I posted this picture one year ago today at the beginning of Diabetes Awareness month.  It came up in my FB newsfeed this morning.

The same medicine (insulin) that keeps Nate alive, is the same thing that can kill him if given just a little too much.

Last week we had a terrible scare.  I had just finished getting ready for an earned Plexus event at the Gaylord.  I was in my hotel room about to head out and my phone was blowing up with text messages.

Ian texted me and told me that Nate's insulin pump, his Omnipod had "alarmed" that there was an occlusion and it had stopped working right as they were sitting down for dinner.  They were out so we both agreed that an injection was the best course of action.

A few minutes later Ian sent a follow-up text to confirm the amount of insulin given.

Laura!

Baby!

Is this what 2.35 unites looks like?

Over here!


He knows me so well.  He knew I was distracted so he kept trying.  His gut told him to do so.  I finally responded.  I called him right away.  I was hoping that he was kidding but he was not.  He had mistakenly given Nate 23 units insulin instead of 2.35.

How could this happen?
I was scared.
My head was spinning.
I was having trouble processing.

I wanted to be with Nate.

We made a plan to meet at the house, load up the kids, and head to the hospital.  We did the math and there were just too many carbs to consume to keep him safe.  To keep him alive.

The drive home was excruciating.  6 o'clock traffic.  Ian was feeding Nate.  Cookies, cake, and candy - Nate's dream come true!  But his tummy started to hurt and he couldn't eat anymore.

Ian was so calm, yet nervous at the same time.  He felt overw
helming guilt.  I could see the fear and disappointment in his eyes.  It made me love him even more.  You see, anyone could have made this mistake. It is not terribly uncommon.  Most people have no idea how small 2 units of insulin actually is when drawn into a syringe.  It is difficult to draw up such a small amount.  These is no 5 on the syringe so often the 10 is mistaken for 1.0.
In the hospital I have noticed that when the nurses give insulin to a patient a 2nd nurse has to come in and verify the dose before it is given.

---23 units could have been a lethal dose for Nate.

We got to the hospital and an insulin overdose gets your priority access.  We went back and after blowing out 2 IVs Nate's blood sugar was going up --- not down!  He was so nervous, so scared -- his adrenaline was pumping.  They finally got an IV in for a glucose drip and we waited for him to bottom out.  It never happened.  TWENTY THREE units of insulin and he never dropped below 190.

What in the world?

Was it the carbs?  Was it the adrenaline? Was it the combination?  Was it my sheer will wishing for my son to be ok? Is it possible to wish that hard for something?





On a different note --- isn't he the cutest boy you have ever seen?  LOVE . . . Super Nate!


We stayed at the hospital for about 5 hours to make sure Nate stayed safe.  We watched Big Hero Six and Ant Man.  Nate charmed all of the nurses and the doctor.  Here really is adorable.  Ian never left Nate's side.  I love the way he made him feel safe.

The 1st question the few people we have shared with have asked me is, if I was mad at Ian?

I was absolutely not mad an Ian.  It could have happened to me and he's my husband -- we are family.  I stand beside him, I support him, I love him.

That is what parents do--support, show grace, forgive hard, love hard, and stand united.