Last night...At 3:32 am....
I am awakened by the the bright glow of the hallway light flooding my room from the doorway, as Joe enters.
"Mom, can you cover me with a blanket? ... I just had a really bad dream..."
"Sure Buddy."
I got up. I followed Joe back to his room. I grabbed a blanket from his closet shelf and spread it over his lean little 8 year old body. I kissed his cherubic, dimpled cheek. I grabbed the glucometer and readied it for a blood sugar check. I lanced Joe's finger. The blood wicked up the test strip. 5-4-3-2-1. A 97 graced the screen. Dexter was showing a smooth trend-line. I picked up the Dex 4 container. Shook it a bit. Nothing. No sound. It was empty.
Joe then chimed in, "Oh, I just took the last glucose tab right when I woke up Mom ... Dexter was 71 with a diagonal down."
Too tired to process the information, I said goodnight and headed back to sleep.
This morning I addressed it. Apparently, Joe has been taking glucose tabs when he feels low in the middle of the night. He is not waking us up when he feels low. He reads Dexter and "boosts" accordingly. While I am encouraged by his independence and his diligence in avoiding lows, I am a bit concerned that he has not been letting me know that he is feeling low. And. His pump settings may be off a bit due to the fact that I have not been aware of his "nocturnal boosting". Great. I am livin' the dream folks...livin' the dream.
A day-in-the-life of reigning in Joe's evolving independence.
24 comments:
Omg I just adore your little guy. I love that he's becoming independent while still at the age he can come to mama to cover him and tuck him in. You have obviously taught him well Reyna, you're pancreating skills are being absorbed by your sweet Joe. Maybe remind him to let you know about the lows as they occur, but the way he "handles" it is fantastic!!!! Way to go! :)
I think you are doing a fabulous job of teaching him he is so smart and aware maybe just remind him that as he is taking more control you need to be aware so you can swap the controls on his pump he might respond well to this since he seems to be so aware of everything love to you
Oh dear Lord, how would you have ever known had this not happened? Get thee some basal testing sweetie! I applaud the independence from Joe and the resourcefulness, but it's at the expense of Mama's last bit of sanity! You will get it figured all out hon!
Giving them wings and teaching them to fly is hard on a mother birder!!!
As much as we appreciate the sleep, we'd much rather be woken by our kids at this stage. I know you'll work through this with him, but take comfort in knowing that he knows what to do and has been able to do it, even without waking. Someday, when he's out of the house, you'll be grateful he can do that.
Sending D mama love and understanding your way!!!
Matthew has done that too. Good, but drives me crazy at night. I want to know when he's low!!
Wow, not sure I am ready for this part of diabetes, and I know it will be coming soon. I want to know everything and it is killing me just to have Lovebug at school at day, where I can't monitor her. But to have her taking care of lows on her own....right now that would send me over the edge. Thank goodness we aren't there yet. I feel for you girl. Hopefully you and Joe can get some good communication going and you will know what is going on while at the same time he can have his freedom.
That'd drive me nuts, too - but it's great he can take care of himself! Contrast to what you guys went through yesterday, huh? Never a dull moment...
That picture may give me nightmares tonight!
What an interesting challenge though! Great that he is trying to take care of himself, not so great that you didn't know and have to figure out what corrections he needs.
Changing pump setting may be my least favorite thing to do!
I love that he's trying to take care of himself... but I feel for you with the worry/stress part of it! I'm not sure how we'll handle this when my daughter get there.. maybe have him wake you but still let him treat himself at night, just under your supervision? I know you'll figure something out!
Absolutely lovely pic of Joe.
He's 8, and he's already growing so fast...to make those kinds of decisions. Doesn't it amaze you? I know it's scary, but it's probably also comforting to know that he knows what to do.
Hey Reyna, Ive been trying to comment on your last 3 posts, and for some reason my pc is spazzing out. You are the best Mumma pancreas, you just see Joe for who he is and you dont let diabetes get in the way! I want that for Reuben. Treat and move on, your post about the hike - not just a day in the life - its a metaphor for our kids. Keep writing it 'real'. xx.
I'm sorry but that kid is amazing :)
I know, I know he has to tell mom when he is low so you have all the info that you need.
BUT really just amazing!!
high fives to Joe for taking care of business! Also, I would probably have freaked out on Emma had I been in that situation...lol...I'm a little dramatic sometimes though...so high fives to you for handling it the way you did!
Hmmm.....bittersweet.
But so amazing.
smart little guy, just needs to communicate! good intentions and armed with knowledge.
Bless his heart! You are teaching him and he is learning...carrying it out amazingly in his own Joe way but still absorbing what you have taught him momma!
I agree with the others, amazing! You just need to remind him of your partnership. I'm having to do the same thing. Give that boy a big ole Kiwi hug.
Amazing! I totally get how concerning it is for a parent to feel anxious about their D kid going low in the night, but congrats to him for having the savvy to know exactly what to do!
Reyna - first: I love Joe. love him.
Second: I love you. You do a great job.
our clinic suggests that when kids are becoming more independent in their care that parent(s) and child have a daily 5 min D meeting. The purpose is to review numbers, specifically - any lows that happened or highs - what caused, do any changes need to be made, etc? Basically what we mamma pancreases do all day long, but actually have the conversation with our child and spouse, so everyone can be on the same page. Just a suggestion of having a time every day to ask "Did you have any lows or down arrows on Dex that you treated without a finger poke?" would maybe have helped alert you to the situation sooner.
Hang in there - Joe is growing and thriving, with D and in spite of D.
I love Becky's info from her child's clinic. We're not there yet at all with Isaac self treating lows...he actually is at a very odd stage where he hopes to be slightly low at bedtime so that he can have a sweet treat. I need to find a less fun way to treat his borderline lows at bedtime obviously. I am impressed that Joe has been able to do this so smoothly, and know that you guys will figure out a great plan together.
Holy Crap. Thats impressive. And yet- scary. I can so see Sweets doing this one day. And then looking at me when I question her like, "DUH, Mooooooom! I know what to do. Seriously!". Oh boy. Fun times await. You go first. :)
I remember getting caught by my parents for eating food and not telling. Oh how bad I felt when they found the 6 butterfinger bar wrapers between my bed and the box frame. Sometimes a treat just makes your diabetes feel right.
awesome-sauce! it's great that he's aware and is doing something about his lows, but how the hell are you supposed to adjust if he's 'sneaking' a boost!
Bean did that with candy corns the other day...packed some for an emergency sugar backup for a field trip and she swore they fell out and she didn't eat them (lying is a whole other issue at the moment with her!) but had she not sneaked them, she would have crashed because she was running on the low side anyway.
so complicated and frustrating and ugh!!!
hang in there...I'm holing on right next to you!!
wow, tremendous. growing pains. bittersweet. all of the above.
Post a Comment