My Princess/JDRF Promise Ball 2011

On Saturday night Maddison was Princess for the night, our 4th year attending/volunteering for the JDRF Promise Ball. My girls look forward to this super fancy formal event every year. Our first year attending the Gala was in 2008 when we donated two of our Golden puppies for the live auction. Puppy #1 brought in $5,000 to benefit JDRF and puppy #2 brought in $4,800!!! We are so thankful to have had such an experience while raising money for JDRF!!


From that night forward, Maddison became known to Gala guests for her super cute smile and inspiring attitude towards her Diabetes. For four years now many returning Gala guests have watched Maddsion grow up, some even seek her out on Gala night just to say Hello and give a big hug. Maddison really does become a Princess for the night, and her smile will light up the night time sky!!

Maddison stands a little more proud on Gala night, as do I when I listen to her tell her diagnosis story to those who ask. Tears fill my eyes often on these nights, as I see the way Maddison speaks with such maturity and confidence about her disease. Maddison always tells her story with a bright smile on her face, and cheer in her voice. She captivates guests with her drive and desire to help fund for the cure, while acting as though Diabetes is just a minor part of her life. Maddison really is a Princess in my eyes :)Even my Hannah beams with pride for Maddison as she has her chance to shine on Gala night. Hannah is always supportive, always concerned, and always proud of her sister. I have the two Princesses I've always dreamed I would have....I just never dreamed Diabetes would be a part of who they are.

Flip Flopping

3 days of post breakfast highs for Maddie equaled some basal increases a couple weeks ago. Luckily, I've been able to flip back to her "higher" basal pattern and everything works out lovely. It didnt used to be that way.

It used to be I'd have to change EVERYTHING. Dramatically. And I was afraid to do so, in fear of causing bad lows at school, even though it was obvious a "touch" of change wasnt gonna help much. I'd change this basal. That basal. 5am. Maybe 6am. This time. That time. Try this. Try that. It would take WEEKS to get things set right. It was horrible. Exhausting. The guilt of not figuring things out from one day to the next would eat me alive. Maddison's dark circles under her eyes would haunt me. Today, I'm thankful for flip flopping. Being able to flip flop already finely tuned basal patterns and have them be just right has saved my sanity lately.

Last week Maddison was high for 3 days. So, Flip, flop. MUCH better. 5 days of "perfection" followed. Two days of lows. FLIP, FLOP. Much better. We shall see what today holds. You just never know.

A thinking day

I had alot on my mind today. I didnt go there with thoughts of what happened last year on this day. I didnt go back to how those last hours played out before we finally got my Dad to Hospice. I didn't reflect back and feel heartache for every wrong day that was spent in that hospital, and I didnt feel the guilt I usually feel when I think about my Dads passing. No, today was different. Today it was all about letting go and acknowledging the PEACE my Dad now has. No more pain. No more Dialysis. No more Diabetes. Only peace, and thats all that matters now.

I was supposed to go to work after Hannah's Sports Med appointment this morning. I never made it. Xrays came back fine. She has alot of fluid on her knee, a strained MCL and ACL. No Volleyball tournament or practice this week, she is out for at least 2 weeks and an MRI has been ordered. Physical Therapy. BUMMER. I just hope now she gets to healing!

So the story goes, we were sent to a Prosthetics/Orthotics clinic to get a hinged metal brace for Hannah's knee. It just so happened to be the SAME clinic where we took my Dad for his Diabetic Shoes just before his heart attack. He loved those shoes. He used to tease me that I could have them when he died. Diabetic shoes? Nice timing to go here on the one year anniversary of my Dads passing. Today of all days. But, I was set on keeping my positive way of thinking today damn it! No tears PLEASE!!

So, when you walk into this clinic all you see are Diabetic shoes of all styles. (WHY do they have to be so ugly!?) Hannah and I were lucky to be the only two there, but of course the rush came soon enough.

It wasn't pretty. It was like pure torture I tell you! The first person through the door was an elderly man walking with a foot boot. OH SHIT. Same kind of boot my Dad wore with his "Charcot's Foot." I couldnt help but wonder if this guy had a Diabetic complication with his foot too. In came a women helping her elderly mother. That alone makes me AND Hannah tearful when we see the Elderly struggle to stay mobile! Another guy in a wheel chair came right at us...as I glanced at his leg propped half way up I could see his leg was prosthetic!! His leg was amputated from the knee down!!! As the people rolled in it was like a bad dream. Every where I looked it was something that was likely Diabetes related. It really got me thinking. About everything.

Tears filled my eyes. But Diabetes demons weren't going to win. I kept thinking to myself that these elderly men are victims of the "just take a pill" mentality. They were likely left with no education about their Diabetes, and half the time Type 2 patients aren't even given a meter, or if they are, they are just told to test once a day or so! Just a "magic" pill is supposed to make it all better says the doctor. Not even an Endo. It disgusts me. If you ask me, Diabetes complications effect SO many Type 2 patients because they are left in the dark. They are blamed for their disease. They are told they can just take a pill and watch their diet. It is such a lie. It breaks my heart. Diabetes is Diabetes. The complications are the same, regardless of how you manage it!! There shouldnt be a blame game with Diabetes!!

Then, all I heard was a big BOOM at the reception desk, and saw an elderly man fall to the floor. I was beside him in an instant, asking him if it was his casted leg that caused him to fall or something else. He looked up at me with a familiar glazed eye look, his facial color was off, and he didn't reply. He had hit his head indenting the wall on the way down, and he just sat slumped in the corner. I knew it wasn't his leg that caused him to fall. His wife seemed irritated and just said "HE IS DIABETIC" to which I replied "SIR ARE YOU HAVING A LOW BLOOD SUGAR?" Of course he couldnt/didnt respond. His wife just kept on telling me he is fine. "Just sit him in the chair" she said. So another gentleman and I helped him off the floor. I then told them I am Diabetic too, telling her maybe she should check his blood sugar...the wife just looked at me like I had three heads! "HE IS FINE" she said.

That was it. I pushed a little saying he looks pale in color. This wife didnt care. I thought about grabbing my meter and checking him myself....but who am I to say this was a low blood sugar? A doctor came out with a wheel chair and took him back right away, and that was it.

I just sat thinking about how Diabetes SUCKS. And Hannah cried. Hannah has a soft heart for the elderly. She didnt need to see that poor man falling to the floor, today especially. She also didnt need to hear it was likely a low blood sugar. I know she worries about me and Maddison. Diabetes really IS a family disease.

We just sat quietly. I was thinking how fucked up Diabetes is. Thinking about how it is so misunderstood. Thinking about everything my Dad went through in his 30+ years with Type 1 Diabetes, when all his care providers blamed HIM for his complications. Thinking about T2 and how hard that must be. Just thinking. Was the old man ok back there? Did he need juice? I have Glucagon. Should I go ask? If this ever happens to Maddison will someone know to give her sugar? Does Maddison worry about herself? Am I managing her Diabetes well enough? Am I genetically pre-disposed to complications no matter how well controlled I am?

So much for only the positive thinking today. This was by far the craziest thinking day for me. My mind raced through ALL the questions. Sometimes I just don't know anymore. Diabetes was visible today. I hate that. I think I've thought everything I can think for now.

MERI knows BEST

Reading MERI'S POST today I realized the 3 day rule is exactly why I haven't had to change Maddison's nigh time basals (much) for many, many months now. It used to be I was changing Maddi's night time basal doses every month or so, which meant I wasn't getting any sleep. Up every hour here, every two hours there. One night high. Not the next. High again this night. High again that night. Then perfect. One night low. Perfect. Perfect. HIGH. Exactly why I ALWAYS follow the 3 day rule!

One day they sit in the sand at recess. One day they run laps. One night dinner is too carby, one night doesn't have enough protein (who know the magic amount anyway?)One night they went to bed early. Which meant growth hormones kicked in sooner. One night they stayed up too late, which meant the growth hormones weren't there when insulin dosing said they should be. One night they were in a pissy mood. The next they took a 2 hour shower. You get the point.... Every day is different.

Things have been predictable, yet not so much. The only predictable is unpredictable, which means I cant change ANYTHING! If half the nights end up great and half end up WEIRD, who is to say you should mess with the moon? We all know even the damn moon can effect numbers right!?

So I've had a very long Diabetes vacation from Maddison's numbers for awhile now.(of course I still check every 3 hours over night, that's KELLYS RULE BTW) Ive been blessed with a Diabetes vacation!! Thanks to the 3 day rule. The result is a more rested Mom. A Mom who has an ENTIRELY different attitude towards Diabetes. A Mom who thinks this isn't so bad after all. Of course, once things start to go BAZEEERKKK and my Maddison is being effected my attitude will be right back to where it used to be!! So, hear me when I say MERI knows best. Stick to the 3 day rule. It can make life a little sweeter. :)

One year ago today

Memorial video

This Day in 2010

I can't help but reflect back to last year at this time...

BEYOND CRAZY

Here in AZ the weather is amazing this week, which has helped my mood tremendously, but this time of year still haunts me deep inside. I remember every detail of this day last year. I can feel those same feelings. I can remember the conversations with the nursing staff. I can remember what I was thinking as I went in to sit with my Dad bedside every hour, on the hour. I remember holding his hand and praying for the craziness to end, even if it meant losing him.

It was gloomy outside and had been raining for days. It was unusually cold. By now I had been sitting in the corner of the CCU waiting room for the last 20 days, 12 hours at a time. My own life was at a stand still. I missed my kids. I missed my home. But I had to be there. For my Dad. For my Mom.

All day I sat, watching the rain fall down over the city, while my heart was crumbled inside. I didn't have much emotion. Just emptiness.

I couldn't believe after fighting Diabetes and every known complication for 30+ years my Dad was dying because of a hospital error. True, he set into bypass surgery as a very high risk patient. But there were so many things that went wrong. That shouldn't have. Its not the pain of losing my Dad that haunts me to this day. Its the suffering he endured before his death. Because of their mistakes. Its traumatic to watch someone suffer. So, today when I think back to January 2010 I realize it created alot of trust issues for me. Alot of anger towards health care. But, at the same time I still have the highest respect for every Medical Professional that cared for my Dad (and us) during our time in CCU. My goal for tomorrow (the day before my Dads death) is to find the letters of appreciation I wrote to his Nurses after he died. Somehow, back then I just couldn't send them. We had several very special Nurses that provided exceptional care. They listened to US, not a text book. Some went the extra mile to comfort my Dad. A few were painfully honest, even when the doctors were not. I appreciate that the most. So, tomorrow I will find those letters I wrote. I think its about time.

5.7% WEIRD

Hannah's lab work came back today with everything perfectly fine. WEIRD. You'd think with the symptoms she's been having something would have been amiss. The doctor did mention that her blood work reflected a past Mono virus exposure, though it is not currently at levels that indicate it is active now. Or something like that. Her A1c was 5.7% which is up from her last one a few years back that was 5.5%

WEIRD. Hannah's 5.7% result sent me into a reading frenzy once again.

MODY. LADA. I spent endless hours researching genetic "types" of Diabetes after Maddison's diagnosis. I personally fit both MODY and LADA criteria, (3yr honeymoon, tiny basal rates, low Cpeptide, I never produce ketones or have unexplained highs) and then came Maddison...without any T1 antibodies. WEIRD.

So, Hannah's 5.7 today sent me back to reading and researching genetic types, even though our screening with U of Chicago years back cleared us of any known MODY types....I also did some reading again today about the virus that causes Mono. Epstein Barr. Did you know it is known to trigger the autoimmune destruction of the islet cells? Interesting. Of course 95% of the population has been exposed to the virus, yet only a tiny percentage go on to develop T1.

It is all just weird. Weird, weird. 5.7 up from 5.5 is WEIRD. So is MODY. So is LADA. So are my family genetics. So is a fasting number of 107.

Anyway, today Hannah is feeling much better. No more constant dizziness. She has had some random shooting pains in the "spleen" area and nausea after eating, but otherwise she seems to be on the mend. I sure hope so! This weekend is a MAJOR tournament that starts Friday night and could run as long as Monday if her team places well! You can bet I'll be stocking up on Gatorade! I LOVE G2!! WEIRDNESS behind us...time to move forward!

A "D" Moms Mind

I cant sleep. My mind has been running wild today. I had totally convinced myself lately that Ms Hannah has Mono. Last night she started again with upper left abdominal pain or "spasms" she says, that to me, said her Spleen was freaking out. Right under her rib cage, just like you read about. Another symptom of Mono. But, Hannah's dizziness has only gotten worse over the past 24 hours. What's THAT about? Day 2 of school missed this week. Hannah LOVES school. She wants to be with her friends. She never misses school.....

All night last night Hannah complained of "not feeling right" and "feeling weirdish and floaty." And then, she asked me to check her blood sugar. MY Hannah who is deathly afraid of needles!! MY Hannah who is so TERRIFIED of seeing a wrong number pop up on the screen...asked ME to check her sugar!! Hannah is worried about how she has been feeling, which makes me wonder even more....

By the time I gathered the supplies to check Hannah's sugar, she refused. She changed her mind. -Sigh-

Hannah isn't really afraid of the finger poke.

She is afraid of the number.

So am I.

Hannah was thinking Diabetes, whereas I was considering the fact that maybe she is running lower sugars than her norm, making her feel light headed. Dizziness, lightheaded....can a child really tell the difference? I could see that maybe the start of Volleyball season is causing hypo feelings, but I didn't really put much thought into it. I surely wasn't thinking high numbers.

Hannah is gaining weight, not losing weight. She isn't drinking crazy amounts of water, and she isn't peeing like crazy. My worries of her and Diabetes were over months ago as she continued to gain weight and grow 3 inches! Us D Moms often go through these spells in which Diabetes for our other children is constantly harassing our mind. I think its normal to worry about our other children. I haven't worried about this possibility for Hannah in months. She has been just fine.

So, Hannah woke up this morning with increased dizziness. I checked her fasting sugar to see if she was running low in the mornings. She was 107, exactly where she usually is. 107. 107. 107. I know. I don't know what to say about that....but I KNOW.

I called the Doc back first thing this morning and insisted labs to be drawn, also mentioning Hannah's fasting number was 107. The Doc wanted to repeat the fasting number (Ya think?) along with all the other normal labs. And an HCG. Frickin pregnancy test! My kid is 14 and old enough for a pregnancy test! That freaks me out! You can bet that opened up some conversation with Ms Hannah today!

Being the typical D Mom, I thought why not add in an A1c while we are at it? So I checked the A1c box myself :) It would be nice if Peds knew an A1c tells more than a fasting number!

I wondered all day about Hannah while I was at work today. She was home with her Dad. WHY is she so dizzy? I questioned all the same things Ive questioned over and over. Her ears? Sinus related? Dehydration? Does she have positional blood pressure issues? Her sodium levels? Man...I hope it isn't something with her heart. I didnt even go there with the OTHER thoughts we need not mention. Just all the same questions ran through my mind.

Then I thought about it. I should have known my D mom instincts would again head that way...

Maybe her dizziness is in fact the feeling of being lightheaded? As in, low blood sugar. The D Mom thoughts started flowing. I couldn't turn them off. It all just made sense. It started to fit together like a puzzle. I wanted to concentrate on work, but I couldn't. In my crazy over active D Mom mind I was convincing myself that Hannah was having a new, slow onset of Diabetes!!!

My D Mom mind went racing. The voice inside my head went something like this.....

Maybe 107 IS low for her. Maybe she feels low at 107 because she runs in the 200's and 300's all day with meals!! Maybe fasting overnight is the only thing that brings her sugars back to normal. Is 107 fasting really ok? OMG....her A1c is going to come back as Diabetic! What the fuck is wrong with the genetics in my family!!??
Sitting at work, my D Momma brain took over! My heart was seriously palpitating. Somehow, I went from suspecting "simple" Mono to being 100% certain in my mind that Diabetes was striking AGAIN! It was horrible! It took me a good hour or so to talk myself out of panic. I completely believed that Hannah felt low at 107, which meant 107 was low for what she is used to running.... My crazy mind thought maybe I was in denial-again.

The voice screamed out.....She IS running high all day!

I went for a walk. I told myself that Hannah IS FINE! I told myself over and over and over again that she is gaining weight! She cant have Diabetes! Her fatigue is because she is a crazy active, growing teenager! She is FINE!!! Somehow I talked myself down off the D panic ledge.

Crazy D Mom I am!!

So, we wait and see what Hannah's A1c is. Right now I'm sure its fine. I refuse to check her sugar myself after she eats...because I have no reason to, right?

YEP. That's what I'm sticking with. Tomorrows labs will show Hannah's A1c is fine, and that I am crazy. Maybe she does have Mono. Maybe she doesn't. Maybe there isn't an explanation. That would be even better. For now this D Momma has laid her crazy mind to rest. Time to check Maddy, treat my low and get some sleep. -Sigh-

Dizziness...cold and clammy...say WHAT?

Hannah's first Volleyball tournament of the year was Saturday, she didn't sit out for any of the 5 matches (12 games) because she is the only "setter" on the team. So, Hannah played her heart out (14 saves complete with dives to the floor) from the first game at 3:00pm until the last match at 10pm. That's 7 hours of some serious playtime! Needless to say, Hannah was sore, bruised and very tired by the time it was all said and done. She slept 13 hours that night!

On Sunday morning Maddison, Josh and I were at the Hassiyampa River Preserve to go bird banding EARLY. It was 27 degrees outside when we arrived, and **I** actually survived! Hannah stayed home to sleep in of course!

Around 11 Hannah texted me to let me know she was awake but she felt terrible. Cold sweats, pounding headache, stomach ache, sore muscles and bad dizziness. I told her to drink lots of water, take meds and replenish with Gatorade. When we got home she just looked horrible. She was so cold and clammy I almost panicked! Her skin was moist. WET! She was Pale. Wrapped in blankets. Too dizzy to walk around much. I figured she was pretty dehydrated on top of not feeling well lately and the hours of Volleyball caught up with her. After 32oz of Gatorade she perked up a bit.

She laid around all day, in and out of sleep. I was growing more worried, but since she has been achy and tired with random headaches and dizziness for about a month on and off now I figured we'd wait and see how she felt with more rest and fluids. She fell asleep soundly on the couch with me at 6pm last night, and I had to walk her to bed by 9! She just was THAT tired.

So, I checked on Hannah at midnight,(Drink Drink) then at 3am (Drink Drink) and I finally tried to wake her up for school this morning at 6. She just couldn't get up. She wanted to puke. She was dizzy. So I let her sleep and skip school while and I went to work knowing her Dad would be home from work shortly. (He just started midnight shifts) I called Hannah many times from work. I was worried. No answers. She ended up sleeping until 11am again! Finally not cold and clammy!

So...anyway...I've been thinking for weeks now that Hannah likely has Mono because she has been having dizziness, random pounding headaches, stomach aches, muscle aches and CRAZY fatigue for quite some time. If you add in the sudden cold/clammy skin I get very worried....I felt she needed to see the doctor today because the dizziness has become just too frequent....and then the cold clammy skin? Ummmm.....

Well sheesh. All the doctor had to say was that Hannah's Strep screen was negative and her throat looks "nasty." He says she feels dizzy because her pulse is so low
(52) from being "an athlete" and her blood pressure "must be low" because "being an athlete" her heart health is "tremendous". Do you think he checked her blood pressure? NOPE. Hmmm.....he only suggested she stand more slowly when coming from a sitting or lying position. YEAH....I knew was going to say that. I checked her blood pressure when we got home...87/58 sitting and 93/67 standing. She is still continually dizzy....WTF?

Why the HELL wouldn't the doctor check her blood pressure if the main fucking complaint is dizziness!!?? And do you think he palpated her neck/lymph nodes or checked her ears to rule out some cause of dizziness there? NO HE DIDNT! I was hoping to find a reason for this dizziness by taking her to the fucking doctor, and all I ever get is comments on her "nasty throat" and a damn Strep screen! Why cant doctors do a COMPLETE exam!!??

The Doctor says maybe she is having low blood sugar. SAY WHAT!? I think NOT. The Doc suggested she eat more Protein, because you know, it helps to stabilize blood sugar. And if she eats only carbs at a meal he says her blood sugar will spike and then crash. She needs to carry snacks and eat often. I just listened and smiled. (while being REALLY irritated on the inside) He palpated her stomach, no abnormal swelling to the spleen I guess, so no Mono he says. Thats it. His diagnosis?

Ummm......Acute Pharyngitis. Say WHAT? I didn't even say her throat hurt!

Did he not hear me say she was cold and clammy after an 8 hour Vball tournament on Saturday? Why didnt he mention that she could have been dehydrated? He should have mentioned increasing her fluids and sodium before/during/after tournaments. What if I was the clueless parent!?

Need I mention this is the same doctor that Diagnosed Maddison with a UTI the day her blood sugar came back HI on the meter and he almost choked to death in shock? Moderate ketones....oh, yea..... that was because she was sick with a UTI ya know. Had Josh not requested he look for sugar in her urine and a finger poke that day Maddison would have been sent home with a UTI dx instead of a trip to the ER. NICE.

Interesting how some doctors dont learn from their mistakes. All they gotta do is be a little more thorough and LISTEN!!! I'm sure this dizziness shall pass, but GEEZ!!!!

End of the story is, if Hannah isnt feeling better in "1 week" we are supposed to come back in. NICE. Doctors these days really scare me! All we ask is for a COMPLETE exam!

They're Baaaaaccckkkkkk!

The CGM has been showing my flat lines are back! Now if I can get back to workouts I'll REALLY be proud of my efforts! Of course workouts will bring alot of insulin dose decreases, and likely some lows until I get it all figured out and balanced again. And so, thats the D life isn't it? Now if I can just get Maddison's numbers figured out! Look at this B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L picture.....





Thank you CGM for making Diabetes visable when it seems our diligience never pays off!! (I think my camera is dying, sorry for the blurry picture but it still looks good to ME!)

No Go

I'm ashamed to say, so far waking up early to squeeze in my morning workout hasn't happened this week....so right now I'm letting go of this expectation for myself. Easy excuses....I don't wake up when it's cold! I'm too tired because I'm fighting insomnia, and worst yet, I've been having serious clotting with my period that has left me anemic and frickin exhausted and drained to be honest! Looks like 2011 will in fact be the year I can no longer avoid a Hysterectomy!

I'm sure that was too much information, but its reality for me right now. Call it excuses, fatigue, illness...whatever it is, its leaving me feeling like a big fat ball of laziness lately. I'll get back to workouts eventually, but right now I need to focus on sleep. Waking up an hour early is simply a no go until I'm feeling better and it warms up outside! Terrible, I know!

One good thing is, Ive got my numbers MUCH closer to where they need to be :)

The CGM is showing that pre-bolusing and low glycemic eating has dramatically reduced my spikes after eating AND kept me under 160 ALL DAY!! I might spike to around 160, whereas I was spiking to the 230 range when I wasn't watching what I was eating and wasn't pre-bolsuing. Do you know the FIRST thing I had to cut out again? COFFEE CREAMER. YEP. You know, all those yummy liquid coffee creamers? Peppermint Mocha. Hazelnut. Cinnamon Vanilla Cream. They are the devil in disguise I tell you! I knew Id have to cut out those yummy coffee creamers again! Dang it!

Coffee creamer makes me spike no matter what I do. In fact, It really has shown to screw up my whole day because I SWEAR the extra sugar rush and carbs leaves my body wanting to only eat more and more all day. You know the whole High Frusctose Corn Syrup debate? YEAH...I TOTALLY believe it. So, once again I cut out the creamer which reduced my morning sugar spikes AND reduced my wanting to eat all day. WEIRD. Damn HFCS. Back to boring old Milk and Splenda in my coffee. Not as yummy, but OH so worth it. The less carbs I eat (about 10c now instead of 25c for coffee) means less calories and less insulin bolused which means less extra weight I carry. Its a TOTAL win/win. Taste just has to suffer of course!

Maddisons new arm site sucked. One day of highs in the mornings. Then decent numbers all night. Today she was high 200's all day at school, so I had her check her ketones when she got home. What-do-you-see? Small Ketones. Thats what I get for talking about kicking D's butt on Monday I guess. I never learn, do I? Changed site= Maddison feeling MUCH better. And, now she's low of course!

Hannah has her first Volleyball tournament this weekend on her new club team for the season. She is playing with the same club as all years past, and has moved up to a 16 National team. I'm exited to get the season going! Our first BIG away tournament is in Reno in April. Any D bloggers near Reno?

Sunday we are off to the Hassiyampa River Preserve to do some more bird banding. Maddison has been doing really well in her agility classes with Callie, her instructor calls Callie a "circus poodle" because she is so happy and bouncy all the time! It is just too cute. Maddison starts private horse riding lessons again soon...part of her Christmas gift this year! Something tells me that Spring is going to be here within the blink of an eye. THANK GOODNESS!!! I am SO not a winter person!

Back to School DEFEAT and DAMN IT

So far so GREAT. My CGM shows I didnt have a number over 150 today :) I'd be lying if I said I dragged myself out of bed and my workout is what kicked Diabetes ass today. Yep. I'd be lying if I said that. So, I wont. DAMN IT. Maybe tomorrow the snooze button wont be my enemy. Hibernation. I need to get over it. Maybe I should hand out my phone number so someone can call and harass me outta bed in the morning?

Oh well, I did stick to my normal good eating habits today, and as promised I'm back to pre-bolusing!!! So, thats a plus...and my sugars surely reflected it!! Not even a spike above 150! I'm currently sitting at 109 flat lining on the CGM with zero active. I'm checking my basals tonight, and I'm 99% sure I'll be posting a nice picture of my flat lines in the morning...unless those black beans for dinner strike back....MAN, are those things s-l-o-w to digest!

And Maddison? Back to school numbers SHOCKED me today! Usually when returning to school after a vacation Maddison's numbers will be bonkers. Different waking and sleeping times throw everything off! So, I broke down and had to email the school Nurse to check on Maddie's numbers half way through the day. Sometimes I just have to know. So, I email. And, I really dont care if I'm seen as the crazy pancreas Mom. The suspense was killing me as I sat at work all day! I was sure Maddison would have wacky highs on this manic Monday, but she was 130 at morning check (3hrs PP) and 86 going to lunch. OMG, talk about making my day! 147 after school, 166 before dinner and now 107 going to bed with zero active! HALLELUJAH! Tonight is a basal checking night for her too I guess! And that is what I call Diabetes
D-E-F-E-A-T.

Of course, as of tonight Maddie's site was moved from her tush to her arm. How much you wanna bet the new arm site brings lows tomorrow? -SIGH-

D-E-F-E-A-T for one day anyway. I'll take it!

Goodbye Winter Break

Oh geez. SO not ready for tomorrow. Monday Morning. UGH. Anyone still reading my blog that remembers Maddison and Manic Mondays? Yep. Those Mondays are still a part of our lives. Ewwwwwww........the long breaks make Maniac Mondays even worse!

Maddison has already started. Complaining about school. Complaining how bored she is sitting there all day. She is totally MY child. Maddison and I can't stand to sit in boredom when there is so much life to live outside! We are outdoor girls! Miserable Monday will be here too soon, for me 5am is calling.

Today I bought new running shoes. (Damn Reyna, did you mean you ran 7 miles?) I bought a new sports bra to support my extra 5lb boobs. (The only part I like about a couple extra pounds) and I bought new resistance bands...Im good to go. My 5am alarm is set. Why do they make snooze buttons anyway? I wish they'd just have alarms that required a secret code to turn off. I'm sure I wouldnt remember the secret code in my sleep! But roll over and hit snooze? Yeah....I do that ALL the time!

Damn. I do THIS every year. January-September (or so) Im who I want to be. I work out 4-5 days a week and eat the way EVERYONE should. My blood sugars are amazing during this time, because if I work out, I am SO much more food conscious too! Im at the weight and shape I want to be. I feel good about myself. I'm HAPPY and confident. Motivated. Up every morning and ready to go. Morning workouts are a MUST. Why is it so hard to fit them in? Why can I maintain this lifestyle Jan-Sept but not year round?!

Winter. In comes the "winter" months and it screws me every time.

I dont like to wake up when its cold. (in Az, I know, dont laugh at me!) So daily workouts end up being set aside for sleep. My body must go into hibernation mode come the cooler weather because all I want to do is eat! And sleep! WHY is that? Its horrible. I hate it. But this has been ME for as long as I have known. I guess ending Winter break has some good points too.....like ending my Winter laziness. I have never once broke a New Years Resolution. I do what I say I will do....

I'm sad to send my kids back to school tomorrow. I like having the extra time off work to spend with them.....but I like (and need) structure too. Maddison's Diabetes will be different tomorrow than it has been all winter break for ME at home, thats a given. I guess the end of Winter break also means I'm back to chasing numbers.I only wonder what tomorrow's numbers will hold....

1-1-11

Good riddance to 2010! We spent New Years Eve last night with a great group of D buddies, just sittin fireside enjoying each others company. We were in bed at a decent hour, and still slept until 11am this morning! (except for sugar checks at
3am, 6am and 9am) LOVIN catching up on some zzz's for the New year!

We made cinnamon rolls for breakfast (2011 resolutions start Monday morning) and lazed around piled on the couch with my hubby, Maddison, a Poodle, a Golden and a furry kitty cat watching movies and sipping coffee. What an awesome start to 2011 :)

And then, Hannah texted me from her friends house. It wasn't anything like "good morning Mom" or "come pick me up."

Hannah's text read "Mom, do you know today is the last day I got to see Grandpa alive before he died?"

My heart crumbled. Last New Years Eve Hannah had decided to leave the Hospital and hang out with her friends for the night. She felt guilty leaving, but I promised her Grandpa would be ok and she could see him the next day. Overnight, he ended up in a state of Delirium which wasn't something for a child to see. Of course, from that day on it was all downhill, Dad ended up worse each day that followed. Delirium, Psychosis, re-intubation. I didnt want Hannah to see my Dad like that. She never did get a chance to go back and visit him. So today Hannah has a heavy heart. :(

Two hours after breakfast I was hit with a low blood sugar. A crashing 34 blood sugar (1.6u active) without many symptoms other than some slow thought processes. After treating the low I decided to go back to bed with my Hannah and watch scary movies. Im now reminded why I HATE scary movies. Whats the point!? ACK! No more for me anytime soon! Now its off to make dinner for my Mom and we'll be babysitting my sweetie Niece Sami. It will be a GREAT night, and bed early I hope! I'm drained!

Tomorrow? LAST day of Winter break!!?? Im very sad it will be ending, but SO ready to hit the treadmill Monday morning and never look back. Goodbye 2010, you SUCKED!!