Our D-history:

My daughter, *Rosie, was five years old when she was diagnosed on September 19, 2008, with Type I Diabetes. We started out on MDI, but in October 2010 we switched to a pump. We also added a Dexcom CGM in May of 2011. In February 2014 we changed to the Medtronic Enlite system- a pump and CGM all in one.

*Rosie is not her real name... I let her pick her own pseudonym for the blog!

Sunday, October 28, 2012

WDD Postcard Exchange: Sign up now!

Have you heard about the World Diabetes Day Postcard Exchange?

Last year, I heard about it, but we were too late to sign up.  This year, I signed up Rosie and I to exchange a few cards.   They will match you up with the number of people/ postcards you agree to make and send, and in return, those folks will send you a homemade World Diabetes Day postcard back.   It's a fun way to connect with other diabetics!

If you want to sign up, hurry over to the World Diabetes Day Postcard Exchange site... registration ends on November 1st!

 

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Halloween Carbs

 
It's here... the time of year when extra candy and sweet treats find their way into our diabetic homes.

I know that some d-families don't do Trick or Treating, or some do but then trade the candy in for a toy or something else the child enjoys.    Here at the Sugar Shark house, we usually go Trick or Treating several times each year-- at the school festival, in our neighborhood, at my work (nursing home), and sometimes also in my parents' neighborhood.   None of those events lasts long, but that still adds up to a LOT of candy!

So what do we do with all of that candy?  We allow Rosie to have a piece or two for dessert after meals, and we save the pure sugar stuff (Pixy Stix, gummy candies, etc) for treating lows.  All of three of her monitor cases, her school backpack, and our cars will get a fresh stash of sugary treats for on-the-go lows.   Rosie and her brother swap favorites, and we bag up part of their loot to send to the guys at my husband's work-- they'll eat anything, LOL! 


I have a couple of sites bookmarked that make the candy carb counting easier.  We print these lists ahead of time so we're ready for a quick treat when the kids return from a Halloween event.  These lists have the most common candies:
Anything that's not on those lists involves some SWAG bolusing or a quick internet search to see if we can come up with the carb count. 

Halloween, d-style... it works for us!

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Sick Day with D

She's got a sore throat, headache, fever.  Normal illness for a school-aged child, right?  These things go around all the time.

Then you throw D into the mix.

We are constantly monitoring blood sugars, trying to bring down high blood sugars while still keeping carbs in her system.  Rosie tends to go sky-high about a day before she actually shows symptoms of illness.... I should have known yesterday that we'd be up all night!

We're checking for ketones, praying to just see that tan color and nothing worse.  Trying to keep her hydrated.  Making sure we have enough keto strips in the house.

We have to double-check any over-the-counter medicines to make sure they don't contain any acetaminophen, which would interfere with her Dexcom.  The first time I tried to buy cold medicine after she got her Dex, I think I stood in the aisle reading bottles for a good 20 minutes.  It seems to me that nearly every children's cold medicine has acetaminophen.  Now, at least I know which brands are usually safe, and I go with a homeopathic remedy if she just has a sore throat without a fever.

A little bug is never little with a D-child.  There are so many extra things to worry about.  Fortunately, both kids already had Dr. appointments scheduled today for flu shots and check-ups... I guess now we'll just make those into "sick" appointments!

 

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Our 3rd JDRF Walk

We participated in our third annual JDRF Walk two weeks ago.  It was a perfect day-- sunny and cool, just the right weather for a long walk!

I have a lovely model lined up to show you our shirts:

  These were definitely our favorite team shirts yet!  Everyone got a kick out of our diabetic-pirate-octopus mascot.  Rosie and I designed these shirts online.   We also had pirate bandanas and eye patches, and some of our team colored our hair with black, red, gold, and glitter.   Let's just say that we enjoy getting into the team spirit around here!  ;)

Our JDRF chapter announced that the Walk this year had exceeded their goal by nearly $20,000.  The total collected that day was $93,000, and there were still donations coming in.  I'd say it was a success!
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