HaHa - - - it's a trick!  I'm really sending you over to:

Halloween Tips From Parents of Children With Diabetes

My lovely friend, Jessica Apple from 



asked 7 parents of children with diabetes how they handle this spooky holiday . . . follow the link above to see what they had to say!!  


HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

I could not admire these athletes any more than I do.
I am following them every step of the way and you can too!

Here is the press release:






AMAZING!!!!!!!

Keep calm and RUN ON!!

Hi everyone . . .

My mom and her 3 lovely sisters have spent a year putting together a wonderful cookbook and all profits will go to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA).



They all learned to cook from my grandmother and great-grandmother and have included recipes passed down for generations.  These woman are A M A Z I N G cooks.  AMAZING.

If you are Facebook friends with my mom then you know by her posts how much she cooks and bakes and how much she enjoys both.  If it tells you anything at all I think all of my friends from middle school and high school are each purchasing at least one copy each. It has been so fun seeing them each write to my mom and ask them to be sure and include their favorite recipe in the cookbook.  My friend Amanda will tell you . . . BEST SNICKERDOODLES EVER!

The cookbooks are $24 each.  If interested please email me at houstonwehaveaproblemblog@gmail and I will hook you up.

I've given up hope. 


Dexcom is dead.






It's sad really.  


Last Monday, Nate's Dexcom literally SAVED HIS LIFE.  Remember Low, Low and Even Lower --- that's the day Dexcom saved Nate's life and Nate killed Dex.  


Nate was at school, sitting in circle time when Dexcom alarmed for a low.  30 MINUTES BEFORE HIS SCHEDULED BG CHECK.  30 MINUTES BEFORE HIS SCHEDULED BG CHECK. Yes, I meant to write that twice.  He was 26.  Then 27.  30 MINUTES BEFORE HIS SCHEDULED BG CHECK WITH NO SYMPTOMS.  NONE. 






Nate's teacher checked him twice, started the juice box and called the nurse down to the room.  They checked him again once the juice was flowing and then the nurse took Nate to her office where he stayed (with no symptoms of a low) until his bg was 103 and we both felt like after a juice box and a GoGo Squeeze apple sauce and his regularly scheduled snack of a drinkable yogurt (45g total uncovered) he would be ok but his wonderful nurse stayed close.  She checked before recess, during recess and when he came in from recess.  She deserves her own blog post because she is so amazing!


Nate never rebounded with a high until later that evening when Pancake apparently ate Nate's pod.  Well, that's Nate's story anyway.  I don't know what really happened but Nate went without insulin for a few hours and ended up high at bed time.  


I was tired so I put him in bed with me.  It's easier.  I gave a big correction.  I would be checking him often.  He went to sleep and I put his Dexcom receiver on my pillow.  Once I got in bed I moved it a little closer to him but still on my side of the bed.  


After a few glances at Dex throughout the night and his bg being back in range I settled in for some solid sleep. Only to be awoken by a strange buzzing noise around 3:00 AM.  I was confused.  Confused and wet.  


Turns out Nate had snuggled up near the headboard and was laying right on top of the covers, 1/2 of my pillow and you guessed it . . . Dex.  Sadly, Nate had wet the bed (damn high bg) and destroyed Dex. 


UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I could care less about being urine soaked, or the fact that my down pillow and comforter were soaked or even that my 3 year old son was soaked.  I ran to the kitchen 1/2 asleep and searched the pantry for rice.  Found it.  Placed Dex in it and went back to handle the rest of the situation.


I'd heard from several people that putting it in rice would dry it out and it would be fine.  Yea - not working over here at Houston . . . we have a problem.  Insert curse word here.  A big one.  Probably the F word!


Our warranty expired in July.  Boo!  


Nate is now on Texas Medicaid and they do not cover Dexcom.


I have to say that I think that is total CRAP.  The cash price for Dexcom is $1100.  The sensors are expensive but how do you put a price on a life?  I am not even for 1 minute kidding when  I say that Dexcom saved Nate's life.  I think every child should have this life saving device and it should be paid for my insurance, medicaid, CHIP . . . whatever.  The cost of the hospital stay would have been far more than the cost of the Dexcom had Nate had a seizure, lost consciousness, or worse. 


These small children cannot verbalize their lows. The technology is there to help them.  Why not keep them safe?  


I do everything in my power to keep him safe.  I count carbs, measure insulin, try and make sure everything is right on but sometimes diabetes just doesn't play fair.  Sometimes it attacks without warning.  And sometimes your 3-year old hides his blueberry Leggo waffle in the guest bathroom even though he told you he ate it all.  


Without Dex we were checking Nate's bg 16-18 times per day.  


Thank you to my lovely friend, Kimberly for loaning us hers until our new-old one arrives sometime this week.  A fantabulous member of the DOC (love, love, love Kim) is sending her old receiver for us to use (thank you, Lexi for making that happen) until we can figure out what we are going to do.  Ours is/was 15-months old and now I am worried about the transmitter going out. Geeez - - - why can't these things last forever?


After 26 I cannot imagine not having Dexcom.  Ever. 

Just another week in pictures . . .

Today's post was supposed to be about me losing weight ---

I was in the middle of mile 3 on the elliptical machine when Nate's school nurse called.  Nate is 27.  What the what? He's never been 27.  EVER.  I played the morning back in my mind.  How did we get here?  I bolused for breakfast at 6:30.  He ate at 7:00.  Jim loaded up the children at 7:30 to take all 3 to school.  He's never taken Nate to school.  I knew something would go wrong.  I'm sorry but he's just not me.

I know he didn't drink his Danimal --- I just know it.

I spoke semi-calmly to the nurse.  She was calm and reassuring.  She told me he was fine.  They wouldn't have even checked him if Dexcom had not alarmed.  He was acting perfectly fine.  After 15g he was 30.  She was giving him 15 more and going to call me back. 15 minutes later 103.

Remember how I just posted about how I am doing fine with diabetes but there are still some days that are hard.  Today is hard.  I am finding it hard to breathe.  I cannot stop crying.  I want this to go away.  My thoughts are taking me somewhere I don't want to go.  What if his Dexcom hadn't alarmed?  What is he had had a seizure? What if this low . . .

I can't type what I'm thinking because typing it somehow in my mind could make it a real possibility.

We've been having so many lows.  We've been having straight lines on Nate's Dex despite the fact that one day last week he ate a Pop-Tart for breakfast and for lunch.  Yea -- don't ask.

My thoughts are going in a million different directions right now.  It doesn't matter what I do we are still having lows.

Here's the deal.

I wasn't going to go here yet because I'm not sure I'm ready for this reality and it's still early to know for sure.

Nate is exhibiting all the classic signs that Sophie had before she was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis.

Am I freaking out?  Yes and No.  Some days I am good at just putting it out of my mind and then there are days like today when it feels as if everything is crashing down upon me.  I am starting to wonder what the hell I did in my past life to deserve all of this crap in this life but I can't stay there long.  Nate is having blood and mucous in his stools, diarrhea and going as much as 14 times per day.

My 1st thought was how in the hell am I going to manage the steroids with Nate's diabetes but now as I am still trying to figure this all out it is the opposite problem.  Lows.  Just like Sophie Nate's little body is unable to absorb all of the nutrients from the food he is eating so that is why I think we are having all of these lows.  It's like having a tummy bug all of the time.

We have started the stool study and we have our 1st appointment with Sophie's GI next Monday. I made the appointment about 3 weeks ago and was hoping and praying that is was just a tummy bug and that I would be able to cancel it but as things seem to go in my life right now --- that is not the case.

Weekly iPhone Upload --



Nate the Monkey --



Fun at the park with the littles and my cousin, Angela --
Oh yea and some 3D chalk and colored bubbles.

So, actually it's been 2 years and 24 days since Nate's was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. 


The day ---- 2 years ago it was a scary day but this year it was just a day.  It is Nate's diabetes anniversary but nobody really knows it but me.  Well, and you know now too.


. . . and yes he CAN and DID eat everything you see in this picture.  


I think nothing could be more appropriate for me to say to myself than . . . You've come a long way, baby!


Those 1st few months were so hard.  When we 1st Found Out.  Feeling like Diabetes was my Kryptonite. The realization that I would never sleep through the night again ---- Sleepy, Sleepy Mommy. When I realized (SADLY) that Diabetes was here to stay.   When I forgot to give Nate his night time insulin (NPH) - I felt like the WORST MOM EVER.  I've dealt with Our 1st Scary Low, our LOWEST LOW and our Glucagon Low and countless HIGHs. They don't get any easier but as Hallie taught me I've gotten better at it!


I cannot believe how far we have come.  Reading back through all of those posts made me cry -- a lot.  I was so sad, so overwhelmed, so totally confused when I wrote each and every one.  I read this one --- I Can't Find the Middle and it took me back to all of the crazy numbers we saw while on NPH and the constant carbohydrate diet (UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!). I totally hated diabetes and what it was doing to me and my family back then.  I don't love diabetes now but THANK YOU OMNIPOD for for making MDI, NPH the CC diet such a distant memory.


It was March of 2010 when Nate started his journey on the OmniPod --- Pumping, Good Grief and Hope! It was love at 1st site.  <--- hahaha get it?  OmniPod, OmniPod, Oh How I love Thee!


In 2010 in came Apidra and DexCom too. 2 more things that I could now not live without.  Oh hell , it used to be new purses and fancy shoes I couldn't live without now it's medical devices and super fast insulin.  I may or may not have become a diabetes nerd!


After going through many stages of grief and wading my way through the anger I have come out on the other side with a new outlook on Nate’s diagnosis.  I can say that although managing type 1 diabetes is not easy, I am living a happy and joyful life.  In 2011 I discovered that I am no longer just surviving Nate's diagnosis!  

I cried a lot in 2009. I wrote about why I was still crying in 2010.  Even in 2011 I cry occasionally too.  Being a mom is a tough job.  Being the mom of children with chronic conditions is super hard.  So, yes even now I still cry sometimes but I think that is ok.  It's ok with me anyway.  


No one can tell us when things will feel better, no one can tell us when things will feel easier, no one can tell us when it is time to stop crying.  We let our hearts lead the way.  My heart led me through some dark times and only when my heart was ready to start seeing the light did it feel right to start coming out of my darkness.  I still feel the darkness occasionally but my heart always leads me back to the light.  


For me diabetes is not at all glitter and unicorns although I often joke about it being both. I still think diabetes is bullshit!  I still get choked up when I see Nate's little bloody fingerprints on the kitchen cabinets and still tear up (ok, I usually sob) when I talk about Nate's diagnosis.


I believe in feeling the feelings that I am having and letting it be ok to be down occasionally.  Diabetes is hard.  Diabetes is tiring.  Diabetes can beat you down.  It's ok to feel those feelings.  Express them, and then move on from them.  You know what I'm going to say . . . 


Keep Calm and Carry On.


So, I guess what I really want to say is this.  I am ok today.  Tired but ok. You are ok too.  I have good days and bad days.  You will have them too. We may be in different places but I will always meet you where you are because I was there not that long ago.  We were all there not that long ago.


The One - The Only - The Super Naughty Nate:






Thank you all for sticking by me through the past 2 years.  It means everything to me to have so much support.  I know for a fact I would not be where I am today without the love and support of the diabetes community both online and in real life and my friend and family that have stood by me throughout this crazy ride.  

Filling Pod with Insulin

Priming

Ready to Rock

Hitting the NEXT button and then once it is in place he likes to his START too!

I still fill the syringe with the insulin and stick the pod in place but little man can do the rest.

O M G - he is only 3.

Keep calm and carry on . . .

I'm behind on my uploads so this one covers last week and the week before. Go me!

Dang - I forgot to hit 'publish' on this one. People keep sending this to me so I thought I would share because it's funny.  You know it is.

Working backwards through the last month . . .

Friday I was lucky enough to meet the Evans family.  We started discussing the meet-up about a month ago or so and you all saw my calendar yesterday so you know the big day crept up on me!  Let me just say O! M! G!  I love this sweet family.  Leigh and I have been DOC friends for a while ---- we've bonded over our sweet boys.  Not only do our sugary sweet boys have type 1 but they look A LOT ALIKE!  Earlier this year Leigh sent me a box of clothes that Aiden had outgrown and Nate has put them all to good use.  I know that when I post pics of Nate in Aiden's clothes it's like looking back in time for Leigh. The boys seriously look alike.

Friday afternoon I loaded up the littles and headed to the Galleria to meet Leigh and her gang IRL.  We started out at the American Girl store where all of the kiddos were in total awe.  My girls made Christmas lists at least a mile long each. Then to be fair to the boys we headed to the Galleria play area where are 5 kiddos had a blast running around and playing.  It's always so comforting being with another D family.  Play - check bg - play - treat low - play - check bg ----- same same.

After treating a few lows we decided to grab some dinner.  I'm not exactly sure what the hostess and waiter thought since there were 5 kids, 2 moms and 1 dad. Hmmm . . . they sat us in a booth so poor Leigh and Matt got the pleasure of sitting beside Super Nate.  Yep, he plopped himself down right between them.  He must have felt 'at home' with this fabulous set of D Parents.  Bless Matt he was so patient with my Super Naughty Nate. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner with some antsy littles so we then headed outside to let them run it off a bit.





Leigh was so sweet not only did she bring us some delicious personalized iced cookies, she also brought Nate one of Aiden's walk shirts (SO EXCITED) and the girls each a shirt from Mary Claire's walk team (SO CUTE)!  Thank you, Leigh and Holly!

I am so, so, so happy that I got to meet The Evans family.  Thank you, Leigh and Matt for everything!!!

Hopefully, Leigh will post some pictures --- I believe she got some good ones!

This is for you, Leigh and Matt:

Woooooooo. Pig. Sooie!

Woooooooo. Pig. Sooie!

Woooooooo. Pig. Sooie!

Razorbacks!

September came and went so quickly . . .
It was an extremely busy month and I plan on working my way backwards through the month to get you (and myself) all caught up.  I'm looking forward to getting back to blogging!