52 seems to be the number of the week

After I posted my last post with the story about Robby going low at the pool, I read this post on a fellow diabetes mom's blog- love you, Meri!!! My heart ached to read a similar story about a kid who should just be allowed to be a kid and a mom who just wants to provide that opportunity for her son...and of course, both our stories involve a "crap on a stick" kind of number like 52.

Blogging is fantastic because it opens up a world of communities that can offer support and compassion for shared experiences. Meri (who happens to have 3 diabetic sons, by the way) has networked dozens of "D-moms." Reading their stories of highs and lows and of stressful, sleepless nights helps me know that someone else out there "gets it." When I receive an email or comment from one of them, the compassion and empathy is deep. No one can really know what it's like to be in this situation, unless they're living it themselves. Plus, I can't tell you how lucky I am to ask for advice on basal rates, pump sites, breakfast spikes, and diabetes supplies and get real life, tried and true responses! I experienced this same kind of support from the adoption community, and I still enjoy reaching out to fellow adoptive moms and families in that sphere as well. Blessings come in all shapes and sizes...or even in the form of html.

...oh, and I'm pretty sure that the last three lines of Meri's post are words I utter in prayer almost daily. Thanks, Meri.

One last trip to the pool!

Our neighborhood pool finally closed last week. I was glad that on one of our last visits to the pool, we found it was completely empty- just like the good old days. When we first moved in, we frequently had the pool all to ourselves. This was a fun afternoon with my boys.

I have to remind myself that Tyler is a big boy now and doesn't need me following him around the pool. He loves to jump off the ledge and swim in the deep parts.

Robby, on the other hand, is completely content playing with toys in the little pool or on the stairs of the big pool. He keeps quite busy filling up these two buckets.

Here are a couple vids of the kids at the pool. I couldn't get Tyler to actually swim instead of dog paddle for the camera...oh well. And he still yells, "Candy Bar!" instead of "Cannon Ball!" Love it.

Robby has come up with his own variation of swimming. It's the cutest thing ever. He just scoots along the step of the kiddie pool.

And one last story that must be documented because in my book it's a pretty big deal. While we were at the pool, Robby was able to, in his own way, communicate a low blood sugar. You see, as a parent of a diabetic, one of my jobs is to teach Robby to recognize and communicate if he's feeling high or low, but especially low due to the dangerous nature of a low blood sugar. Some of the signs or symptoms of a low blood sugar are fatigue, sleepiness, hunger, confusion, and shakiness. The brain is highly glycemic, but doesn't store any glycogen, so when blood sugars drop low, it's essential to treat it quickly. Many kids typically feel it in their weak legs. They'll notice that they can't walk or feel like they just want to sit. Robby's had a few lows that made him irritable and shaky, but the other symptoms are hard to read.

On this particular trip to the pool, we were just about to leave when I remembered I didn't have the diabetes bag (a bag full of the essentials- needles, test strips, BG meter, and lots of sugar snacks to treat an emergency low). For a split second I thought, "Nah, we won't need that today. We'll only be gone for 45 minutes and we literally live a 30 second walk from the pool. If anything goes wrong, we'll just run home."

Uh. Hello? No. That's when the voices in my head reminded me that I have a child with diabetes and we don't go ANYWHERE without that bag, especially not the pool. Miracle #1.

When we got to the pool, I checked Robby's continuous glucose monitor one last time. The monitor isn't waterproof, so we fly blind when we're at the pool. It read that he was at 138 (great number), but was indicating he was in the middle of a slow, gentle drop. So for good measure, I game him half a small box of raisins to be on the safe side.

30 minutes later, Robby said, "I unt nack" (I want snack). This was actually the first time I had ever heard him use these new words. At first I just brushed it off, and thought it was kind of cute. But then he said it like three more times. The thought came that maybe he was low. But I discounted that because he was acting completely normal, and I had just given him a little snack before we got in the water. But then those little voices returned: check his blood sugar now. Miracle #2

I reluctantly pulled him out of the pool and did a quick poke and the meter read...

52

52!?! What??? I ran and got the bag, glad that I had brought it and wishing it had a fast acting sugar like a juice box (why it didn't have a juice box, I don't know). I gave him an entire box of raisins, which he gladly downed and several more yogos for good measure (and then of course gave the rest to a patiently waiting big brother...he knows Robby gets a treat first in cases like this. Good little boy). Immediately Robby was begging to get back in the pool. Uhhh...sorry buddy, they'll be no passing out in the pool today. We gave him a few minutes, re-checked his blood sugar, and then got back in the pool. I hate to think of what that mad dash home would have been like if I had left the bag.

I was grateful for the little voices that whisper in my ear and help me know what my little boy needs and the instant at which he needs them. I rely on that gift and pray for it daily. I am grateful that Robby is starting to recognize what his body needs, and I am confident that as he grows, the spirit will be a strong, guiding influence in his life.

...and one other thing is for sure...when Robby wants a snack, Robby gets a snack.

In case you were wondering...

How many carbs are in 7 grapes?

In reference to the previous post, someone asked me the other day, "so how many carbs are in 7 grapes and how much insulin does it take to cover 7 grapes?"

Here's your answer:

Grapes are approximately 1 gram of carbs each. Having used my kitchen scale to weigh a small handful of grapes on more than one occasion, I've learned that 1 grape=1 carb, or close enough. In carb counting, we've gotten really good at guessing.

So, in the morning hours from 7:00am-9:30am when he is highly glycemic sensitive, it would take quite a bit more insulin to cover 7 grapes. During these hours, one unit of insulin (or his IC...insulin to carb ration) is 1 unit of insulin for every 50 carbs, so it would take about .33 units of insulin.

in the afternoon from about 9:30-3:00, it would take only about .15 units of insulin

and from 3:00pm- 10:00pm, it would take .24 units of insulin to cover 7 grapes.

...unless his BG is already above 200 when he eats the grapes, then you'd have to factor in his correction ratio. Yep. One more equation to mess with, one more thing to consider, and yes, it is also a different ratio at different times of the day (and night).

This is my life, people, this is my life.

(and I have to admit, I am very grateful that his insulin pump does all the math for me. Before we got on the pump those first few weeks of figuring this out with my own little brain about killed me).

More of what's making me laugh

* I love that whenever these two watch tv together, they always sit right next to each other...always.

*the other day I heard Tyler in the other room..."one, two, three, four, five, six, seven." and then he came running to me and said, "Mom! You need to bolus Robby for 7 grapes 'cause I just gave him seven grapes." I got a good chuckle out of that (after I gave Robby the bolus). I'm so proud that Tyler has caught on so quickly to all of Robby's special needs. He has memorized all of the different alerts on the CGM and insulin pod (each alert has a different sound and signals different things). I'll hear him yell from upstairs, "Mom! Robby's going high!" Or, "Mom, Robby's pod is beeping. It's time to change the pod."

*During a visit to Cabellas to see the animal displays, Tyler said, "Mom, how do you think the hunters kill the animals gently so that their eyes stay open?" Good question, Ty. Good question.

*A few weeks ago I was out shopping with Robby. He wandered off and came back to me holding a shirt and saying, "Cuke! Cuke!" Translation: "Cute!" I guess I have a habit of trying clothes on my boys and then saying, "Aww...cute!" He now says it anytime I put anything new on him, like a new shirt or new shoes. He points to them and says, "Cuke!"

*Whenever Robby can't find me he yells, "Mommy! Are you?" (mommy, where are you?). I love it, and I'll admit, sometimes I hide a little longer just so I can hear him shout it a few more times. :)

Labor Day

For Labor Day this year I wanted to do something memorable. We usually lay low so as to avoid all of the crowds, but this year I wanted to get out and do something fun. I don't want this summer to be remembered as "the summer Robby got diabetes and we didn't do anything fun."

So in the spirit of "TAKE THAT, DIABETES" we packed up and headed to the lake for the morning. We may not be able to make it to the beach on the coast, but I still wanted my boys to have some fun in the sand this year...and that they did. The last time we were on the beach was last year in Hawaii...Robby was only 9 months old, so he obviously doesn't remember the experience. It is always fun watching your kids experience something new.

The minute we got there, Tyler made a mad dash for the water. He was fully submerged even before we got sunscreen on him. Robby on the other hand, was thrilled with all the dirt! He was in heaven. He stood on the shore for the first 10 minutes an threw hand full after hand full of mud clods into the water....mud, glorious mud!!!

We had a fantastic time, and created a memory I will cherish for some time.
And diabetes didn't even ruin the day...although it tried.
Robby's pod was on it's third day (it has to be changed every three days). The adhesive was starting to come loose, so we brought along extra insulin and needles just in case. Good thing because when we went to change Robby's clothes, his pod was nowhere to be found. Luckily it stayed on long enough to get his lunch bolus and we had the back-up tools to still deliver insulin after it had come off. We actually got a good chuckle thinking about that thing washing up on shore in a few hours. Once the pod goes dead, if it's not deactivated, it will continuously beep (LOUDLY) for several hours straight. Whoever finds it beeping (or should I say screeching) in the sand is going to be quite perplexed I'm sure.

Dear Nana and Papa

We sure miss you!!!...especially at times like last week when James and his family came to town.

It was a quick visit but we had a great time.

Knowing that you would have loved to have been here to see all these happy little faces together made the experience bitter-sweet.

We're proud of the work you're doing on your mission and hope we get to see you soon!!!

Hotter'n Hell Hundred

A couple weeks ago was the Hotter'n Hell Hundred. John and Shayne decided to drive down and camp the night before the race. (here they are all ready to set off...little did they know at this point that the tent they packed would not have any poles and they'd have to pick up a new one at Walmart...oops). The race went great and they had a pretty fun time...well, as much fun as you can have riding 100 miles in 100 degree weather.

Since our men would both be gone, Jen and I decided we'd get together with our kids and go out to eat and then hang out. And then I had a stroke of genius...Tyler and Ava have been asking us if they can have a sleep-over together for ages. Since we both believe in "the no sleep-overs" rule, we've always said no. But I figured if Jen came and spent the night in our guest bedroom with her kids then it couldn't really be considered a sleep-over, right? Done deal. We were having ourselves a little sleep-over.

First we went out to eat and then out for frozen yogurt. Jen's expression says it all... "are we seriously crazy enough to take all five of our kids out without back-up?"

I couldn't help snapping this picture of these two. Hopefully, this isn't their only first date together.

When it was time for bed, the kids were pretty good about settling down. But it was quite obvious that Tyler was not used to having a buddy to share his room with. He kept poor Ava and Nolan up with all his excited chatter. It was just almost too exciting for him to handle. Oh well. I hope it was a good memory, considering it was his first and only sleep-over. And of course Jen and I stayed up way to late talking and laughing and trying to ignore the fact that our kids would be up bright and early ready for more "fun."

Good times.

What's making me laugh

Oh these two sweet boys of mine definitely keep me laughing.

Robby loves "sews" (shoes). But mostly he loves Tyler's sews. I think it's because they're big enough to be fun and different, but not too big to be unmanageable- like when he trips across the floor wearing daddy's shoes. Frequently though, when he goes into the closet in search of a pair of shoes, he emerges with a hat as well. I love when I hear his big shoes clomping down the hall and look up to see his bright smile under a floppy hat and a pair of big shoes on his little feet. Too cute!!!

Then there's Tyler. Tyler loves helping his daddy with the yard work. In fact, we bought this leaf blower specifically for him so that he would have a job to do that would actually help out. However, Tyler has horrible allergies that sometimes act up while he's out working in the yard. The other day I came outside to see Tyler like this. I guess John values Tyler's help enough to hook him up with some gear that will help keep his allergies under control, and Tyler seemed just fine with that!

Bet you wish you had a helper as cute as this at your house too, huh?