THE DATE WITH DEXTER In MY LAP

I don't know about you guys, but going to the movies was a big deal to me as a child. I did not get to go often. It was definitely a twice a year affair, maybe three times annually when I was elementary school age. Sitting in the comfy, plush, theater seats and munching on the buttery goodness (also known as theater popcorn) while being catapulted into another world, into another person's story, into someone's creative thoughts brought to life on the big screen... it was simply MAGICAL.

Of course, for my two (Bridget and Joe) it is the same; it is a savored privilege. They have to earn "stickers" to go to the movies. The stickers are earned when I notice great behavior...especially "sibling interactions" (i.e. NO BICKERING). Once 5 stickers are earned a Movie Date is in the making. Well, I am embarrassed to say that it took my two munchkins 6 weeks to earn their first movie of the summer. I think they had their heart set on Karate Kid (but sadly...by the time they earned it, it was out of the theaters)...so Despicable Me it was; and boy was it a TREAT. Actually it was truly enjoyable in more ways than one. The movie and the EVIL MINIONS (they, the "minions" are actually adorable...not really evil at all....one is even folded in half, shaken, and then turns into a "glow stick" - you'd have to see it to truly appreciate it) were ENTERTAINING. Also, I got to watch...popcorn kernel BY popcorn kernel effect Joe's blood sugar.

You see...in the past (sans Dexter)...this is how the "blood sugar GAME" played out in the movies.

• Arrive at theater and obtain tickets
• Loiter around Snack Bar and choose the "food like substances" - let's face it, none of that crap is actually "real" food.
• Go into theater and pick seats
• Balance the un-godly amount of "Food Like" substances on my lap and sadly placing some on the nasty floor, while trying to get Bridget and Joe settled while wielding my purse and "Woodchuck" (the name that my GREAT friend Nikki gave the Diabetes Camo Pack that I carry around with me like it is my 3rd arm because it has EVERYTHING I need to manage Joe's diabetes while we are "on the go").
• Check Joe's blood sugar
• Then the guessing game begins...hmmm how many cups of popcorn is in the damn "kiddie snack box"? 4-5cups??? Even when guessing 4-5-6-7 cups...it is NEVER ENOUGH INSULIN to keep the kid out of the 400s!!! This is with an increased basal of 50% starting an hour prior to the movie (I crank the basal due to the "inactivity" that will ensue due to the video coma that Joe is about to be immersed into for 2 hours).

ENTER DEXTER - My (well actually Joe's) alarming, vibrating, glucose monitoring M-A-Ch-I-N-E. OMGoodness, can I just tell you guys that for the movies alone I am in AWE of my boyfriend (for you newer readers...I love the Dexcom 7+ so much that I named him "Dexter" and we are now dating). For blood glucose management at the theater I was always left in the DARK (literally - you try checking a blood sugar in "theater darkness"; a flashlight or my cell phone was used to illuminate the clumsy process... and figuratively I was left in the dark - how in the heck does my little guy's blood sugar go from a nice, tame mid-100s to 400 in a 30 minute to 1 hour period? - UGH).

So, as the "Bad Dad" and the "Minions" are plotting to steal the moon using some sort of "shrinking device", I am sitting next to Joe refreshing Dexter every few minutes. You see I want to watch the onslaught of "blood sugar control demise" and "catch" it and put a "halt" to that apparently SUGAR EXUDING THEATER POPCORN (for carb counts on theater popcorn click here ... and btw - ah YEAH RIGHT. In looking at these figures...there is NO WAY they are accurate based on what I see happening on the glucometer).

Here is the lowdown on what I saw: (for reference on the Dexcom 7+ arrows: ...arrow to the side = blood sugar is not climbing or falling, one arrow up = blood glucose is rising 1-2mg/dL each minute, two arrows up = blood glucose is rising more than 3mg/dL each minute).

132 (movie start...Joe starts shoveling in the popcorn)...20 minutes later (167 - one arrow up)...NOW I AM WATCHING DEXTER and NOT the movie (I am sure the lady next to me thought I was texting or something)...5 minutes later (179 - double arrows UP - SHIT - how can popcorn do this!!!)... I am now refreshing Dexter every couple of minutes...never mind the fact that this "little hunk of genius" can only give me a new number every 5 minutes...I NEVER said I was a patient woman folks... OK FINALLY!!! a new number...(234 - STILL DOUBLE ARROWS UP) ... At this point I am DONE with the POPCORN attack on my little Joe's hemoglobin - I could literally see the hemoglobin glycosylating before my eyes. I decide to bolus for another 15 grams...and added in a correction (ignoring the pump) for GOOD MEASURE...I wanted to head off the 300s and I was sure as heck gonna prohibit the 400s from visiting and thickening his blood. I think I may have, in my insulin dispensing passion play, cranked up the basal to 80% for the last hour of his temp basal change. 287 (stable arrow, one across) was the highest number Dexter and the Glucometer displayed. The Blood Glucose WAR was won against Movie Theater Popcorn. I felt the high 200s was a definite VICTORY. I will work on tweaking settings from this "battle" to plan future ATTACKS.

And yes...

You guessed it...

...another story from the "day-in-the-life of parenting a type-1-KID."