here, trying to think of some accomplishment that's worth typing about.  

Something monumental.  

Something BIG.

But, I'm coming up with nothing.  Nada.  Zilch.

Honest, everyday is an accomplishment on some level.

Were Bean's over night numbers steady and in a good, safe range?  Accomplishment!

Did I prebolus and temp basal at the right time and in the right amount so that her breakfast didn't send her BG through the roof and keep her there for the duration of the morning?  Accomplishment!

Did she go through her morning at school without crashing....or if I was a bit aggressive with the breakfast insulin did she feel her low and have an apple juice?  Accomplishment!

Did Bean remember to test her BG before recess and have her designated snack if she was below our set 'safe number' of 140?  Accomplishment!

Did Bean test and dose for lunch, even though it means she starts eating later than her classmates?  Accomplishment!

Was Bean's afternoon at school productive because her BGs were in range or if she spike for some strange reason from lunch, did she feel that high and correct?  Accomplishment!

Was I able to provide a dinner for my family that no one complained too much about, calculated or SWAGed carbs correctly, and didn't scream too much?  Accomplishment!

If it was pod change or CGM sensor change night, did we work as a team and get it done...either by one of us helping her or doing it all for her or Bean doing it all herself, depending on her mood?  Accomplishment!

Did I remember to bring up the PDM and CGM receiver on the first trip upstairs to bed so I didn't have to trudge down and up again once I finally drag myself to bed?  Accomplishment!

Once the alarms on my phone are set, did I wake up to at least one of the three so I could test Bean's BG in the middle of the night...or if I happened to sleep through them, woke up shortly there after....or woke up when the CGM alerted?  Accomplishment!


Everyday, there are things that we do (and Bean does) to help keep her safe, healthy, and alive.  Each one of those things is, in and of itself, an accomplishment because I've heard way too many stories of T1s who don't take care of themselves and I don't want those 'bad things' to happen to Bean.

I need to remember that even the routine things are truly accomplishments because no matter how normal they are to us, they AREN'T NORMAL!  And getting them done, day in and day out, is an accomplishment...each and every time!

DBW ~ We, The Undersigned

Today's Topic:

Recently various petitions have been circulating the Diabetes Online Community, so today let’s pretend to write our own. Tell us who you would write the petition to – a person, an organization, even an object (animate or inanimate) - get creative!! What are you trying to change and what have you experienced that makes you want this change?

I would like to petition germs.

It seems to me like a reasonable request for them to stay away from not only Bean, but our whole family.

We have been fortunate since Bean's dx almost three years ago (holy cow!) that she is a very healthy kiddo. I could count on one hand, and probably have a couple of fingers left over, the times she's been sick.  Sure, the 'little colds' last way longer for her and can make her BGs wonky, but we've never had to go to the ER or use glucagon (regular or mini-doses).

However, that doesn't mean that every time I hear that there's something going around school or Bug brings something home or I start feeling not so great I get anxious that Bean is going to catch whatever 'it' is and get it ten times worse because of D.

So, I think that all T1s and their families (or whom ever they are closest with and spend the most time with) should be allowed a lifetime pass on any and all germs.

If that means I have to take a pill everyday, so be it.
If I have to have a shot, so be it....it seems only fair that it might take a shot to help me protect Bean who will have to deal with shots in some shape, form, or fashion for the rest of her life or until a cure is found.
If I have to give up chocolate....well, that would be harder, but I'd gladly do it if that means I never, ever have to worry about Bean getting sick or catching something from one of us.

So, germs. hear my plea.  Name your terms and we will start negotiations.  The only thing I want in return is a guarantee that you will leave all T1s and their families alone!  We all have enough to deal with without you mucking things up!!

DBW ~ Share and Don't Share

It's that time again....Diabetes Blog Week!!  So excited to be participating again....plus I'm hoping it gets me back in touch with my blog and, in turn, with all the blogs I love, and some new ones I'm sure I'll find!!

Thanks, Karen, for putting this together for the fourth year!!

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

I happen to know that Bean's medical team does visit my blog from time to time and I love that they do!

This is my place to vent, rant, complain, rejoice, commiserate, and connect.  So, do I think about the fact that  Bean's FNP or CDE might read something less than favorable about a BG high or low...not really.  Well, maybe sometimes.  Does it affect what I write, not at all.

What's awesome about Bean's medical team is that I feel like I can be real with them and not worry about being judged....I do that enough myself! ;)  Yes, they will tell me 'like it is' but in a way that a friend would so you know it's coming from a helpful place and not a 'I know better than you because I have this medical degree' way.

I feel like we are truly a team, working together to help fight this crappy disease together to help Bean be as healthy as possible.

Just Another Day, Doing What We Do

This past Thursday was a day that we haven't seen in a while, and for that I'm thankful.

Bean spiked into the low 300s after lunch...her usual lunch that treats her BGs fine, usually.

This meant that her afternoon was rough.  Her class was working on a project and she couldn't focus.  She was trying, was getting some individual help, but still couldn't get anything accomplished.  This had her in tears by the time school was over and she came to my room.  She was hiding in a corner, teary eyed, and just wanted to lay down and do nothing.

A couple of things could have been the issue....it was pod change day and sometimes those last twelve hours just suck.  And, we were past the halfway point of the insulin vial and that can mean it's 'done' and doesn't work as well as it should.

So, as soon as we got home we geared up for a pod change.  That was loads of fun with an overly emotional 9 year old.  We cracked open a brand new vial of insulin and gave her a hefty bolus.

Now, here's where I kinda messed things up....we were having tortellini for dinner.  Not terrible for Bean's BGs when she's in range, but not really great when you are starting in the mid 300s!  But, with her being so emotional and so overly dramatic, I wasn't about to have the 'you have to have something different than everyone else because of your BG' conversation.  So, she ate pasta.

Putting the numbers into perspective, she only spiked 150 points.  BUT, when that spike means you are hitting close to 500, not so good.

It took until 10pm to get her in range.  So she was flying high from 11am until 10pm....great.

Thankfully her overnight was fine and the next day she was back to 'normal'....with the exception of a random 44 mid-afternoon, which I think was due to misinformation about the carb count for the school lunch she had, but she came up nicely and stayed in the low 100s for the rest of the day.

And then there was Saturday....another day we haven't seen for a while.

We were on our way to Bean's D-checkup and I needed coffee. ;)  Because Wilma (Bean's CGM) had her arrow down, we decided a hot chocolate was in order.  Test, low 100s, dose, enjoy.  Then as we are pulling away from the coffee stand, beeeeeeeeep goes the pod!  At least the bolus was delivered.

When we got to the clinic, Bean did her pod change and as she was filling the pod with insulin, it alarmed. UGH!  And, of course, it was the only pod we had.  But since we were at the D clinic, there wasn't an issue, so our FNP pulled out one of her pods and we started the process again.

I did the normal unit bolus for a new pod to help with the pod change spike, and because Wilma had her arrow up at this point and I didn't want Bean sky rocketing from the hot chocolate.  Apparently this pod didn't need that boost because within about 30 minutes she was double arrow down, tested at 60-something, juiced, tested again at 44, applesauced, and then was finally hitting 100 before we left the appointment.

Yep, just a couple of typical D-days that thankfully don't happen very often.  But when they do, you are reminded that the days of 'normal' that can seem frustrating aren't so bad after all!

Kicking SBA Butt

This week brought Bean's first experience with standardized testing.  Here in Alaska, they do the SBA, Standards Based Test, starting in third grade.

It was a hodgepodge of starting late, starting on time and finishing quickly, and starting on time and needing additional time.

Here'a a little play-by-play:

Tuesday ~
Checked Bean's BG when I got up, 5:24am, 175.  Increased her basal to try to ward off her breakfast spike.  Tested her when I woke her up at 6:30, 143. Dosed for breakfast and said a little prayer.
Start of Testing check at 8:33am, BG was 250.  Ugh.  Out of range to test, so off to another room to wait until the first break.
First break check at 9:26, BG 183.  Good to go; she starts the test.
Today is the Reading portion and she gets done 'too quickly' but at least she feels OK about how she did. Only time...and results...will tell.

Wednesday~
5:31am, BG 254....crap.  Decided to correct, dose for breakfast that won't be eaten for over an hour, and crank basal at the same time.  Yeah, I'm crazy like that! Wake her up and test....460. WHAT THE WHAT?!?!  Wilma (CGM) was around 180, so I tried a different finger, after wiping it down, and go 189. Much Better! 
Start of Testing, 8:30, BG 189.  Woo-to-the-Hoo!  Bean gets to start testing with her class.  Today is Writing and she takes her time, but still finishes in time to not have to finish testing after lunch.
Today she dips to 77 at 10:15, so that's not ideal.  But, easily treated with a snack and up she comes to 157 30 minutes later.

Thursday~
5:29am, BG 224.  Second verse, same as the first....correct, dose for breakfast, crank the basal. Before breakfast test at 6:51, 153.  I'll take it!
Start of Testing, BG 119.  Loving that.  Another dip at 9:56 to 81, so she had a snack.
Today is Math and she needs to continue the test after lunch....something we hadn't really planned for, but it ended up working out because she had a different lunch (forgot sliced cheese at the store the night before, so no sandwich today).  So when she tested at the start of the afternoon session, she was at 120...can't beat that.


So, all-in-all, pretty successful!  Totally impressed with being able to keep her from spiking so high at breakfast and having her under 220 (our threshold for testing) two out of three days.  Went ahead and did the same thing today, even though there wasn't testing because it's way easier to learn while in the 100s than in the high 200s!  Granted, with PE this morning she crashed to 47....however, she didn't follow procedure and have her designated snack because she was below 140 (actual BG 119) before PE, so she should have been OK if she had had those goldfish!

I am planning to keep doing the early morning test, correct if needed, dose, basal crank.  I am planning to adjust some to try to ward off those mid-morning dips.  Or maybe she'll just need to have a little snack.  We'll see how it pans out.
I am kicking myself some for not thinking to do this earlier in the year.  But, better late than never, I suppose!

Now we wait for the results....

Blood Anywhere But There

In the world we live, a world with a T1D kiddo, we deal with a significant amount of blood.

Since there are an average of 10 BG checks during a 24 hours period, we are used to seeing blood on finger tips, being wiped on things (usually a paper towel piece in her kit, but pant legs ~ hers and mine or Ubergeek's ~ and pillow cases and napkins and other places that are convenient at the time get their fair share of the blood wiping action), and on the underside of test strips when you get over zealous with the squeeze.

We've also had the odd 'gusher' when a pod or sensor is removed, but I could count those on one hand and have fingers left over.

And, there are the 'normal kid' blood issues when a knee is skinned or a tooth is lost or a sister's arm connects just right with your mouth.

All of those blood things I'm OK with.  They don't phase me.  They don't cause me any more than a fleeting thought.

This, however, is not a place you want to see blood...

...in the cannula.  (The thing that delivers the insulin from the pod into Bean.)

AND, you totally and completely don't want to see it when it's a brand-spankin-new pod.

We're talking less than 30 minutes since it was put on Bean's arm!  

I noticed it when I was helping her get ready for bed and we both groaned.  I was hoping it might clear itself up...yeah, stupid, I know...but I was hoping, none-the-less.

But, no such luck!  As we were doing bedtime prayers, the pod alarmed and back downstairs we went to do another pod change.

And, being the awesome mom I am (no laughing, please) I even took the Pump Peelz off and put it on the new, new pod because she really wanted her pod on her arm with a Peelz so she could wear short sleeves and show it off.

Thankfully, the current pod seems to be behaving itself and Bean is fast asleep.

Now I get to try to figure out how much, if any, of the 'pod change bolus' we do with a new pod to help keep the 'pod change high' away with the alarmed pod she got, plus the 'pod change bolus' with the other new pod, balanced with the pizza she had for dinner and the temp basal to keep the pizza BG in check.  Yup, super fun impossible to know math going on!

And here I was thinking I could get to bed early tonight because I have a stupid-early staff meeting in the morning.

At least I have an awesome hubby who will bring me coffee when he drops of Bean for school!

DSMA Live 'Rents with US!

Tomorrow, Monday, March 18th, Ubergeek and I will be the guests on DSMA Live 'Rents (short for parents, if you needed help figuring it out).

We are super excited to chat with Lorriane and Bennett about D stuff and what-not.

We have learned so much through the DOC and have really enjoyed furthering our connection with others living with T1D through DSMA, both the 'Rents (every other Monday) and Live (every Thursday) with Cherise (founder of DSMA), Scott, and George.  There is also a twitter chat on Wednesday, but I still haven't ventured into that whole thing and honestly, it kinda scares me! :)

check out the link

If you can't tune in, they also record the programs...super awesome because sometimes we can't make it 'live' to listen.

Would love to 'see' lots of you in the chat room (tho I'm not super good at talking and typing) and you can even call in to talk, like, for reals. :)

Like Water For Insulin

It's been a crazy day around these parts.

Seeing as it's Spring Break, we haven't been doing much of anything this week and it's been nice.

Ubergeek did take the girls ice skating last night after Bean had been asking and asking and I had told her we might be able to go this week.  And that would account for the interesting BG night we had last night.  Nothing terrible, as far as lows go.  Just the need for her basal to be off and a sqeezey applesauce to boost her.

Today, you would have thought that she replaced her insulin with water!

After breakfast, Bean shot up into the 300s and never came down past about 240 all day.  Yeah, that made for a nice calm, 'getting along with you sister' kind of a day around here.

We tired extra corrections, cranked basals; all to no avail.

Until, that is, around 10:30pm when I considered going to bed.  I know, what was I thinking?!?

It's like sometimes her body holds on to the insulin and then decides to let it loose all at one time.  Yeah, totally not possible, but totally what it seems like happens.

87, her basal is off.

Thirty minutes later, 74 and she had an applesauce.

I'm trying to be patient; trying not to over treat and spike her back to where she spent most of the day.  But, she keeps dipping.

61 just now and she had an apple juice.

It's been less than an hour and she's down over 20 points and the G4 has her 'arrow straight across' but she's been dipping slowly and consistently.

I know her BG will come up.  It always, eventually comes up.  It's the waiting for that number to get bigger that is the difficult part.

107...booyah!  Love that Bean commented, "Will you just let me sleep already?!" as I'm poking her finger for the fourth time in an hour!  Poor thing.

Now I think we can all sleep....at least until the alarm goes off to test her in a couple of hours!

When Diabetes Sucks

Today has been one of those days when I just shake my head because there's really nothing else I can do.

Yes, I know that Nutella toast isn't Bean's BFF, however, we can usually deal with it with a nicely timed pre-bolus and a cranked temp basal.

But not today.


Yes, I know that Subway isn't Bean's BFF, however, we can usually deal with it with a super-duper bolus.

But not today.


Here it is, dinner time, and Bean is at 323.  Not a number you want to add to with any kind of food.  Especially not the Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal she asked to get today so she could try cereal because she really doesn't like cereal and maybe she'd like that kind (conversation in the cereal aisle today...and yes, I caved with her choice because at that point I just didn't care what she chose....mom of the year is in the bag!).  So, cheese and water is what she is 'enjoying' for dinner so she can at least have something.


It frustrates me; days like this; because yesterday she had OJ and a cinnamon roll for breakfast, sandwich and applesauce for lunch, and a cupcake for snack and never went over 225 all day (according to the G4, which has been pretty dang spot on for several days).


And, now, the pod is alarming....seriously....as I sit here typing, the pod beeeeeeeeeeeeped.

Well, maybe it's a good thing...we'll just wait and see what tomorrow brings.

Loving The G4...and Tallygear!

Bean's had a CGM since 13 months after dx.  

It was life changing to see the graph and to know which direction her BG was headed instead of just a number on the meter screen.

Then the G4 entered the picture three months ago and our lives were changed again!

Yeah, the color screen is pretty and it's easier to see.  

Yeah, Bean loves that it's pink.

BUT, the range, people.  The RANGE!!  The fact that Bean can be in her bedroom upstairs and I can have the G4 on the couch downstairs is awesome!  And to be able to have the receiver in our bedroom and 'see' where Bean's BG is in the middle of the night without having to get out of bed is super nice!

Yes, I still do a 'real' BG check with the poking of the finger and the blood and the strip and all.  But, to not have to get out of the bed when I randomly wake up and wonder how she's doing is wonderful.

Another improvement that we are loving is the accuracy.  Yes, there's still the occasional really off number, but most of the time the G4 is within 10 points, which is kinda the whole point of a CGM...to have accurate readings!

Bean is also loving the case for the G4 by Tallygear.  We were lucky to get a prototype to try out and are super excited about the updated one, too.

The versatility of the case is great.  Our favorite option is the 'lanyard' that Bean wears across her body while wearing dresses or jumpers so she doesn't have to hike up her skirt to see the receiver...which is what she used to have to do when the only option was as a belt with the 7+ because she didn't like to wear it on top of her dress.

Yeah, life with D can suck...but the technology is improving and the cool stuff is, well, just COOL!

The Eve of Another Week

It seems like my days just keep running into each other.

Turning into weeks that have gone by and months that I've lost track of.
  (and just for the record I don't like that I ended the sentence with of, but it sounds so pretentious to say 'months of which I have lost track.') ;)

It's been a whirlwind of insanity around our house and I'm just about done with it all.

Yes, I am ecstatic that I am back in the classroom as an actual contracted teacher.  But, you see, I am also doing along term sub in the mornings, so I am actually working full time and teaching three grades: one in the morning and a combo in the afternoon.  So it makes for a ridiculously fragmented day that makes me feel like I have a split personality.

Bug is, as a result, having to go to full time child care and she really doesn't like it at all.  And who could blame her?  We are currently looking into other options because Ubergeek and I both are super tired of hearing how she's not going there in the morning each night at bedtime.

Bean is stuck between little girl and tween.  She wants to still be that little girl, but I can see the internal struggle of independence and trying to figure things out going on.

Diabetes is.  Yep, it just is.  I haven't had the energy to pay it much attention, and thankfully it hasn't needed a whole lot of it.  Sure, there have been the middle of the night checks...but those are WAY easier with the dexcom G4 being in our bedroom...and there have been the random tweaks of basal rates and carb ratios.  But, I haven't given D the time of day some days and while part of me is OK with that, I know that it's not really doing Bean any favors for me to be complacent.

In fact, I'm pretty sure I'll be asking to not have an A1c done at her next visit.  I just can't handle the judgment that comes with that stupid number.  Granted, we have a while, but as things sit right now there's no way I'm subjecting myself to that kind of guilt.

With the busy comes all sorts of other things that get left by the wayside.
Laundry piles up...thankfully most of it is clean, but it's still in piles!  I did get around to folding today, but the folded piles are still on the living room floor!  UGH!
Dishes get pulled out of the dishwasher instead of being put into the cabinets and another load is loaded only when we are totally out of knives or spoon or cups or whatever seems to be the most needed item at the moment.
Don't even ask me about the last time I vacuumed or cleaned the toilets!

I just can't do it all.  And while I know I shouldn't be expected to do it all, I feel like I need to do it all because I'm always the one who does it all!  Would the world stop turning if I didn't do something...obviously not because it's still making it's way around the sun!  But, I feel like the world that is our house will eventually collapse around us if I let one more thing slide.

I'm tired.  I'm stressed.  I'm nearing the end of my rope and it's starting to fray so there's little hope of tying a knot.

I would like to start the week without looking at it going 'holy crap, how it the world are we going to make it until Friday!?!'


Sorry my first post in forever is such a whining, complaining mess.  That's just where I am right now and I have to start somewhere so I can get back into the swing of blogging because I've missed it and all my wonderful DOC family!

Sleep Over Success

...well, it's been a while, hasn't it? last days of school, winter break, holidays, etc has kept us busy...now it's time to catch you up on all the bloggable stuff!

Sleep Overs....ah, the bane of my existence.

It's not that have anything against them, per se.  It's just that with T1 in the picture, they are a challenge not for the faint of heart and the already sleep deprived!

In our circle of friends, there are 5 girls within a year of Bean, 3 that are in the same grade as her.  Our get togethers rarely end without someone sleeping at someone else's house.  That is, except for Bean.  It's just not possible to be spontaneous with an over-nighter with T1.  There's just too many supplies that must be packed, just in case, for there to be a spare of the moment, 'sure, you can spend the night with so-and-so.'

One recent get together was coming to a close and all the kids were going to be spending the night at a certain house.  This particular mom is the least knowledgeable about T1 in our group (no fault of her own, just happens to be that way) so it was really out of the question for Bean to spend the night.  This sent Bean into a bigger than normal tail spin and crying fit.  I'm talking wails that could be heard downstairs from a behind a closed bedroom door upstairs.
After a heart to heart with her, she calmed down.  But, it wasn't until one of our friends made the call for her daughter to be returned to the house we were still at so that her daughter could spend the night at our house instead, that Bean truly snapped out of it and was smiling again.  In fact, both girls were beyond giddy and were rather giggly all the way home!
That sleep over went fine....we were at our house, so no need to pack a suitcase of supplies....but Bean got very little sleep and wasn't the most pleasant child to be around the next day.

Because of that night, Ubergeek had a chat with Bean about her not being quite ready for 'on her own' sleepovers, and it was agreed that any sleep overs in the future would have to be planned in advance and would require one of us staying the night.

Cut to the first night of Winter Break and an invitation long in the making with one of our friends to figure out how Bean could spend the night.
The girls and I went over for a playdate (Bug LOVES the kids of this family, too) and then I took Bug and picked up Ubergeek from work and dropped them at the grandparents' for a night of their own fun and headed back to Bean.
Bean and her friend played and played.  My friend (the mom) and I talked and enjoyed some yummy beverages..and even some middle of the night Christmas shopping after her hubby got home from the late shift.
Yeah, there wasn't a whole lot of sleep during the sleep over, but it wasn't anything a good nap couldn't help fix.

Bean was over the moon happy to be able to have a sleep over and she honestly didn't care that I had to be there.  In fact, it helped because she doesn't do all that well out of her own bed and routine.  I was there to help convince her that, yes, it was possible to sleep on a different pillow without her music playing and with the light from the neighbor's dusk-to-dawn light coming through the window instead of her dimmed lamp.
I had a great time catching up with my friend because we hadn't had the chance to hang out in quite a while.
So, it truly was win-win.

Next sleep over, I plan to try to get a bit more actual sleep!  :)