My year in 12 sentences

I got this from Kerri last year and decided to do it again this year. If you'd like to do it too just post a link to a definitive post from each month last year along with the first sentence of the post.

I have enjoyed going back and looking at old posts. I am reminded of how far we have come. I am really in a good place right now. I am the happiest I have been since Riley's diagnosis.

Also while looking at old posts I re-read some of the comments and I must say how awesome all you guys are. I don't know what I have would have done these past 2+ years without your kind words. I look forward to another year with you guys.

January: "Because I Have To"

"It was 4:30 in the morning."

February: "FULLREWINDREQUIRED"

"Riley had been running high for a while."

March: "A little help"

"One day last week I was sitting at a local restaurant waiting for my food."

April: "Because I have a four year old"

"When Katie Couric told me about a 'possible new treatment for Type 1 diabetes' I sat on the edge of my couch wide-eyed with my hand over my mouth."

May: "Talk me down"

"You know, I had many parents tell me in the beginning of this disease that checking sugars and giving insulin would just become second nature."

June: "Choking back tears"

"About three weeks after Riley was diagnosed he checked his sugar for the first time."

July: "Proud"

"I've been spending a lot of time on tudiabetes lately reading stories of other parents."

August: "He's at school"

"Well, Riley is at school and , somehow, the world didn't end."

September: "Choices"

"A lot of people's emotions and attitudes are what they allow them to be."

October: "730 Days"

"730 days ago diabetes slipped quietly into our house."

November: "Walk of Hope 2007 Video"

"This is a video I made for Walk of Hope this year."

December: "Bigs Oops"

"Riley's teacher was out sick yesterday."

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Being Resolute

I don't usually make New Year's resolutions. To me January 1st is just the first day of a new year, not really any more special than other days.

But, I do have a few things I'm trying to work on. Some I have started on already. Others (like #3) I will start after the new year. I'm eating like a pig right now.

1. Getting my house organized and keeping it that way. I have a small house with too many things crammed in it. I have to downsize the clutter. I need to clean out closets. I also need to do a little painting.

2. Daily Bible reading. I'm kind of hit and miss with that right now. For Christmas I got a daily devotions Bible that maps out how to read the Bible in one year.

3. Lose a few pounds. I'd like to lose 15, but I'll settle for 10.

4. Eat healthier. That will help me achieve #3. Plus, I want to be a good role model for Riley.

5. Not let blood sugars dictate my mood. I really think this will be the hardest one to achieve. Riley's sugars have been awesome for the last couple of weeks. For the most part they have stayed right in the middle where they should be. We've had very few highs and just a hand full of lows. And, because of this, my attitude has been much better. The hard part comes when his sugars go out of control again. Why do I let it affect my mood so much? I don't pat myself on the back for the good sugars. Why do I beat myself up for the bad ones? I really need to work on that. (While I'm on the D subject, I would also like to see an A1C under 7.)

6. Save some money. We are planning a trip to Colorado this summer to see Michael's family. It will be a long trip and very costly. Also, I'd like to start saving for a house.

I guess that's it. Oh wait, I have one more. This isn't really something I can do, but rather something I want to see happen.

1. A Cure for Type 1 diabetes.

Every single year since 2005 right after watching the ball drop and kissing my husband, I turn to him and say, "Maybe this is the year they will find a cure for diabetes. "

I hope this is the last year I get to say that.

Happy New Year to you all!!!

No thanks

I just received an email from NaBloPoMo making me aware of a new group that is being started. If you join this group you are supposed to post every day in 2008.

Sadly, I've let my diabetes 365 project go. I just couldn't keep up with it.

I can't imagine trying to post something every day for a year. I tip my (imaginary) hat to anyone who has the guts to do it, but I think I'll pass.

I'll try to get some Christmas pictures up tonight or tomorrow night. I hope everyone had a great Christmas!!!

Happy Holidays!!

The other day I told my husband that this is the first time I've been excited about Christmas in 3 years.

This is the 3rd Christmas that we must share with diabetes. I have begrudgingly let diabetes into our family. I didn't want it around, but it's here to stay for a while, so I figure I might as well make the best of it.

I hope that you all have a very Merry Christmas a blessed New Year!!

Opionions of the Cleo

Riley had an endo appointment yesterday. Everything was fine. She didn't make any changes to basals or carb coverage so I felt pretty good about that. His A1C is 7.3. (It was 7.8 in September). And, he has gained two pounds over the last 3 months.

Anyway, when she looked at Riley's old pump sites she recommended trying another set. She gave me a couple of Cleo sets. I got one out last night and played with it. I like that it has less adhesive on his skin. (We use insets now.) But, I'm worried that since it has less adhesive I might get pulled out more easily.

I would love to hear your opinion of the Cleo from those who have used it.

Maybe some education is in order

While we were eating supper last night I told Riley to tell his dad what he'd had for snack that afternoon. A kid in his class had a birthday party.

"I had a cupcake and cheese doodles and ice cream, chocolate ice cream." (55g of carbs, more like a meal if you ask me)

"Was it sugar-free ice cream?" Holden asked with a smirk on his face. He was referring to the famous sugar-free ice cream incident from last week.

"No, smarty it wasn't sugar-free. It was regular old chocolate ice cream and he even got insulin for it this time."

I looked at Riley. He had a look of utter horror on his face.

"It wasn't sugar-free? Oh no."

"What's wrong?"

"You know I can't have sugar, Mama. Am I going to be OK? "

Agh. Here I am blasting other people for not knowing and my own son doesn't even know that he doesn't have to or need to eat things that are sugar-free.

I think dingbat RN got to him last week and filled his head full of nonsense. Either that or I've fallen down on my job.

I want to believe the former but I really think it's the later.

Christmas Meme

1. Wrapping paper or gift bag?

I prefer to give wrapped gifts, but I’ve become lazy and put more in gift bags than I actually wrap. I wrapped or bagged a lot of presents night before last. I think there are about 5 wrapped gifts and maybe about 10 in bags. I know. I’m horrible. But, in my defense, I got a lot of people gift cards this year. It doesn’t seem to make sense to wrap them.

2. Real tree or artificial?

I prefer a real one but I have an artificial one. But, I think this is the last year we’ll be using it. When I put it up this year some of the branches came apart. So, I’ll either buy one on sale after Christmas or I’ll have a real one next year. I like real because of the smell. But, they are more trouble what with the cutting and trying to get it to stand up straight in the stand, or remembering to put water in it and trying not to spill water on the present. So, I use artificial and buy a cedar Yankee Candle to create the real tree smell.


3. When do you put up your tree?

The Friday or Saturday after Thanksgiving

4. When do you take down your tree?

A day or two after Christmas. I like my tree, but I get tired of it taking up space in the living room. I’m glad to see it go.

5. Do you like eggnog?

Ick.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?

I remember receiving a dollhouse with little doll furniture when I was about 5 or 6. I loved it. It looked huge to me at the time. It was about as tall as I was. I also remember one Christmas when I was about 10 I got a bike I had been asking for. I didn’t think I’d get it. It was green and had a banana seat with “Sweet Pea” written on it.

7. Do you have a nativity scene?




No, but I would love to have a Willow Tree Angel one.










8. Hardest person to buy for?

My dad. If he wants or needs something he buys it. So, it is very hard to get him anything. This year he is getting a Black and Decker light. I’m hoping it will come in handy at work.

9. Easiest person to buy for?

Riley. He is young enough that anything is exciting for him. Holden is easy to buy for too except that he’s 16 so everything that he wants is expensive.

10. Worst Christmas gift you've ever received?

I don’t remember.

11. Mail or email Christmas cards?

I didn’t do either this year. But, if I send cards it is through the mail.

12. Favorite Christmas movie?

“It’s a Wonderful Life”; I also really enjoy “National Lampoons Christmas Vacation”

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?

Usually right after Thanksgiving (but not the Friday after, that's too much of a crowd for me)

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?

Guilty

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?

Ham, turkey, mashed potatoes, lima beans

16. White or colored lights?

I think I’m one of the few people who still use colored Christmas lights on my tree.

17. Favorite Christmas song?

“O Holy Night”; “Mary Did You Know?” is a very close second

18. Traveling for Christmas or staying home?

We go to my mom’s on Christmas morning (about 4 miles down the road). Then later in the day we go to my aunt’s house about 15-20 minutes away. So, I travel but not very far.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?

No, I always forget one or two. Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, Rudolph; Is that right? I don't know. How many reindeer are there anyway?

20. Angel or Star on top of tree?

I don’t have anything on the top of my tree this year. Last year when I took down the tree I realized the angel had seen her last days. I haven’t bought one to replace her. But, if I were to buy something I would buy an angel.

21. Open presents Christmas Eve or Morning?

We open one present at my mom’s house on Christmas Eve. It is always PJs to wear on Christmas night. We open all the rest of the presents on Christmas morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?

Having somewhere to be almost every single night

23. What I love most about Christmas ?

Being with my family; seeing my kid’s faces on Christmas morning when they see what they got from Santa


Feel free to play along if you'd like. And, in case I don't get back before Christmas I hope all of you have a very Merry Christmas/Happy Hanukkah and a blessed New Year.

Follow Up

Thanks for your comments on my post yesterday. My anger has subsided a bit for now.


I'll try to address some of the comments here.

D-RN does not know the error of her ways yet. I sent the letter to school with Riley this morning, so the parents should get it today. I am hoping that when she reads it she will see that she screwed up. We'll see. I guess it just depends on how much of a dingbat she really is.

I don't really feel the need to push the issue. What's done is done. While D-RN is at fault I feel that the responsibility really falls on the sub.

Regarding the sub, she is the sister of Riley's teacher. She is a retired school teacher. Since she is retired she comes to school almost every day to help her sister with things. So, she sees what P has to do with Riley on a daily basis. She sees him get insulin every time that he eats.

Also, regarding having a standard letter for all subs, there is a whole notebook full of information in the classroom regarding Riley and his diabetes. I gave it to P the week before school started. She has commented often about how thorough it is. It is plainly written in there that anytime Riley eats he must check his sugar first and then get insulin based on the amount of carbs he eats. I can provide the info but I can't make them read it or understand it.

So, since the sub is P's sister, it kind of puts me in a bad place. If it were anyone else I would probably already ripped her a new one. But, since P is so good to Riley I don't want to make too many waves.

When I talked to P on the phone she sounded upset with her sister also. I'm pretty sure her sister heard a thing or two from her.

We are so blessed that Riley has P for a teacher. She is very protective of Riley. And, if she ever has a question she calls. For example, Riley's sugar at lunch yesterday was 93. I forget how many carbs he ate, but it must have been a lot because the pump said to give him 1.60 units. This is a lot for Riley, so P called first to check and make sure she should give it all. Or, a week or so ago she called to tell me Riley's sugar at lunch. A few minutes later she called again. She said Riley said his needle burned when she gave him the insulin. She was worried that there was something wrong.

Or, there's the time Riley said his sugar felt low but it wasn't and she called to see if there was anything she should do. Or, Monday when Riley's sugar was 267 at morning snack, she called and said, "I feel so helpless. Is there anything I'm doing wrong? Is there something I can do better?"

Riley was out sick on Tuesday. He woke up with eyes almost swollen shut. I took him to the Dr. and he had conjunctivitis and an ear infection. At 8:30 that morning P called from school to check and make sure Riley was OK because he never showed up at school. I'm sure she doesn't do that to all the kids. I think she has a soft spot in her heart for my little man.

I just can't say enough wonderful things about this lady. God was really looking out for Riley when he gave up P for a teacher.

Last night they had a Christmas program at Riley's school. I had to stay after because I'm on the hospitality committee. That's a hoot if you know me. I'm not a very hospitable person.

Anyway, Riley was running around the gym with the little girl of the mom who brought the sugar-free ice cream for Riley. When she came in to tell her it was time to leave I bristled a little. I just knew she was going to mention the ice cream party and it is a sore subject with me.

"Riley really is a cutey. C. has a crush on him."

I nodded my head and smiled. Please go away, I thought. Just turn and walk away.

But, no, she couldn't.

"We had an ice cream party yesterday. I'm not sure if you heard about it or not."

"Oh, yes, I heard about it."

"Well, I brought sugar-free ice cream for Riley." She said it with a huge grin on her face. You could tell she was very proud of herself.

"My mom is diabetic so I knew sugar-free was better for him."

I'm not sure what the expression on my face was, but I don't think it was pretty. I saw her expression change.

Then she said, " I brought some other things too, but he checked his sugar and it was high, so we decided to just let him have the ice cream."

By this time my brain was screaming "Go away before I scream at you. Just go away." Riley's sugar had been 152 at the ice cream party. This was a very lovely sugar considering he had just eaten 2 hours earlier and probably still had plenty of insulin on board. His sugar was by no means high by my standards.

I just stood there with this fake smile on my face. I knew she would get the letter the next day. It explained that Riley doesn't need sugar-free foods. I just didn't feel like dealing with any of it right then. I was afraid that if I started to speak I would start to yell.

And, really, this mom had done nothing wrong. She has actually been very sweet by thinking of Riley and bringing him sugar-free ice cream because she thought it was better for him. It's not like him eating sugar-free hurt him or anything.

But, Michael was standing next to me.

"You know, you don't have to bring sugar-free for Riley. He can eat whatever the other kids are eating, " he said.

"Oh, it was no problem. We had it at home anyway. It's what C eats all the time. So, that's what she ate at the party too."

Then, she gathered up her kids and left.

I made sure to write her a personal note on her letter thanking her for thinking of Riley and bringing the sugar free ice cream. I didn't want her to think that the letter had anything to do with her.

She was trying to do something good. But, really, if she hadn't brought the sugar-free ice cream Riley probably would have gotten insulin.

It's water under the bridge now. I hope the letter clears things up for some people.

Big Oops

Riley's teacher was out sick yesterday. I found this out when Holden called me at snack time before he gave Riley his insulin.



Holden called again at lunch. He always calls before he gives insulin. Riley's sugar was fine at snack and lunch. After I hung up I said a little prayer that he'd stay fine and not go low before getting out of school. I know Holden is fine giving the insulin, but when Riley has a sub I worry that when he goes low she won't react quickly enough.



I didn't get a call from my mom when Riley got home from school and ate snack so I assumed everything was fine.



At about 4:15 yesterday afternoon my cell phone rang. It was Riley's teacher. She sounded like death warmed over.



"Hi. I was just calling to check on Riley."



"He's OK, I guess. My mom hasn't called since he got home from school."



"Well, I wasn't there today and Holden gave him his insulin."



"I know, Holden told me."



"The class had an ice cream party this afternoon."



My stomach dropped. I never got a call from Holden about insulin.



"The mother who brought the ice cream brought sugar-free for Riley."



"Well, that was nice, but most sugar-free ice cream has more carbs in it than the regular."



"The sub didn't know if Riley needed insulin or not since it was sugar-free. She was wondering if she needed to call Holden or not. But, there was another mother there and she is a RN. She told the sub that he would be fine and didn't need any insulin."



"What!?!"



"I know. I'm so sorry. I told her that from now on anytime Riley eats he has to take insulin."



"P, you know I don't mind being called at anytime."



"I know."



"Why didn't someone call me or go get Holden? Why did that mother think she knew what to do? I imagine she's never seen an insulin pump in her life."



"I know, someone should have called you."



"Yes, they should have." My face was warm with anger.



"I'll call my mom now and see what his sugar was when he got home from school."



"If you don't mind, will you call me back and let me know? Otherwise I'll worry all night."



I called my mom.



"Hello."



"How high was Riley's sugar when he got home?"



"I don't know. I haven't checked it."



"Why not?"



"He told me he ate snack at school so he didn't need to eat snack when he got here."



I told her what happened. She said she didn't know that he didn't get any insulin. She checked his sugar. It was 277. That's not nearly as bad as I thought it would be.



She gave him a correction dose.



I called Riley's teacher.



"Riley is fine. His sugar is 277. And, as you know, it's been much higher than that before. But, I'm glad you called me because my mom wouldn't have checked his sugar otherwise."



"OK. I'm so sorry this happened."



Mistakes happen. I understand that. We all forget to do things sometimes. I've forgotten to give Riley insulin before. Remember his first day of school?



But, what makes me mad is that they stood there and debated if Riley needed insulin or not and yet they never consulted me. Heck, they could have asked Riley and he would have either told them, yes, I need insulin, or I don't know, you need to ask my mom.



The thing that angers me the most is the RN who chose to make a decision about my child's medicine without ever consulting me.



Riley's teacher said she told the sub never to listen to that lady because "she's a dingbat".



I told her that even if she was brilliant, just because she's a RN doesn't mean she knows everything about everything. I'm a RN and the only thing I knew about Type 1 when Riley was diagnosed was that people with Type 1 couldn't take pills, they had to take insulin.



I have typed out a letter to distribute to all the parents telling them more about Type 1 diabetes. I put some things in there about how they don't need to bring anything special for Riley to eat and that he can eat whatever the other kids are eating.



I explained a little bit about carbs and that the amount of insulin that Riley gets when he eats is based on the amount of carbs he eats and not the amount of sugar.



I also put that Riley must have insulin ANYTIME that he eats. Maybe dingbat RN will learn a little something.



Riley's teacher called me this morning to let me know she was feeling better and that she would be at school today. That makes me feel better.



Yesterday was a learning experience for everyone. I just hate that Riley is the one that is affected by it all.



This is reason 1,500,555,784 why I wish I had diabetes instead of Riley. It's very hard to be a pancreas for someone when you are miles away from them. If it was me I would have kindly told DRN that she was clueless and I would have eaten the regular ice cream and bolused accordingly.

I hate this stupid disease.

Task Completed

Now I will be taking a blogging vacation.

Talk to you guys soon!