Thankful Thursday

Some things that I am the most thankful for are those that drive me crazy the most....

**My husband, yes, he mostly drives me CRAZY.
**Our two stinky Goldens that only know love, play and happiness in life
**My job that bores me to death, yet pays good and treats me like gold.
**My Swiffer dry mop. Keeping doggy floors clean, yet I hate that I need you so much!
**Maddison's birds that make such a mess, yet Maddison enjoys/loves them so much
**Insulin. You are so hated, yet loved and cherished more than anything.
**Our health insurance, even though you suck, I'll take anything we can get!
**Our school nurse, but sometimes I wish you would just LISTEN and not reply :)

Other unusual things I'm thankful for.....

**Feather comforters- enough said!
**treadmills-
**cell phones....helping me track down my kids!
**Hair straighteners- My hair is totally bushy 80's style otherwise!
**2c chocolate milk mix
**BBQ grills-SUMMER!
**a nice glass of wine
**Febreeze-stinky pet house MUST HAVE!!
**Furry socks
**DARK Chocolate
**Apples-sometimes I like them MORE than chocolate!
**Green Tea
**singing daughters as I blog :)
**stuffed animals-a necessity for Maddison's sleeping areas
**Zebra stripes-always makes me think of Hannah
**Google-for those that MUST know ALL details
**Clean sheets scented candles

WOW, I could go on all day!

BEFORE

Today Maddison's CGM continues to be right on track with her meter BS. Too bad we are going through a high spell and everything needs adjusting anyway. I would have liked to see the way things were BEFORE. BEFORE highness struck again. Right now all I see on the CGM is up, down, up up up, down, up up. YUCK. What were things like BEFORE? I mean, back when things were "easy" to figure out? The normal times of minor adjusting? Right now we are in overhaul. Adjusting everything.

Back in August Maddison's A1c was 7.2. October revealed 7.7, her highest ever. That was hard to swallow, even though I know that number is still considered good for kids. Looking at the trends on the CGM doesn't really tell me anything that I dont already know. It just provides more numbers for me to feel bad about. Tonight we have to remove the bandages and dressings that cover the sensor leaving it stuck in place. I betcha Maddison will complain about the tape itself, even though she didnt flinch with insertion. Sometimes its all the little things with Diabetes that get to us. CGM high alarms bugged Maddison all day at school today, I had them set at 250, but I guess we are looking at numbers surpassing that lately. Tomorrow I will just have to turn the alarms off!

Maddison's arm site was pulled out at school today. Luckily I was at home and was there to replace it within minutes. Just the aide worked the second half of school today. She was totally overwhelmed with kids everywhere. The things those kids go to the nurse for, it never fails to amaze me. Kinda like the ER. One's illness is anothers normal day I guess. One girl complained of bumps inside her mouth. One boy stubbed his toe. One tiny kindergarten cried when his flip flops broke. They were his favorite. It was so sad, but cute to see him standing there holding his cherished flip flops. So, I gave him a hug. :)

After replacing Maddison's site, I was on my way to the Sports Med Doctor with Hannah. What a waste of time and copay. 10 minutes is all we spoke with him. Seriously. He really didnt listen to me at all. According to him, Hannah does not have Torticollis, she has a neck strain with muscle spasm. And he left the room just like that. -SIGH- Now Hannah will need to go to Physical Therapy 2-3 times a week until her spasms resolve. I think I'm drowning in copays!

Tomorrow I plan to post THANKFUL THURSDAY. All the random things I am thankful for in life besides the obvious. Anyone with me?

Not a big deal

Remember back to the day when changing from shots to a pump was like moving to some foreign land? You weren't really sure it was the right decision. You were scared and overwhelmed. You would ask yourself so many questions.....HOW can I make my child wear this device 24/7? Do we really want to use an insulin pump and have Diabetes be so visible? How will my child feel about it when everyone questions them about the tubing sticking out from underneath their clothes? Remember how deciding to pump insulin was SUCH a big deal? Remember how suddenly one day the pump was just an extension of your child and not a device?

Well, thats what I THOUGHT trying out a CGM would be like. I thought I would have all the same emotions as when we started the insulin pump. I DID NOT want this thing attached to my child. I DID NOT want to admit that another device may be helpful. I dont know why. I guess we ultimately just want Diabetes to be "easy" for our kids. We dont want fancy devices. We just want to do what we are supposed to do with insulin and food and have Diabetes always cooperate. It's taken me a LONG time to admit that just doesn't happen with Diabetes! I've always been one to find the answer for a high or low, at least I convince myself of that anyway. I think thats how I maintain a feeling of CONTROL over this disease. But not these days.

I was SO worried starting a CGM on Maddisn. Another set of numbers to analyze. Another potentially painful insertion, but, Maddison's first sensor went in without notice. Not a flinch. I must say, that alone made this new device a keeper. If Maddison had pain with insertion that first time I would have given up. Without a doubt. Our kids go through enough pain with finger pokes and site changes. A CGM is optional. I would have said NO THANKS! Goodbye CGM! After just 48 hours I can honestly say this CGM is no big deal. Its not a stressor at all. Unlike the pump start for Maddison, I started this thing up and its been right on track ever since. Seeing the way Maddison's 24 hour graph shows her crazy ups and downs, thats amazing. I thought calibration alone would have been intimidating. I think I've got that covered.

Of course problems will arise and the CGM wont be perfect. But for now its nice to know that we had a good start. I'm learning things already. Like, bike riding spikes Maddison for about 20 minutes. Then she drops like a rock at the 45 minute mark. Without the CGM it would have taken us some painful lows to learn how she reacted to that type of exercise. But the arrows were there, showing us the drop. We stopped the low before it happened. Thats priceless. Now, what to do with all the other information this CGM gives? Right now Maddison is running a high streak the past 2 days....growing maybe :) Its painful to see those high numbers flashing updated every 5 minutes on her pump screen, I wont lie about that. Maybe I should just stop looking. Its addicting though. Amazing to see what is happening. For now, I'm relieved that the CGM really isnt a big deal. So much less overwhelming that I thought it would be! Lets just hope it stays this way :)

NOW It's working

NOW it's working. Double down arrows, a plummeting blood sugar after our daily bike ride. Within 15 minutes Maddison was down to 108 from 220 before bike riding. NOW I can SEE this thing in action.

Sunday night was time for Maddison's pump site change, then she asked me when it was "her turn" to wear the CGM. Can't deny that. After chasing lows from 9pm until
1am, it was time to calibrate a stable number into the CGM. The accuracy of this thing has been amazing ever since. Down arrows, double downs, whatever is happening in that little body of Maddisons, the CGM even catches up to the rise. Just 24 hours in to Maddison wearing this thing I am totally impressed. This CGM is ALL OVER these numbers, tracking them like I never would have imagined.

Maddison proudly wore her CGM for the first time to school today. A good calibration had the meter vs CGM readings within 10 points or less all day. Then came our after school bike rides. Racing is more like it. Hannah and Maddison like to RACE. No casual enjoyable ride here. Its an all out workout! Regardless of carbing Maddison up for rides, she still drops. THANK YOU CGM. You saved us multiple times today. Now....what will tonight bring? I've been reducing over night basals, because of course, the lows come hours after the fun as well. No luck. Dropping. Dropping. PB and honey sandwich with chocolate milk. Dropping Dropping. Tonight I have the CGM all ready to go to fight these lows. NOW that I know this thing is working, I have a much better peach of mind. Trusting it? Not completely of course, but at least day 1 has been impressive. We shall see what tonight brings.

November 14th

Today I am thankful for insulin, thankful that Maddison and I are alive another day because of it. I appreciate syringes, finger pokes, testing strips, meters, insulin pumps and CGM's. Most days we don't really think about how all these things actual keep us ALIVE, but today we ar thinking. We are thinking alot. Thinking of all the others young and old out there that live this life just the same. I'm pretty silent today, I dont have much to say as I thought I would . Just alot of thoughts going on nside my mind about what this day really means. From the bottom of our hearts, Maddison and I are sending special cyber ((HUGS)) today, to all the D parents, the children with Diabetes, adults yound and old. Type 1's, Type 2's and all Type 3's. Hugs to anyone who loves someone with Diabetes!!!

Found Feathers

Tonight we got a call from someone that thought they found Maddison's lost Cockatiel. We were SO excited! After school we made the 12 or so mile drive down to the University of Phoenix Stadium. Some of the office staff there had been holding the bird a few days, trying to find his home. Our birdy flew to the stadium!!??

Sadly, this wasn't our Cockatiel. BUT, we decided to take him anyway. Maddison presented the nice lady with her business card (yes she has an actual business card with HER name on it) and told her how she volunteers for Fallen Feathers bird rescue, and let her know we will contact the rescue about this bird and foster him until we find his home. This super nice lady was very happy we were willing to do so, and turned the Cockatiel over us. So what came next? As soon as we got home Hannah went to work for her sister....Ms Hannah, the best big sister EVER made Maddison this website in support of Maddison's desire to help all other lost pet birds.....

Found Feathers

Now THAT is what I call sisterly love :)

Is this thing working!!??

Day 2 of the CGM, it hasn't caught a low yet, though it does alarm AFTER I already know I'm low. (my low alarm is set at 80) I wasn't low low, just another 68 that FELT low low. My meter said 68 but the CGM said 85. According to the CGM I dont even have Diabetes!! I'm thinking it isnt tracking blood sugar rises accurately. Here is my last 24 hours......



Is that even possible? Is this thing working right?!!

Each finger poke today again revealed a number within 20pts of the CGM. EXCEPT after eating! (my highest meter reading today was 129 half an hour after eating and the CGM said I was still 75) I thought people say you can calibrate this thing well enough to be within 2-5pts? I have yet to see 2 up arrows or 2 down arrows indicating a rapid change in my blood sugar, so why didnt the CGM keep up with the rise? I think an experiment is needed to see if this thing is working right....I guess I should do a test! A candy test!! Where is that Halloween candy anyway? I think its time for me to do some experiments on myself. Ohhhh the torture :)

Above is my last 3 hours....a flat line. Hmmmm....Is this thing working!!??