Upgraded to the Enlite

Long time, no blog... and I'm OK with that.  :)   I enjoy blogging, and still read many DOC blogs, but I've made a concentrated effort to spend more time offline.  That said, though, I had to post an update on Rosie.

On Saturday, we officially switched to the Medtronic Enlite system... meaning that she is no longer wearing a Dexcom CGM, but now has a CGM integrated into her pump.  (Please note that we loved our Dexcom, but switched on the recommendation of our endo, and also so that Rosie only has to carry/wear one device now.)

After three days on the system, here are my observations:

•  This thing alarms a LOT.  I'm sure there are ways to change/reduce the alarms even further than we have, but wow.... the first day I think it was alarming at least once an hour.  It thought she was high (she wasn't), it thought she was low (she wasn't), it wanted more blood sugars (done).  Yikes.  That reminds me... I need to email her teachers and warn them that we're still learning about this new device and it might disrupt class.
• We inserted Rosie's first site in the right side of her stomach, and she hasn't had any trouble with it at all.  This is a victory for us, as she has a history of reacting to various medical tapes and adhesives. I like that the adhesive includes a strip over top of the receiver, as we almost lost her last one one time  when the clips on the site broke while she was wearing it.
• So far, the numbers are not as accurate as I'd like.  We've been a good 30-40 points off, at minimum, every time she's poked her finger.  I'm hoping this will improve with use.  If we have to poke her finger 6-8 times per day just to keep this calibrated, I'm not sure it's worth it.   We only had to poke 3-4 times per day to keep her Dex in line.

So... we'll see.  I have very mixed feelings about the switch right now, and so does Rosie.  
 

Five Years

It was five years ago this week- 9/19/08-  that Rosie was diagnosed.

Every year, the date has kind of weighed on me.  I'd replay things in my mind and think about all the ways our lives have been changed due to this disease.  This year?  Other than a vague feeling that I was forgetting to do something all day, the day came and went without any fanfare.

Five years of finger pokes, carb counting, and sleepless nights.  That's a lot, yet just a drop in the bucket compared to the many years Rosie has ahead of her.  A cure can't come soon enough.
 

5th grade: So far, so good!

Rosie has been back in school for nine days now.  I have only received one call from the Clinic Aide, and that was about some missing paperwork that the endo's office hasn't faxed yet. I think it's a record-- usually by this time I've been in to "chat" with the Clinic Aide about some kind of problem at least once!

Rosie has a plastic shoe box with supplies in her homeroom.  She tests in the classroom as needed.  When she changes classrooms for various subjects, she carries glucose with her in her pump belt, and generally can rely on her Dexcom to see if she's going low.  If needed, she can leave the other classrooms and go to the clinic to test.  

She's run a little on the low side nearly every day, which tends to happen at the start of every school year with the changes in routine.  She's been able to treat/test herself and has done really well.  I'm so proud of her!
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Good Day + Bad Site = Bad Night

On Saturday I took four kids to the local splashpad, two of whom are Type 1.   My daughter Rosie, my son (non-d), and our two neighbors-- a girl Rosie's age, and a boy my son's age-- and who is also Type 1.  

It was nice, having another d-kid and sibling with us... not to mention that these kids are all good friends.   Nobody batted an eye when we pulled out two meters and did two finger pokes.  None of the four kids complained when they needed to sit after their snack for a few minutes and allow the d-kids to come up a little (from 84 and 83) before they ran off to play some more.  Any time we go places with non-d kids we have to explain and make a big deal out of testing and waiting... with these four, it was just a normal thing.   It was great!

Unfortunately, last night was not so nice.  I changed Rosie's site after supper, and apparently a wrinkle in the adhesive kept the catheter  from going all the way in.   Coincidentally, we also got ice cream last night, something we rarely do.   Around 11pm she spiked up to 537, complete with vomiting and headache.  A site change, a couple of hours on the couch,  and a 200% basal finally brought her down-- around 3am she was down to 194, and we finally went to bed.   Then, at her 6am check, she was low-- 49.  I don't know if that was from over-correcting the high, or if it was just normal, because the last two days she had also been low around that time.   At any rate, it was a long night that was very short on sleep!