Blink. Tear. Drop.

Have you ever thought about the little things?

Take time, for example.  In one tiny second, so much can happen...

Childless to parenthood
Life to death
Rich to poor
Unemployed to employed
Single to married

When you REALLY think about it, all of life's major events come down to one single second. In the blink of an eye, so much can change.

Or what about tears?  Oh, those little drops can stir up so much emotion!!!!  The anguish you feel as a parent watching your child suffer.  They explain the emotions that you can't find words for.  Those little tears can tell a million stories.

Ya know, one eency weency drop of blood has the ability to make major decisions around here.  It decides if a site change is warranted, a juice box, or a bolus of insulin.  It can stop everything in it's tracks, alter plans, and change perception.  One drop can make the difference between staying or altering the course of life.

And then there's insulin.  Sugar's total daily dose is around 20 units.  Do you know what that looks like?

THAT'S IT!  When Sugar first began wearing her insulin pump, she was only getting about 6-7 units of insulin a day....roughly ONE-THIRD of that drop.

In one 24 hour period, about half of that tiny drop must be spread out to cover the glucose stores her body pumps into the blood stream.  Sugar's insulin pump administers a minuscule dose every 3 minutes.  EVERY THREE MINUTES -- around the clock....for 24 hours....FROM THAT LITTLE DROP!!!!!!!

The other half is used to cover the carbohydrates that she eats or drinks.  She can have a full meal PLUS a cupcake with a juice box, and it STILL hardly makes a dent in the drop.

If that entire drop was administered at once, it could kill her.  Withholding it could result in the same devastating outcome.

One little drop.

**MY** brain decides which hour of the day gets what portion of the drop.  I decide when to program the pump to give a smidgen more, when to back off, and when to keep things the same.  I decide at what times of day she'll need more of the drop to cover carbs and when she'll need less.  I decide how much of that drop will be used to correct a high blood sugar, decreased to accommodate physical activity, and increased to manage growth spurts and illnesses.

My brain knows she grows around 3 - 4 am.  The growth hormone is released during the pre-dawn hours and her insulin needs skyrocket.  For a few days, I'll be increasing the drop -- maybe even giving her plenty more than 20 units....and then, suddenly, it's too much.  I'll need to back down.  Way down.  Maybe even to a few units less.  After a few days of that, we'll gradually make it back to the NEW DROP.  After she grows, her insulin needs will increase permanently.  Perhaps by such a small amount, you can't even see it with the naked eye.

All the while, the pump is pumping every 3 minutes.

Yup.  Just one tiny drop.

Sometimes the little things in life make all the difference.