Did you know???

I am a ride/roller coaster junkie! If there is a ride in site... I am on it! (only exception would be the Gravitron... holy hurl!) My kids do not fall far from the tree when it comes to thrill seeking rides either.

However, I was reading a newsletter that I received from Animas. This thought would have never crossed my mind, so I thought it was important to share with all the other pumpin ride junkies.


COPIED FROM THE ANIMAS NEWSLETTER...
Are you planning a trip to an amusement park? Remember to take precautions to be sure that your pump is protected during your trip. Very powerful electromagnets are sometimes used on "free-fall" amusement park rides. Pumps should be removed and not taken on these "free-fall" types of rides. High gravity forces can be experienced when riding on some roller-coasters. It is recommended that you disconnect (NOT just suspend) your pump while on roller-coaster rides. Contact your health care provider for further recommendations regarding possible changes to your insulin needs at amusement parks.

I guess this is why I SHOULD always read the instructions?!?!

Please hold...

There will be a short week long

intermission while I attend to life.

Somebodys pain in the ass

My super smart and talented child

has taken over my life risen to

challenges that I am proud to support.

I will return promptly after this week of hell

filled with rewarding adventures.

Thank you for your patience.

Diabetes Blog Week... Day Seven

What we’ve learned - Wendy of Candy Hearts made a suggestion for this year. "Day 7 should be a post about stuff we've learned from other blogs or the experience of coming together online...” Today, let’s do just that!! What have you learned from other blogs - either this week or since finding the D-OC? What has your experience of blogging the DBlog Week topics with other participants been like? What has finding the D-OC done for you? If you'd like, you can even look ahead and tell us what you think the future holds!


 
I have learned plenty since I started blogging. I doubt there is a whole lot that I've learned you haven't already heard.
 
So I will make it short and sweet...
 
The most important thing I have learned is that I have a family here.
 
And they will...
 
~love me even when I am not sparkling with glitter.
 
~not un-friend me when I don't agree.
 
~take my hand even when my glass is half empty.
 
~support and uplift me when I am at my lowest and not easy to listen to.

~cheer me on when I'm kicking ass.

~make me smile everyday.

~help me find my marbles.

~sing to me.

~they will even meet me in Chicago.


 
AND I WILL do the same for them(except maybe that singing thing).

 

 
I will leave you with this quote...
 
"The family endures because it offers the truth within the group. The family endures because it seems to make us feel at the same time unique and yet joined, accepted as is and yet challenged to grow, loved unconditionally and yet propelled by greater expectations. Only in the family can so many extremes be reconciled and synthesized. Only in the family do we have a lifetime in which to do it." ~ Unknown 
 

Diabetes Blog Week... Day Six

Today's topic: Saturday snapshots Inspired by the Diabetes 365 project, let’s snap a few more d-related pictures and share them.

My pictures today have a theme... they are all part of my "to do" list.

This is the way we communicate daily with C, our
awesome nurse. I need to log these.

Justin's due for some blood work... ACK!!

We decided to try out Apidra and so far we like the results.
However, if I don't call the doctor Monday morning for the script we aren't going to have any insulin in the butter compartment.

Tonight is site change night... wanna join us?

Happy Saturday

Diabetes Blog Week... Day Five

Today's topic: Awesome thing(s) you've done because of Diabetes.
 

I am sure this is not.at.all what Karen had in mind for today's topic, unfortunately, yesterday's blogger incident has me a tad behind. There is a cute ending to this short story and something that even happened only because of D, so I am positive you will survive.

Pre-explanation...

Once upon a time in dreamland... I cooked in the mornings. But its too cRaZy around here in the mornings for me to keep up with my Betty Crocker like ways. Soooo...

We are an Eggo family during the week. We were that way before D came along and it was only a few short days before we were back on the Eggo's after D came into our lives. AND his blood sugar cooperates better with Eggo's than with cereal.


So this is how it happened...

Justin's typical breakfast consists of two Eggo's that add up to 32 carbs. However, this morning there was only one chocolate chip Eggo left and he wasn't "feelin" another flavor. No problemo... popped it in the toaster oven... ding... top it with whip cream, extra mini chocolate chips and call him to the table.


I grab the Ping remote and enter the info to bolus as I grab my cup of function coffee.

As I am stirring my stomach drops. I bolused him for the usual 32 carbs rather than 16 for one.

OH SHIT!!

(me)Justin(insert what I did) can you go ahead and have a strawberry waffle or something too??

(J)No, I don't want one.

In disbelief that he just cant eat another damn waffle... I start to look around for 16 carbs of something.

(me/Anthony)How about a brownie? <------ this is the part that would not be happening at 6:30 in the morning if it weren't for D. (YAY for Justin!)

(J) Okay!

Yeah, of course!!!

So as he starts eating the brownie, he says...

"Mom, don't worry, its a small price to pay for my safety"

Anthony and I just looked at each other and laughed. Crazy kid!!!

Once again... Justin has survived my parenting skills and the torture of me "forcing" that brownie down his over bolused throat.

Happy Friday(Its still Friday... I made it!!!)

Diabetes Blog Week... day four

Today's Topic: Ten things I hate about you, Diabetes Having a positive attitude is important . . . but let’s face it, diabetes isn’t all sunshine and roses (or glitter and unicorns, for that matter). So today let’s vent by listing ten things about diabetes that we hate. Make them funny, make them sarcastic, make them serious, make them anything you want them to be!!

Here are a few things about diabetes that can suck it(thanks Joanne).

PUMP BUBBLES... CAN SUCK IT!

SWELLY-HURTY BRAINS(tnx Meri)...

CAN SUCK IT!

BEING DOG-ASS TIRED... CAN SUCK IT!

DOOR KNOBS(AND SCROLLY CHAIRS) THAT REACH OUT AND GRAB YOUR PUMP TUBE... CAN SUCK IT!

LOGS... CAN SUCK IT!

 DIABETES OVERWHEMUS(MERI AGAIN)... CAN SUCK IT

 

BATTLE WOUNDS... CAN SUCK IT!

 

BLOGGER... CAN SUCK IT!

THE COST... CAN SUCK IT!

THE FEAR... CAN SUCK IT!

Diabetes Blog Week... Day three

Today's topic Diabetes bloopers - Whether you or your loved one are newly diagnosed or have been dealing with diabetes for a while, you probably realize that things can (and will) go wrong. But sometimes the things that go wrong aren’t stressful - instead sometimes they are downright funny! Go ahead and share your Diabetes Blooper - your “I can’t believe I did that" moment - your big “D-oh” - and let’s all have a good laugh together!!


I admit - I have had my share of fucknut moments over the last 2 1/2 years.   Really! To the point where Meri has even tried to help me find my marbles.

The bus stop seems to be my stage for comedy most of the time. Just the other day it felt like deja vu... no bra(I did have a hoodie on this time though), dog draped across my chest, heading to the bus stop when the pump alarm goes off. Low battery... ACK!!

There I was... running back to the house... poor puppies(all three of them) jarring with each running bounce. You would think I'd learn.

You will understand the deja vu part of it after you read the following.

I hope you don't mind a repost...



Mom You Suck 2010

Yep, that's right... I said I suck. I can feel a little "suckity" right now. This is worse than last year when I lost my "Mom of the year award".




Wanna know why???
 If not, click out now... cuz its my blog and I'm tellin!


If so, grab a beverage, sit back, and I will tell you all about it.



It started out at 2am when I didn't hear the alarm to check Justin. You can imagine my panic when I heard the words "what time do you need to get up" from Anthony. He asks this every morning because some days I can sneak in an extra 15.

PANIC is not my idea of a pleasant way to wake up. I scurried off to Justin's room who JUST.SO.HAPPENED to have good numbers over night for the first time in weeks.



After a sigh of relief, I carried on with the morning in the usual way. Justin is in his typical dawdling mood where any form of direction has to be repeated ten times before he even acknowledges that there are actual words spilling from my mouth.



Because of the already frantic way in which I awoke... I was particularly on edge and growing substantially more agitated with every repeat command that certain parties remained oblivious to. I wont name names (starts with a "J" and ends with "ustin") because that would not be polite.





So as I go through the motions...

"get up! get up! get up!"

"check ur blood! check ur blood! check ur blood!"

 "choose ur breakfast! choose ur breakfast! check ur blood! choose ur breakfast!"


"STOP chasing the dog... CHOOSE your breakfast... CHECK your blood!" ahhhhh! This goes on, but you get the point.


As usual we are behind. We need to leave the house by 7:15am to catch the bus. I have to work so Justin not "feelin the flo" is only setting me up to look like the crazy lady in the office with my mis-matched clothes and improperly paired shoes because I will be lucky to get a good teeth brushin in this morning.




So after my second verse of "get dressed, wheres your shoes, get your socks, brush your hair, brush your teeth... solo. (side note... at 7:14 the nameless offspring still did not have his socks and shoes on OR his mop brushed). Things in mama-ville start getting all tornado tyrant. Arms flailing, exorcist voice streaming the "word of Lora" through the halls of mi casa. Was not pretty! I decided at that moment (as I have in past tangents) that THIS.WAS.IT!! NO.MORE!! YOU WILL DO THIS AND YOU WILL DO THAT!!! OR ELSE!!! The look on Justin's face let me know that he would take my words seriously for the next five minutes, but to be prepared because tomorrow is a new day.


Now, we are dressed... ready to go... until I realize that I have no bra(white t-shirt) and no shoes laying in there usual spot because we have to keep them from the puppy. (shish-kabob!!... yeah, I didn't think you'd believed that's what I actually said) I scramble around with more flailing fashion... find shoes (no need to be crazy AND barefoot)... grab the dog to carry across my slingshot-less chest and we sprint out the door.




As we round the street corner, the bus pulls up. Were moving along as I apologize to Justin for my tantrum(not those words) and let him know that he need to start getting up and get motivated in the mornings. You know the speech... your getting older bla bla bla.


We are half way to destination big yellow bus when Justin pulls D'Com(CGM) out of his pocket and says "I'm low with an arrow down".



WHAT!!!!! You've gotta be F*ing kidding me.




This is where my suckity motherly thinking skills come into question... Rather than being calm and logical and taking him home when I read 47 on his CGM; I opted to go into "fix it and shove him on the bus mode". That's right... here is how it went.



You remember... "I'm low with an arrow down", right? Well, we will start from there. Picture this... crazy mom with white T, no bra, puppy draped across chest, now literally running in a circular motion (kind of like that game where you stuck your forehead on the bat and run in circles until your dizzy) in search of the one back pack pocket(out of 20... stupid pockets) that has the glucose tabs. Bus is waiting, 7 other moms, a dad and a German Shepard all staring as I frantically unzip and re zip above mention possible hiders of the tabs. One nice mom runs up and offers some help... I toss her poor scared puppy thus exposing my not so perky anymore cuz I'm getting older girls and continue to search.



FINALLY, I find tabs and start walking at a fast and frantic pace towards the bus (as if this was a good plan) while handing Justin 3 tabs saying "eat, eat em, eat them now" and sticking the tube back into what I hope was the right pocket(not that that matters). I look at the bus driver who's mouth has now hit the floor and say" he's running a little low, please keep an eye on him and I will call the nurse".

That's right... I put my child, who was low, on the bus.


After it was over... it hit me. What did I just do? I should have brought him home. Why didn't I just bring him home?



Of course I called the nurse. I was pretty embarrassed to admit how much I suck, but I had to let her know.



30 minutes later I received a phone call. "Just wanted to let you know that Leighanna(love that girl) walked Justin straight here. He did not go to the classroom. His BG is now 119 per meter and the CGM has one arrow up slow.


Phew, it was okay this time... I can breath and Justin survives my excellent parenting skills one more time.

Diabetes Blog Week... Day two

Today's topic: "Letter writing day" Inspired by the Wego Blog Carnival where participants wrote letters to their condition. To throw in a twist... Karen suggested we could write a letter to anyone or anything.

I dug into the handful of drafts I have in my dashboard. I had started this post about a month ago after Misty posted about her school nurse. I was like... DUDE, OUR NURSE ROCKS!!!!

There are not enough words to describe our love for C, but I will give it a shot. The following is a letter I wrote last year to the school superintendent. I never had a chance to share it...

(real names of people and schools have been removed for privacy reasons)

 Dear Mrs. School Superintendent,
 As parents, we often spring into action when it comes time to advocate for our kids. We make phone calls, schedule meetings, write letters and do whatever else is necessary to make sure that our children are being treated fairly and receiving the necessary tools to succeed. However, far too many of us sit back and say nothing when we have been blessed with an amazing teacher, school nurse or even office staff that makes the job we call parenting a little easier. Today, I would LOVE to tell you a little bit about our blessing. Her name is C; she is the nurse at our school.


For you to truly understand why she has been such a blessing to me I will need to tell you a little about my adorable son Justin. Justin is a bright, loving 9 year old who is getting ready to embark on the big world of 4th grade next year. This journey did not come easily. From the time Justin started the EELP program, it has been a long road of advocating and tears. All of which has been worth every second spent because he has come a long way. Even so, it has not been easy and we still have a ways to go.

Then, last year, our lives changed forever. Justin was diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes. Not knowing anything but the damaging complications of this disease, I was terrified. Terrified by what the future would now have in store for him, terrified that I couldn't take care of him and terrified because getting Justin's needs meet in school had already proven to be a challenge without adding to the list. So what was I going to do now?


Thankfully, when Justin returned to school (my puffy red eyes and all), we met C. She was comforting, calm, understanding and walked me through everything I needed to do in order to make sure Justin would be taken care of during the school day. At the time I had no idea how grateful I would be to have her caring for him. C has become a great mediator and advocate for us.


- When Justin has been excluded from class activities where snacks were involved, NOT per my request, but by the choice of well meaning teachers who I know have the best intentions, she advocated that all we want as parents is for our children to feel normal and for them to be included.


- When Justin was called out by name and embarrassed in front of his classmates for being six minutes late to art class on a half day due to his daily blood sugar check, C was there at the meeting with his care plan in hand to advocate on his behalf.


- And just the other day (after a low blood sugar reading of 38) she heard that he got in trouble in Music because of his "temperament"... she quickly called the teacher as a reminder that an abnormal or drastic change in personality is a sign of a low blood sugar and that he needs to come to the office immediately. You see, it wasn't until his regular classroom teacher observed his behavior that he was tested. If he would have been tested during music, he would not have become so dangerously low resulting in less chance of seizure.

C's support does not stop at the school level. She raised money and attended the JDRF walk at the St. Pete Times Forum this year. She also participated in the Jingle Bell Run because this year's proceeds were being donated to JDRF. She did this on her own time. AND through her giving heart; she has taken a young child who has been faced with anxiety and low self esteem due to all the challenges he has been forced to overcome, and made him feel loved, accepted, and safe. In addition, she has reassured him that he is not alone in this journey.


As a parent of an exceptional child, I often have to discuss challenges, grades, ideas etc... with teachers. I have had year's where I was scared to breath. Thankfully, this year has been a little different. Having a resource who is on top of Justin's medical needs, mediating when necessary and communicating with me at every curve, has lifted a great weight off of my tired shoulders. Her quick action has also saved several people from unhappy phone calls. She does this because she cares. C is an asset to the school and a blessing to all that cross her path.


I just thought you should know.
Sincerely,
Lora

              

Since this letter, C continues to advocate daily. You will still see JDRF tennis shoes plastered all over her office door around walk time. She sells them at school to raise money for the walk.

C not only supports "her kids", but she is a huge support to me as a parent. She has truly lifted some of the weight off my tired shoulders... and there is nothing in the world I could do to thank her enough for that.

Diabetes Blog Week... Day one

Today's topic: "Admiring our Differences".
 I think the purpose of this topic was to choose someone, who is different from you, that you have learned from and/or admire. I will do that, but first I want to talk about what automatically came to mind when I read the above prompt...

There has been a lot of talk lately about supporting each others differences. You can check out some of those post from Meri and Reyna.

As parents and PWD's, we have different approaches and point of views of how we choose to deal with Diabetes.


We are not clones of each other- because Diabetes can not be cloned.  

I admit that I have read plenty of ideas that I thought were straight off the crazy truck or that I simply didn't agree with... but who am I to attack the idea. If it works... good for you.

On the other hand... I have tried things that made me grit my teeth and stay up all night, but they worked and have since become part of our D management.  

At times, whether we agree with it or not, we need a different perspective to get us going. We can tweak it to fit. We can use it to create another approach. Or we can say... there is NO WAY on earth I'm trying that.

Either way, we should always respect the person delivering it. After all... we are a family of sorts.


Okay... back to the topic. 

I haven't been "dipping" into the blogs of PWD's for very long. I admit that I lurk most of the time.

What I have found is that it helps knowing what possibilities Justin's future holds. It helps to get a perspective of how he might be feeling.

I LOVE knowing that, if he chooses, it is possible for him to find the same friendships and support with other PWD's that I have found with other parents.

I LOVE to watch the camaraderie between the PWD's on Twitter and I hope Justin chooses to find the same one day.

The friendships I have formed mean a great deal to me and I am a better D-mama for having them.

THANK YOU... to all D bloggers(Mamas, Dads, PWD's and spouses. Thank you for sharing all of your stories. From "Disco Boobs" to "The scariest night of my life"... Please know that there are people out there who are learning from your experience. 

Happy Monday!!

Diabetes Blog Week 2011

It's here... well, it will be here tomorrow.

The 2nd annual Diabetes Blog week. Hosted by the lovely Karen over at Bitter~Sweet.

Are you signed up yet?