I read this and realize that so much has changed....yet nothing has changed at the same time. The day I wrote this, I wasn't connected to the diabetes online community (DOC). Today you guys are like family. I feel incredibly blessed to have found all of you.
I hope you'll join me for a short stroll down memory lane....
Round 2
Well, here I am...again...
I tried to start a blog 16 months ago, right after the birth of my last baby in May 2007. That lasted, um, about 2 months...during which time, I think I managed to post all of 3 times.
You might say I was a little busy. I was balancing life with a nursing newborn AND a nursing toddler (**gasp**, I know, YES I was nursing TWO babies -- now that the shock has worn off, I'll continue...), and diabetic 3 year old -- with only my wonderful husband (who also happens to be gone 12+ hours a day) to help. Yup. I was busy.
Funny thing is...I still am. Somehow the days have passed, my little girls are getting bigger...and I'm getting busier. I'm still nursing that baby I mentioned before. Her name is Tink, by the way. Her older sister, Tiara, finally weaned after I forced her into it at the age of 2 1/2 years. They're both very curious toddlers -- into anything and making a mess of everything. Big sister,Sugar, is teaching them well how to leave a tornado in their tracks. I wouldn't change this life for the world. Now, ask me if I felt that way about 3 hours ago while I was making dinner and you'd probably get a different answer. But, at this moment in time, everyone is tucked sweetly into bed...and I'm not far behind. So, at this moment, I couldn't imagine my life any other way.
Then there's that pesky little thing called Type 1 Diabetes. You'll hear a lot about that subject here. Can't help it. My life revolves around Sugar's blood sugar. Among everything else in life, it determines how much sleep I'll get at night, when I'll wake up, when I'll eat, what I'll be thinking about at any given moment, how I'll plan family outings, and how far from the school I'll stray. Yeah, it's safe to say that our life revolves around Sugar's blood sugar.
(Hey, don't judge us until you've lived with, and raised, a child with this disease. I'm about sick of hearing people tell me that "I can't let diabetes win"...blah, blah, blah. So, let's get one thing very clear. Diabetes hasn't "won" anything. Sugar is healthy, well adjusted, and happy. But, do not be mistaken. It takes an exhausting amount of work to achieve that...or should I say EXHAUSTING amounts of brainpower...just to keep her alive.)
Numbers. Right now she's asleep at 229 with 0.10u IOB and 22 minutes so I gave her a 0.30 correction and will check her again in 2 hours. Make sense? Good. There's more.
Basal rates, ratios, insulin sensitivity/correction factors, boluses, sites, IOB, disconnect, carbs, target range, low, high, ketones, balance, shots, Lantus,Novolog, pump, TDD, averages, A1c...
I am fluent in a second language. It's called Type 1 Diabetes. And I hope you never have to learn it this well.
If I sound tense, it's because Sugar just started kindergarten. Let's just take the last few points of this post and sum it up to say that it's pretty stressful sending diabetes to school.
Maybe I'll feel better after another night of interrupted sleep and spur of the moment troubleshooting for wacky blood sugars. Because, aside from a handful of nights, I haven't slept more than a 3 hour stretch in, at least, the past 3 years.
I tried to start a blog 16 months ago, right after the birth of my last baby in May 2007. That lasted, um, about 2 months...during which time, I think I managed to post all of 3 times.
You might say I was a little busy. I was balancing life with a nursing newborn AND a nursing toddler (**gasp**, I know, YES I was nursing TWO babies -- now that the shock has worn off, I'll continue...), and diabetic 3 year old -- with only my wonderful husband (who also happens to be gone 12+ hours a day) to help. Yup. I was busy.
Funny thing is...I still am. Somehow the days have passed, my little girls are getting bigger...and I'm getting busier. I'm still nursing that baby I mentioned before. Her name is Tink, by the way. Her older sister, Tiara, finally weaned after I forced her into it at the age of 2 1/2 years. They're both very curious toddlers -- into anything and making a mess of everything. Big sister,Sugar, is teaching them well how to leave a tornado in their tracks. I wouldn't change this life for the world. Now, ask me if I felt that way about 3 hours ago while I was making dinner and you'd probably get a different answer. But, at this moment in time, everyone is tucked sweetly into bed...and I'm not far behind. So, at this moment, I couldn't imagine my life any other way.
Ah...daydreaming...
THAT MOMENT IS OVER.
Then there's that pesky little thing called Type 1 Diabetes. You'll hear a lot about that subject here. Can't help it. My life revolves around Sugar's blood sugar. Among everything else in life, it determines how much sleep I'll get at night, when I'll wake up, when I'll eat, what I'll be thinking about at any given moment, how I'll plan family outings, and how far from the school I'll stray. Yeah, it's safe to say that our life revolves around Sugar's blood sugar.
(Hey, don't judge us until you've lived with, and raised, a child with this disease. I'm about sick of hearing people tell me that "I can't let diabetes win"...blah, blah, blah. So, let's get one thing very clear. Diabetes hasn't "won" anything. Sugar is healthy, well adjusted, and happy. But, do not be mistaken. It takes an exhausting amount of work to achieve that...or should I say EXHAUSTING amounts of brainpower...just to keep her alive.)
Numbers. Right now she's asleep at 229 with 0.10u IOB and 22 minutes so I gave her a 0.30 correction and will check her again in 2 hours. Make sense? Good. There's more.
Basal rates, ratios, insulin sensitivity/correction factors, boluses, sites, IOB, disconnect, carbs, target range, low, high, ketones, balance, shots, Lantus,Novolog, pump, TDD, averages, A1c...
I am fluent in a second language. It's called Type 1 Diabetes. And I hope you never have to learn it this well.
If I sound tense, it's because Sugar just started kindergarten. Let's just take the last few points of this post and sum it up to say that it's pretty stressful sending diabetes to school.
Maybe I'll feel better after another night of interrupted sleep and spur of the moment troubleshooting for wacky blood sugars. Because, aside from a handful of nights, I haven't slept more than a 3 hour stretch in, at least, the past 3 years.
I'm tired, but I don't have a choice except to feel better.
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Wendy,
ReplyDeleteI stand in awe of you and all that you have made it through. I definitely had it "easy" in comparison. Bridget was 5 years old when Joe was diagnosed at 3. I cannot even imagine juggling the two younger children and nursing them on top of it all. You are inspirational. Thanks for re-posting this. I love getting to know you and my DOC buds better.
Great re-post, Wendy... :)
ReplyDelete