What really counts

Because of the walk and all that went along with that, I never even mentioned Riley's last endo. appointment. It was about a month ago. All in all, things went pretty well.

He had gained 2 pounds since his last appointment, which was a little bit of a relief. At his last appointment he had lost 1/2 pound, which is not normal for a kid his age. Now, we're back on track. I feel like he may have gained more weight since then because he really has had a great appetite lately.

I will post more about the particulars of the appointment later, but for now, I want to share something I saw while at Dr. M's office.

We were sitting on the couch waiting to be seen and I noticed a little sign hanging on the wall. I had never noticed it before.

It said:

" Not everything that counts can be counted.
Not everything that can be counted counts."

I really like that. It helped to bring into perspective that Riley's life is not just about the numbers. It's about living life. The numbers are important. Like keeping a normal- for- age A1C, but it you start to focus on the numbers you may loose site of the big picture, life

It's a hard thing to do. Instill in your child that the numbers (sugars) are very, very important, but not too much. (See, that whole sentence doesn't even make since.)

A year ago, I would sit on the couch for an hour just staring at Riley's log book. I would agonize over the high sugars and try to figure out what I did wrong.

Now, I realize that sometimes it is something I've done wrong (like miscount the carbs), but most of the times it just is what it is. Unless I've started to notice a pattern at certain times of the day, I hardly ever sit and study his log book anymore.

In the last year I have learned not to make a big deal about the numbers. You treat the lows, you correct the highs, and you adjust basals when a pattern emerges.

Other than that I try not to think about the numbers much. I know that Riley looks to me to learn what's important and what's not. The best way to teach a child is through action.

So, that is why when his sugar is in the 300s, I just correct and test him again in about and hour and half to make sure it's coming down. I try very hard not to comment or appear disgusted. These things happen. As long as they don't happen too often, it's all good.

Riley is a wonderful little boy. He is so smart and so sweet. I had someone comment just yesterday how polite he is.

He loves baseball. It is amazing how much he knows about it. When the world series is on, he's glued to the TV. (Go Tigers!!) When he's not watching baseball. He's pretending to play it in the middle of the living room.

He is so much like his dad, it's not even funny. He loves his big brother fiercely. He would do anything for him.

He's a healthy, happy, wonderful little man. And at the end of the day, that's what really counts.