Sunday, May 29, 2011

Even On Parade Day...Every Day... It Is There...



I haven't done one of these posts in awhile. It is more of a "day-in-the-life" of what many may not notice or see. The underlying work of diabetes is lost on many. Around-the-clock it goes. It knows no breaks. It does not acknowledge holidays. Vacations are not an option.

I have become so accustomed to utilizing Dexter (Joe's Dexcom 7+ CGM) in managing activity and special events that I felt "blind" yesterday. You see, Dexter fell out Friday, after school. Joe did not want to have a new one put in. He wanted a little "Dexter Break". Fine by me. I get it. It, diabetes and it's entourage, is a load, physically and mentally.

Note: Yes, in hindsight a decreased basal would have been a good idea for our day. First off, I think the rogue-pizza-insulin-resistant-highs that were corrected all night long finally crashed. The insulin caught up to him. Also, I had no idea that he was going to go all Lithium Energizer Bunny on me.





5:09am ~ Joe wakes. His BG is 309. Chasing down pizza all night long sans Dexter was brutal for Dave. I am not comfortable cranking up the basal (as was recommended on the Pizza Sampler by Type 1 University), while Joe sleeps, unless I have the "back-up support" and peace of mind that Dexter provides me with. A correction dose of insulin is given.

7:08am ~ The pump is alarming for low insulin. A site change is done. BG is 104. Joe eats 28grams weight worth of Honey Nut Cheerios, 1/2 cup Milk, and 2 Gummi Vitamins. Carb total is 32 grams. Insulin is bolused.

9:07am ~ Joe is going to participate in our local Memorial Day Parade. We are getting ready to leave the house. Faces are painted. Red, White, and Blue is donned. His BG is 116. That is too low for that time of day and pre-parade. He will crash. He eats a chocolate graham cracker (11grams) for free.

Here is where I really start missing Dexter and am craving his presence for the remainder of the day.

9:48am ~ There are snacks at "bike/scooter decorating area". Joe would like to partake. Fine, I am no "carb-tight-wad". I have no clue where his number is and am nervous about a full bolus, but don't know how much he boosted-up from the chocolate graham cracker that he had 40 minutes prior. His BG was 72. He ate 30grams of carbs. I only bolused for 1/2 and plugged in the 72 BG into his pump so that a negative correction was also taken into consideration.

Here is the point in the day where Joe goes "ALL JOE" on me and ramps the activity up.

10:18am ~ Joe had been scootering NON-STOP with his pals while waiting for the parade to start. Up and down the dirt, puddle-laden road ... back-and-forth ... back-and-forth. Most parents would just think how wonderful it is that their child is so active. Me, I am thinking "For "goodness" Sake, he is going to bottom out mid-parade and I am gonna take a Shriner's Car up the bum as I am hunched over checking a Blood Sugar". The parade is getting started his BG was 128. He boosts with a juice (15grams).


11:21am ~ Post-parade-scootering BG was 87. Lucky for Joe, candy was being thrown into the crowd where we were hanging out and he boosted with it.




11:58am ~ Lunch. Still wishing for Dexter here. I would not re-check here normally, but I feel lost and blind. BG is 121. Joe eats a turkey sandwich and has a 1/2 cup of milk (40 grams of carb). I bolus for it all... I should not have.

1:45pm ~ Joe has been outside playing basketball and has been careening up and down the 'hood on his scooter. His BG is 55. 15 grams of carb are consumed.

2:09pm ~ Opening Day of our neighborhood pool! Oh Yippee (S-A-R-C-A-S-M)! Joe's BG is 78. Of course he wants to swim. He consumes another 8 grams of carb and his pump is removed. Dave takes the kids to the pool, while I do some yard-work.

3:01pm ~ Darn! They're back! Already. BG is 121. The pump is re-attached to Joe.

Here is where the day gets "real-interesting". Bridget decides that she and Joe are going to have their own parade up and down the street...just the two of them. She proceeds to apply a full face of paint. She is going for a "dog-like-look" and is carrying a slab of green tissue paper with Sharpie-d words stating "SAVE THE ANIMALS". Joe then proceeds with the paint and applies a clown-like look. It was a lot of paint. There was even "clumpage". So, face painted children ... Bridget on foot ... Joe on Rollerblades ... proceed their march/skate up and down the street looking like a freak-show. Soon into the "parade" it started raining. The tissue paper disintegrated. The kids came in slightly deflated over their foiled plans for calling attention to all the animals that need "saving".

Meanwhile...

P90X was being attempted by yours truly. Kempo-X. Kempo is a workout that has you throwing a ton of punches and kicks with "breaks" of running in place with your knees up and jumping jacks that go awry with some "airborne" action. Yes, you are "jacking" mid-air. It isn't as bad as it sounds. Of course, (insert heavily mascara fringed eye-roll here)Joe decided to participate. I was mid-workout. I asked if he felt "OK"? I know better. I should have had him "boost". I didn't. I was focused on finishing my workout. As he does with everything, Joe participated with vigor and determination.

5:34pm ~ Post P-90X, pre-dinner BG was 61. I go ahead and have him eat and hold off on bolusing for about 20 minutes. Bean Burritos were on the menu. (31 grams each, he ate 1 and a 1/2). I want to insert here my favorite tortillas are the Josephs Brand, Oat~Flax~Wheat. They are 11 grams of carb, but 6 grams (I believe) of fiber...only 5 net grams of carb for those of you that subtract fiber.

Joe's pump site fell off in the bath.


(*sigh*).


A new one was popped in. Dexter was re-inserted.

7:39pm ~Bed time BG was 112.

9:49pm ~ BG 185. Dexter was calibrated.

12:41am ~ BG 251. Insulin was given to correct.

A day-in-the-life of Joe's day-in-the-life even on Parade Day. Happy Memorial Day!

22 comments:

Sandy said...

Oh Reyna. Because it's "me" While I was looking at your pictures of the awesome Reyna family, I was wondering how you and Joe were doing all day outside at the parade. Thanks for sharing :) and good for you for getting through the day with out Dexter. Thank god my hubby is an adult and doesn't want breaks! I would be an anxiety mess by the end of that day! But I know Joe needed a break, and I think that is okay! Good job! Love you guys!

Sandy said...

Oh and a question, when joe's site fell out, did you have to fill a new resivoir? And lose the unused insulin? This is something we have done and it's annoying!

Unknown said...

No. I used the same cartridge and tubing. I just popped in a new one and filled the cannula.

Sandy said...

Ahh okay, I think I am a little OCD cause if we change the tubing and not the resivoir then we would be short on one not the other lol

Fae-Mom said...

*APPLAUSE* *APPLAUSE* *APPLAUSE*
A lot of things suck about this story. All the BG checks and extra snacks for extra fun, blah, blah. But let me tell you my favorite part. YOU! You let him GO. You let him DO. You let him BE. You took great care in monitoring him and despite a couple of BGs below target, you rocked it! I sometimes feel a little too "casual" about D care, but that's ok! I have a son (or two) with diabetes, not a diabetic son!

Penny said...

You did it, you rocked it and you had some fun. Breaks from Dexter are good, I get it. You rocked it Mama Pancreas! And I can post comments to your blog again - it's a win-win!

Scully said...

INTENSE!!!!!!!!!
that is a packed day of D with not much else. I can imagine it all. You still won the game in the end because you stayed on top of it. And Joe got to have is day. awesome.

Colleen said...

Good grief! I think my own BG dropped just reading about all Joe's activities.
I am glad to know that you didn't get run over by a Shriner.

Anonymous said...

Car up the ass...you crack me up! I'm a little exhasted just reading the story...you are a brave brave woman to face the dexter-less day of activity! Love the pictures!
Car up the ass...LOLOLO
((hugs))

Diane D said...

I love this post partially because I bet those around you were completely unaware of the crazy balancing act going on.
Thank you for giving the inside scoop. :)
He had a great day and got to be a kid and you survived.

Meagan said...

What a day! "D" is definitely exhausting to all involved, but it totally sounds as though Joe had a GREAT day!!!

The car up the a** part had me laughing too...I swear between the big "D" and Murphy's Law my life is like one big car up the bum. Thanks for sharing a whole day of mama pancreas! You ROCKED!!!

Alexis Nicole said...

What are we going to do when we get together??

I know Justice, Joe ,Bridget and Syn are going to be all over the fuckin place!! Lol

i love this post. I love how you show how much work and thought goes into the simplest things. A fuckin parade! Great eye opener for non d folks.

Love you!!!

Denise aka Mom of Bean said...

Wow! I am soooo glad I was able to get some extra sleep this morning because I totally needed it living your post with you!!
I agree...you totally rocked it and it sounds like Joe had a great day being him! I can't imagine going from having that window into his BGs and then trying to navigate such a full day, whew!!

Oh and thanks for the lovely visual of the Shriner's car up your a$$...you always make me smile, girl!!
hugs!!

Renata said...

I remember the days of a little bowl of cereal. I had to laugh, Marty eats 180 grams (yes, 3 big assed bowls) of Nutri Grain. The boy is going to eat me out of house and home.

You would of had to plan for all that exercice pump or no pump, wouldn't you?

Amy@Diapeepees said...

I think once you have dex, and then he goes away, you feel even more blind than you did when you never knew Dex. He has that effect. He's intoxicating.

Unknown said...

UGH!

Totally sounds like the last couple days over here ... PIZZA included! Swimming, scootering, bike riding, running, jumping.

Hi Five, my friend!

The parade looked awesome ;)

Jules said...

you are awesome. i just LOVE how what YOU do allows sweet Joe to be an active little boy. You are teaching him that life goes on , the things you love, you just manage to get excellent D care in in situ! That pic of him sweating, priceless. He would get on just great with my eldest son who NEVER stops moving. Lemme know if you are ever visiting Oz!!

Holly said...

My blood sugar is going low just reading all you guys did!! And I don't have a dex, so how much better would life be WITH one? Wishing for a dex...Holly
ps-Hope tomorrow is a wee bit more calm?

sky0138 said...

You my friend are simply amazing...it made my head spin to read this post and all that you managed on Parade Day! You are one awesome Momma!

Sarah said...

love the he goes "ALL JOE" on you aspect, I guess we are a little "lucky" (ick hate that word in reference to anything d, but here I don't know what else to use) so we're a tadbit lucky in that Isaac is the much more laid back one than Ethan, he is JUST LIKE JOE and goes on one speed - SUPER DUPER F'N FAST all. day. long. I am always AMAZED at your pancreating skills and that you still got a workout in, BRAVO to you for finding the time and stress outlet.
BTW I introduced my ma to your sis's blog and she's hooked! What an inspiration she is...thanks for sharing about her running skills on here ;)

Denise said...

Boy that sounds like our weekend...I don't think we really ever needed to bolus Bryce, just kept feeding him!! Luckily we were at a huge family reunion/90th bday party so there were food, cake, and goodies galore! Amazing how these guys just keep going and going! Wears me out!!

Fiona said...

I live this - sans Dex (no CGM....yet). Toby at 4 is just as crazy. And I totally get the "he's going to bottom out". Other parents just don't get the effects of physical exercise! Active is great. Active and T1 is just plain hard work. But seeing him just be a kid makes it worth it.
And bath time! Sites do not like soaks in bathtubs :S