Safety Is A Cell Phone

Shortly after my oldest daughter was diagnosed, her first (and really only major complaint) was the sudden loss of play dates. 

It wasn't that she suddenly had friendships disappearing either, because one very nice surprise (unlike our youngest daughter's diagnosis) was that every friend she had, rallied in support of her new diagnosis.  In fact, a fan club for diabetes was formed right in the classroom.  Kids clamoured to be a part of her daily blood sugar testing and they also loved sitting with her when her aide or I came in to administer insulin.

It was like that before diagnosis too, except they clamoured to be around her 'just because'.

She really is that kind of a kid.  The kind that you immediately like because she is just a cool personality.

I suspect this is one reason that no one bailed but I also think that having been around our family already dealing with diabetes helped.  We had been teaching through example that living with diabetes wasn't going to change our family.  And if it did, it would be in as many positive ways as possible.

To help make a smoother transition, we started having her gaggle of girlfriends over to our house.  After school and on non-soccer practice days, our house would become a girl's world (or Estrogen Land as my husband refers to it). 

That seemed to be OK, for awhile at least.

Then one day, my oldest daughter said she wanted to know if she could ride the bus home with her friend and have a pizza dinner at her house.

((silence))

Yes, oldest daughter could go.  No soccer, no homework, no illness and absolutely no other reason as to why she couldn't go.

Except for me.

I knew that a pizza dinner would require a blood glucose check (or two), carb count and an insulin dose.

I also knew that the hosting parents, as lovely and eager as they were to learn, really didn't know what to do. 

That meant that I needed to follow along and hover over my daughter, at least until she was done with eating, and in a major way, crimp her style. 

So I did. 

The night went well and my youngest daughter even managed to squeeze in a play date too.  Yet, I knew that this wasn't the path that I wanted to oldest daughter on.  I wanted her to learn Independence in age appropriate ways - just like she would have without diabetes.  I also wanted her sister to learn that sometimes, older daughter needed to have experiences without her.

Kids first, diabetes second.  I thought about it all night long.... what to do, what to do.

That weekend, she became the proud recipient of a cell phone.



 Let me tell you... right up there with all of the other fantastic technology that we use like modern insulin, pumps, CGMs, and the internet;  one of my most favorites is the cell phone. 

I can't remember the first play date post cell phone, but I can recite about 1,000 different ways that the cell phone has helped us.

A couple of sample texts from this week....

"How many carbs in a fruit snack?  We got one for a birthday treat and I want to eat it."

"My tubing has a bubble.  Can it wait?  I am 174."

"Alex and I are making brownies.  Can I eat one?  I am 223."

"How is Winston?" 

OK, so the last one has nothing to do with diabetes but I loved that she was thinking about our family cat and his recent check-up at the veterinarian's office and for the blog record, he is fat and completely fine. 

Even as I write this, she is off at an after-school movie matinee event enjoying Madagascar Christmas and a slice of pizza with her friends.

I know this because I signed the permission slip (smile) and she texted me about the pizza (huge smile). 

Technology is a beautiful thing. 

Now, can someone please get FDA approval for an app that will allow me to use GPS like technology to see blood sugars??????  And new shipments unloading at HomeGoods??????

Bolus Ballet



Kids and technology.

They go together perfectly. 

While I am an immigrant to the jungles of computers, cell phones and the internet, my children are certainly natives.  While I learn through trial and error in Technology Land, they just know. 

Tonight, I stopped and watched my daughters.  Without so much as a glance at the tester until the final meter beep, they almost had instantly bolused.

Fingers gracefully tapping buttons, clicking lancets and calculating blood sugars.  All coordinated beautifully and accurately, while they chatter about nonsense.  It is almost like a dance of sorts with an unmistakable rhythm of beeps and vibrations.

The bolus ballet.

The technology that we have been fortunate enough to supply them with has become simply an extension of their bodies.

They just know.

Instinctive and almost natural.  It doesn't slow them down or cause an awkwardness or even a refusal to eat because it is too much work.

And for this I am thankful.  Because tonight, type 1 diabetes seems like no big deal.

Even though it always is.

Tonight, this technology has meshed perfectly and seamlessly with the girls. 

Allowing them to get back to their biggest production number.... living.

Packing Lunches (or Morning Mayhem)

It starts at 6:30 a.m.. 

I wake up without hesitation because I have to get my oldest daughter up for middle school. 

Yes.  Middle school.  Where she was once happy to wear her Osh-Kosh B'Gosh tights with her Gymboree kitty cat sweater, she is now all about being "cool". 

I get it.  Even though she doesn't always believe me, I was ten once too. 

While my beautiful daughter is getting ready, I am heading to the kitchen to make two lunches (one for my other sleeping beauty who is thankfully still happy wearing animal apparel. 

And this is how lunch mayhem, I mean assembly works.

1.)  Assemble assortment of items.
2.)  Review items to ensure proper amount of protein.
3.)  Re-review items to ensure that there isn't too many fast acting carbs.
4.)  Re-re-review items to ensure that I actually gave her more than cardboard and dust and that she will actually want to eat the assortment of items.  Remember the "cool" factor.  My perfectly sized Hello Kitty snack containers are a complete no-no.
5.)  Write everything down on a little piece of paper (including amount, portion size, per piece, carb count individual and total) and put it all in a lunch box to go.

When that is done, I sit down with my coffee.  Feeling dazed, I realize that I still need to figure out a snack that doesn't include nuts so that I do not unintentionally hurt or maim anyone allergic in the classroom.

Sometimes during my early morning haze, I wonder (with a little bit of green-eyed jealousy) at how other parents feel when they just send a child to school to get a "prepared at school" lunch.  All they have to remember is to keep their child's school account loaded with money and maybe, a gentle reminder to eat some veggies. 

It seems so darn easy.

My daughter tells me that it is "cool" to eat school lunches because in her mind, most kids do.

Which makes me wonder a bit.  After all, I am "kids first, diabetes second".  I pull up the school's website and look at the menu.





I see a multitude of carb filled items like baby bosco sticks and french toast.  There is no description of ingredients or portion size.  The nutritional facts are completely void.  I also read that there is a grill offering nacho chips and cheese and jumbo soft pretzels with of course, cheese.

Hmmmm.  Is this it?  I suddenly feel torn.

Oh, I am sure that the kids love this.  It is carnival food which will entice even the pickiest of eaters.

Suddently, my Activa yogurt, sweet pepper slices, apple and homemade peanut butter crackers look very uncool.  Even the Fiber One bar - which I tout as a brownie - pales in comparison to the fruit shape up Popsicle offered at middle school.

I shake my head clear... this is not about "kids first, diabetes second".  

This is a choice in parenting.   While I love being able to keep my daughters happy, I also have to instill healthy habits.  The occasional party food isn't going to hurt them but sending them off for a day of instruction and later exams requires brain food.  Certainly, pancakes and syrup are not going to provide that.

What's even harder is that unlike a fun day at home, where I can re-check blood sugars an hour, two hours, or even three hours later, my daughter will be at school, immersed in all things middle school. 

My daughter comes downstairs and does a twirl to show me her newest hairstyle.  I hand her the lunch box and start to explain my logic on healthy eating.

She looks at me and laughs.  "Mama, that is ok.  School lunches are sooooooo uncool!"