2014: The World Is Your Oyster

It's been a fun break over here at the Naturally Sweet Sisters house.  For the first time in many weeks, I think all of us feel balanced, rested and relaxed.  It helped that we watched National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation a few times too... nothing like perspective on the holiday mayhem from an another silly family!

With great joy, I am ready to say good-bye to 2013.  While I am not one to think negatively of the past (what is done, is done), I am slightly delirious in my hope for the future - and to not repeat any of the things that we went through.

I am excited for 2014!  I keep repeating to the girls that 'the world is our oyster!'  I know they do not fully understand that, but I want to impress upon them that we have a chance in our darkest moments to find a pearl. 

2013 changed me.  I think it changed all of us and that is not a bad thing.  Even while it was incredibly difficult year, we learned a few wonderful things and those are what we think just might be the pearls of life.

1.)  There is strength in families.  I hail directly from a small family but my extended family is HUGE.  On the day that I received some terribly sad news, the first name that popped into my head was a dear aunt.  I called her to relay the message and before I could get much more out, she was already offering her support.  Since then, I have done something that I think I should do even more and that was to tell her simply that "I love you".  Because out of that first news was the realization that life is ever-changing and there will never be enough moments to express how you really feel.

2.)  Laughter is really the best medicine.  I say this because it is actually true.  Even in our darkest moments of 2013, there were these shiny moments of laughter.  I found that if I held onto them and really let the laughter bubble up and out, that it made the situation seem less dismal.  It happened when I was cleaning out my mother's home.  She was a saver of many items and some things were just plain funny.  At one point, on the verge of tears from the stress of cleaning it all, I turned to my brother and together we just laughed.  We laughed until our sides were bursting and our eyes were streaming tears because our situation was just completely ludicrous.  Later, right before Christmas, I found a one-a-day calendar called, "Crap From My Parent's House" and I sent it to him.  On Christmas morning, I received a phone call of unbridled laughter - so much that he could barely talk - and it once again made me smile and giggle.  Instead of focusing on how much I was missing my mother, I was thinking about the bond that I shared with my brother; BECAUSE of my mother.  For Christmas morning, that laughter brought all of us together.  It continues to do so because I am smiling even as I type this.

3.)  Kids are only little once.  We all instinctively know this.  In dealing with losing so many loved ones from my family, I have been blessed with reliving this.  To many of these loved ones, I was the child, not the adult.  Thinking about my time as a kid has given me the insight of what inevitably will happen with my own daughters.  One day, they will no longer be 10 and 12-years old, but instead beautiful, bright adults with their own families.  I don't think about this to try to stop them from growing up but instead, to savor each of day of their present childhood.  Just like in my first pearl of wisdom, time truly is fleeting.   

So for the new year, consider cracking a few oysters.  You may even find a pearl. 

Happy 2014! 

Merry Christmas From The Naturally Sweet Sisters

Santa Does Not Have Diabetes (Or Does He?)

Contrary to the title of this post, I really am not concerned with whether or not Santa Claus has diabetes. 

But what I am thinking about is how to gently guide families that are new or experienced to the holiday with a safe and easy plan to incorporate type 1 diabetes with their usual celebration.

Last year, I spent some time typing up a how-to post for new (and veteran) families.  In our home, we plan to use the same well-worn strategy for Christmas once again. 

Here it is again, with a few new hints.

1.)  Have a game plan.  Take a few moments and write down a schedule of how you would like to see the day unfold.  Be sure to include eating times and menus. 

Also, be sure to designate to the kids where a go-to basket of emergency low-blood sugar items will be kept.  In the basket, place a meter, strips and alcohol wipes.  For us, I have found that tucking this basket in mom and dad's bedroom works great.  That is the one area of the house that guests are not in and it tends to be quiet and calm.  It also works great for kids that need a bit of down-time from the constant activities and noise.


2.)  Think ahead.  Look over your prescription list and make sure that you will not be running out of any necessary items like insulin, thyroid hormone replacement, syringes, glucose or even child cold and fever medicine. 

Have the phone number handy for an on-call pediatrician, endocrinologist, a 24-hour clinic or a holiday pharmacy.  Chances are you won't need it but it will be one less stressor to worry about.

3.)  Assemble a few food items ahead of time.  A family favorite for us on Christmas morning is our delicious orange rolls.  We wait throughout the year for the ooey gooey and oh so sweet morning treat.  With that said, serving only orange rolls would be a blood sugar disaster, so with that comes an egg casserole.  Both food items are assembled the night before in preparation for the crazy unwrapping mayhem on Christmas morning.  As one parent tests blood sugar, the other quickly pre-heats the oven and slides in the two dishes.  In an hour, we are ready for breakfast (and a nap!).

Even if you forget to put the morning food into the oven, you can have a fall back.  This is an awesome strategy.  I found that having some boiled eggs handy help in case a child dips into a candy filled stocking.  Presto Protein!
4.)  Give kids some guidelines.  Sure, they want to run into the family room as soon as they wake up to see what Santa brought but as any parent knows, having them get there too soon would be a loss in getting a few of those first moment of wonder and awe pictures.  Explain to the kids that no one is allowed to go into the family room until mom has her camera AND blood sugars are checked.  Mom can take the ultimate part of this blame so that the Diabetes Monster stays out of the picture.  Just be prepared for a few eye-rolls.

Having your diabetes basket prepared ahead of time will work for this too!

5.)  And finally... charge those batteries in your cameras and camcorders.  Every year, I am so caught up in making sure that Christmas goes off without a hitch and I often forget the most important part... capturing those magical holiday memories forever. 

And be sure to sneak in a few selfies or photo bomb if your spouse is in charge.  After all, you want to be part of the holiday magic too!
Merry Christmas!!!!!!!