#DAM Drinking Plan

#practicalJoe #adrinkingplan?

A couple of weeks ago, in the car, on our way to hockey...

'Well I don't like carbonation, so no beer.'

'Joe, there are other types of alcohol.'

'I don't see any point in drinking, it seems dumb ... and it costs money.'

While I appreciate his 15 year old views on alcohol consumption and his aversion to all things carbonated, this is a conversation that will need to be re-visited over the years.

'Joe, you may change your mind. I know how things go.... You may try drinking at some point. The important thing is that you have a plan.'

He was looking down at his phone...I think I lost him😔.

But, I kept going. This topic...is another anxiety inducing topic for me. You see, the liver is not a great multi-tasker. The liver can be helpful if you are having a low blood sugar, it helps release glucose into the bloodstream. But, if alcohol enters the picture, the liver moves detoxifying the alcohol to priority number 1. This can cause severe hypoglycemia ... add in that you might be passed out drunk...in the early morning hours; this is an extremely dangerous situation.

'If you do decide to drink, you will need a "plan". It is something we should talk to your doctor about. The plan may be as simple as eating an extra snack before going to bed, or checking your number more often, or not drinking on an empty stomach....'

(I think I talk too much)🤔

As the "drinking plan" discussion came to a quiet end, I realized "the drinking plan" sounds like way too much responsibility for a partying, possibly inebriated college-aged male.

Who am I kidding!? I'm humbled.

#makediabetesvisable #t1d

#DAM D' Drama

#d'rama on day 5 of DAM ...one would think having a month dedicated to awareness should be enough.

#nothingscaresthebejeezusouttaadmamalikeastomachbug

11:30-something last night...while I was sleeping...

I hear a 'I've been low for hours...had 4 juices...stomach doesn't feel good'...my eyes snap open👀. Joe has a death ate a cracker look to him. His number is hovering in the 50s and 60s. The only thing I can do here, is to turn his pump off for a couple of hours and pray to all that is good and holy that he doesn't have a GI Bug.

2:17 a.m. - The retching sounds let me know that the good and holy unleashed the bad and evil. 🤮
Since, we have checked blood sugars every 2 hours, ketone checks every 4 hours, hydrated and bolused insulin as aggressively as his BG allows.

A GI illness can (and has) meant a trip to the ER for Joe. For a person with t1d, GI illnesses, common colds, and influenza can be dangerous and can lead to hospitalization and even death.  

#getaflushot #washyourhands #stayhomewhenyouaresick
#makediabetesvisable #t1d

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#DAM Fall Back

#theoneeye 👁️

Many nights, that's all it requires; one eye. There's an internal 2-ish a.m. alarm in me. I wake. Eyes closed, I fumble for the phone on my nightstand. My right eye reluctantly opens. It scans the Dexcom app to make sure he is at an ok number.

The app will alarm if he goes below 70 or above 300. I don't have it on for other deviances, like if it loses signal or rapid drops and climbs...if I did, it would alarm all.the.time.

Last night was a good night to sleep. #thankful
#makediabetesvisible #t1d #needtotweakbasalrate

T1d people change time on your pumps! 🕑🔄

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