Monday, August 2, 2010

The MANY, MANY....MANY, MANY REASONS for a LOW JOE

I don't want to SCARE you guys...but I think I may do a post of mostly pictures and few words. Yes, I am feeling OK. Nope, I don't have a fever. My fingers are lively and dancing across the keyboard. I was just thinking after viewing all the pictures I have of Joe...MAN this kid IS "BALLS TO THE WALL" all the time. For you "non-D folks"...I want you to take in how these photos look like Joe is just a "KID BEING A KID". What you don't know is that all of the below activities require special monitoring, planning, and care... I know, welcome to CRAZY TOWN (in "let me take you to Funky Town" - like music playing in the recesses of my twisted brain)!!!


Now, without further delay...



The many ACTIVE reasons that make for a LOW JOE (mind you this is only "active reasons"...not sickness... poor carb counting ... wrong insulin dosing... stars and moons being out of alignment reasons...that too can make Joe GO LOW)...





(Hula-Hooping Joe... look at the "determination" in that face)






(Up-To-No-Good Joe...this is in the remenants of our backyard ice rink)





(Biker Joe)




(Jumping Joe)




(Dirt Pit Joe ... yes, this is in our backyard... and yes, Joe and his pump become a filthy dust spattered mess... I have to use a baby tooth brush to clean all the cracks and crevices of our Animas Ping Insulin Pump)





(Hockey Joe)




(Baseball Joe)




(Soccer Joe)





(Diving Joe)





(Jousting Joe? Not sure what the heck this is called...but it too can make him go LOW while he is pummeling his opponent)



(Another Maher Family Classic - Surfboarding Joe down the Slip-and-Slide - GOOD TIMES)





(Skateboarding Joe...and yes, I asked him to change shoes and put on pads)




(Don't ask, b/c not even I know...prior to this pic he was skateboarding with the cones on his hands and feet)



For more information on Low Blood sugar click here.


The planning for all of the above activities includes frequent blood sugar monitoring and extra food/carb sources. Blood sugar checks are done every 30 minutes with hockey and soccer...otherwise we check Joe's blood sugar every hour while he is active. "Dexter" has lightened the load on this front. If his CGM numbers are running "right on" with blood sugar numbers, I will skip a blood sugar check and take a peak at "Dexter" (click here to read about one of my favorite posts about "Dexter" our CGM) and "boost" Joe's blood sugar accordingly. Woodchuck #2 is always on my person ready for ACTION stocked with the glucometer, Glucagon, Ketone Meter, syringes, and glucose tablets and Starbursts. The hardest part for Joe is taking a "break" from his activity of choice to care for his diabetes...for the most part he handles it with GRACE.


Again...A day-in-the-life... it never ends... balancing blood sugars, activities, food, and insulin day-in and day-out... This is where the "details of the mundane can drive you INSANE."

14 comments:

Cindy said...

Hehe...love the pics! And completely relate. Any little change in the norm can make Lily go plummeting and any small amount of extra carbs sends her soaring. Oh, the joys of riding the diabetes roller coaster! It does get better as the diabetic gets older though!

Nikki said...

Great post! I love all of the Joes. You guys are super in my book. Great photos. My favorite Joe, is the "up to no good Joe".. I identify with that one. As I am sure you do too?

Heidi =) said...

I love the pics! What a funny, active boy you have! It looks like D or not he loves life and tries to suck every ounce of it out of each day that he can!

Meri said...

Look at Joe GO!! He is so cute, I just want to pinch is cheekies!! Don't tell him that though...you can tell him I said he is Hella cool! (Do people even say "hella" anymore???)

Jessica said...

Now I see why you say Liam reminds you of Joe when he was young. :)

tara said...

Love love love the pics of Joe. Somehow I can see him skateboarding with cones on. Afterall he did an awesome dance with underwear on his head.

Renata said...

Awesome! Hey...better on the go I say. I have one that won't stop running either...The pictures were wonderful. I love the cone one, I like the imagination!

Sarah said...

I love that I got to look at these pics with Isaac. Telling him Joe has diabetes like you and then Isaac said to each picture "Joe plays soccer just like me, Joe swims just like me...." love that he sees how he is just like your boy in sooooo many other ways. Sounds like our boys would love to play together!

Amanda said...

Ohh, your cute little Joe. He is such a manly man...playing every sport known to mankind - love it!

Unknown said...

Thanks ladies...you can see why I love him sooo...and you can see why I need a sugar dispensing, face-enclosing, helmet-like device to keep this little maniac from going low!!! Good God he keeps me on my toes.

Heidi / Jack's Pack said...

What a great kid!!! I love his ingenuity. The Slip-and-Slide surfing looks like serious fun! And the pic of him with the cones on his hands and feet is hilarious! :)

Tracy1918 said...

Reyna! I love the pictures! Actually, I simply love that Joe is adventurous and neither of you let D stop you.

Yesterday we braved a waterpark---yikes! Actually, it went GREAT! But someone told me of a mom that has a D-kid the same age as Matthew. I think the boy has had D for close to 2 years. Anyway...the mom refuses to let him go to a waterpark because of diabetes.

I don't want to live that way! And when I see pictures of Joe doing EVERYTHING...it's just....inspiring!

You are such an awesome mom! And a great example to me! THANK YOU!!! : )

Lora said...

funny!! LOVE the cone pic. :)

LaLa said...

Good Grief Joe - - - you are BALLS TO THE WALL!
Give your sweet momma a break every once in a while!! :)