I think about the next couple of days and just feel so....bleh. It all starts today with Emma's school Halloween party. Normally, it would not that big of a deal. I'd just pop in and dose her for the party snacks. Because even though her teacher has Type 1 herself, she is on MDI and is unfamiliar with pumps. And the school nurse is only in on Thursday mornings. But then you throw in Celiac disease and it complicates things a little. I constantly struggle with trying to find balance. Part of me wants to run all over town finding or making a comparable GF treat so she doesn't feel even MORE different than all the other kids and part of me thinks she should learn to deal with it because this is how it is always going to be for her.
But it's tomorrow I really worry about. With my husband away, I am the only one who knows how to do Emma's diabetes care. My parents and SIL met with the CDE when Emma was first dx and learned how to check BG and do shots. But when we switched to the pump they pretty much got left in the dust. If she needs to be dosed while I am away they call me and I walk them through it over the phone.
But tomorrow morning I am leaving at 6:30am to run a half marathon. I can picture it already...mile 10 and I'm answering my cell phone to do a bolus, you know? But we are running in the mountains and I'm not even sure we will get reception up there. And Emma has two birthday parties tomorrow - one of them is right while I'm running and my dad is taking her to it. And then she has another one in the afternoon. I am an old school birthday party conservative! Growing up my Mom would do a big friend birthday party for us every four years, so to me all of these crazy huge birthday parties every year seem a little excessive. And probably I am just being grumpy because then I have to deal with the diabetes/celiac situation again. You know, call the Mom and ask her what they will be eating and then send her with a GF substitute and do I dose her at the beginning or go back to the party right before they eat?
And most people around here are trick-or-treating on Saturday night so their kids aren't out late on a school night. Last year Halloween night ended with a crying, headachey, stomachachey, high BG little girl despite our best efforts.
So I'm totally rambling, but I feel stressed and you are my outlet! Do you have any tricks that have worked for school parties, birthday parties, and or trick-or-treating? I am all ears!
Keystone First Denial - Fighting Back Part 2
6 years ago
This will be our first Halloween with T1D in the house, so take these suggestions with a big 'ole grain of salt.
ReplyDeleteOne suggestion we are going to put in place is buying the majority of the candy/loot for cold hard cash. All three of my kiddos will get this option, btw. A few favorites will be held back and added to a meal or for times she is low.
I know what it is like to be the main caregiver, and not doing it the way you do is just not good enough, sometimes. Would you be able to write out some scenerious for your folks to work through so they don't have to call you? Time consuming, I know, but it might alleviate a call.
As for the school parties, I offerred an alternative for my daughter. I just didn't want to deal with all the baggage. She knows sometimes things are going to be different for her and other times she will have something 'special' in a more controlled environment i.e. home with me! ;)
I aplaud you for running a 1/2 marathon! How awesome! I hope you are able to focus on you and not worry too much about what is happening at home. Ack. It just sucks sometimes.
I've no advice, as we don't really do Halloween in the same way out here, but I think you need to definitely do the run. You need to do that and trust in the other stuff. Maybe Emma can say she turns into a flesh eating zombie if she eats gluten! Do your best with it all and then book very little to do for the next few days. I will honestly, honestly be thinking of you during this. Take care and I look forward to hearing all about how it went. Huge hugs.
ReplyDeleteI still feel like crap (as stated all over everyone’s blog comments!) for keeping Ellie home from preschool Wednesday...I love that you are running a marathon, hate that you'll have to overcome the beast to do it though. I like the write out the scenario idea though. I have a "what to do sheet" at preschool that lists what I want them to do with this number or that. As you know the phone access is going to be the most stressful I too will be thinking of you and Emma...good vibes babe!
ReplyDeleteI have nothing amazing about parties or Halloween...we're trying to bribe him out of candy with things like toys from the Great Pumpkin and constantly having more healthy options available.
ReplyDeleteAs for the bolusing with the pump I'd write out the directions, go over them with her pump removed and the person doing it holding the pump and pushing the buttons. I'd leave them the directions. Put a set of the directions in her meter case and one somewhere in your house, just in case. My mother-in-law watches Isaac for two hours once a month and this is how she boluses him. I keep it simple, writing out carbs for her ahead, gave her a calorie King book and the directions. she's called me once when the pump beeped for an alarm, I walked her through it but other than that the detailed notes have helped.
Good luck on your run...have fun!
I am with the others...a cheet sheet. Do you use the Animas? I have a cheat sheet in my school docx at the top of my blog...the one labeled for the nurse. You can totally use it. That is why I uploaded them. Let me know if you need it/cannot access it etc.
ReplyDeleteWell, good luck with the 1/2...mine is next Sunday. I will be thinking of you tomorrow girl.
Ok, so I'm late commenting here....HOW DID IT GO?? I also have a cheat sheet, heck I think I borrowed it from Reyna and adapted to fit our pump. Unfortunately, I do not have any great words of wisdom for school parties or birthday parties. They just stink! BUT..I deal. I usually call ahead and ask what they will be serving and the approximate time. (and I always send a substitute snack in case they can't determine the carb count for something.)
ReplyDeleteThat was so sweet. Excellent piece of writing.
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