Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Diabetes & Celiac
Allison Blass over at Lemonade Life wrote a wonderful article about the wicked combination of diabetes & celiac. Check it out here. Thanks, Allison!
Monday, September 29, 2008
Wiggle Wiggle
Daniel was on the phone in the basement last night when we heard, "HOLY CRAP! MOM! THERE'S A SNAKE IN HERE!" So of course we all go galloping into the room. Daniel jumped out and said that it went behind the dresser. My husband is yelling at everyone to get out of the room. I went to get a flashlight. I couldn't see anything under the dresser except an electrical cord. My husband asked Daniel what color the snake was. Daniel thought it was black.
"Are you sure you didn't just see the electrical cord?" he asked.
"Dad, I think I know what a snake is when I see one!"
Finally I see some movement under the dresser, and it's a tiny little garter snake. After some poking & prodding we trapped it with tupperware and got it outside.
Too bad. It could have eaten all the crickets!
The good news is that Daniel's pump arrived today! Woo hoo!
We will go through training next week, and are planning to do the pump start on the 15th.
I'll have to find some space to store all this stuff!
"Are you sure you didn't just see the electrical cord?" he asked.
"Dad, I think I know what a snake is when I see one!"
Finally I see some movement under the dresser, and it's a tiny little garter snake. After some poking & prodding we trapped it with tupperware and got it outside.
Too bad. It could have eaten all the crickets!
The good news is that Daniel's pump arrived today! Woo hoo!
We will go through training next week, and are planning to do the pump start on the 15th.
I'll have to find some space to store all this stuff!
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Getting Needled - AND - The RAINaissance Festival
Morning, Part I:
I forgot to pick up Daniel's pen needle prescription yesterday afternoon and we're getting precariously low. I ran into CVS this morning first thing and asked for the prescription. The lady says, "do you have a new insurance card?" Oh, yes... and then I remembered I had just grabbed my money & driver's license. NOT ON ME! Damn! She says, "that will be $78." I told her I'd be right back. Luckily the CVS is very close.
I grabbed the card, headed back, and started the process all over again. The lady goes to her computer and types in the info. Types. Types. Shakes her head. Types. I see the same screen popping up over and over. Finally she comes to me and tells me that the pen needles are not covered.
WTF??? That's impossible? I told her to hang on, I'll try calling the insurance co. I call the # on the back of the card and got someone who was not too helpful. She said she saw the BD ultra fine needles, but not the BD ultra fine mini needles as being covered. I told her that was ridiculous. Who else can I talk to? She said I could call my benefits people. Funny, I thought I did call them, but then realized I should have called the # on the FRONT of the card. So I do, and I get customer service, and she says that all disposable items like that are covered. I told her that the CVS people can't get the computer to say that, is there a code? So the very nice lady calls a different department, the people who deal with the disposable stuff, and talks to someone who offers to call the CVS, speak with the pharmacist, and get it all straightened out.
I passed that info to the pharmacist, and waited another few minutes for the call to come through. When it did, there still seemed to be some confusion going on at the computer, but suddenly the pharmacist smiled and said, "Thanks!" to the very nice man named "Les" on the phone. She bagged up the needles and handed me the bag. They were FREE. Free!
Morning, part II:
The things we do for our kids.
Last year we went to the Renaissance Festival for the first time. We took Nora for her birthday, and she loved it. It was a boiling hot day and I could not imagine attending in costume -- long cloaks, long dresses, wigs for God's sake, hats, etc. etc. Too hot. Too heavy. The sword would get in the way & thwack my legs as I walked. Plus I don't think it is physically possible for my breasts to be pumped up and put on display in the various and interesting ways I witnessed that day. People watching was fun for all! With all the walking, the various games, and the intense humidity, we spent lots of money on cold drinks that day.
Fast forward to today, the day we planned to go again, the only day we COULD go for weeks & weeks. All other weekends have stuff going on pretty much through the end of October! Of course it rained. I knew it was going to rain. I popped a couple of umbrellas in the car, grabbed a baseball cap, and we set off. Minus my husband, of course, who told me at the last minute (actually, Nora called to tell me while I was at CVS dealing with the needle thing) that he had too much work to do to go. GRRRRR. Fine.
Rain? Did I say rain? Deluge. Buckets. Talk about experiencing life the way it used to be (before umbrellas). I didn't feel like carrying an umbrella, so I just wore my hat. Dominic opted for an umbrella. Nora wore her cloak (former Halloween costume piece) and hobbit ears. Daniel didn't want to carry an umbrella. Until after we walked into the place and the skies opened up. Then he didn't want to go back to the car. At one point we ducked into one of the clothing stores and I actually considered buying one of those ridiculously expensive cloaks. Might have, too, if they had considered putting in slits for the arms to go through.
We watched all the people dragging their glorious costumes through 4+ inches of mud. The rain would lighten up for a few minutes to a drizzle, enough to lure you out into the alleyways to find entertainment, and then the clouds would spew once again. It was crazy, but we had fun! Thank goodness I found one stall that sold hot herbal tea. AHHHHH. Nora's birthday present of choice this year was a large wooden sword. No, she's not a girly girl. Don't get on her bad side.
Family fun at its sloppiest. Who loves you, kids? Who? Your mommy! Show your appreciation! Get that woman some tea!
I forgot to pick up Daniel's pen needle prescription yesterday afternoon and we're getting precariously low. I ran into CVS this morning first thing and asked for the prescription. The lady says, "do you have a new insurance card?" Oh, yes... and then I remembered I had just grabbed my money & driver's license. NOT ON ME! Damn! She says, "that will be $78." I told her I'd be right back. Luckily the CVS is very close.
I grabbed the card, headed back, and started the process all over again. The lady goes to her computer and types in the info. Types. Types. Shakes her head. Types. I see the same screen popping up over and over. Finally she comes to me and tells me that the pen needles are not covered.
WTF??? That's impossible? I told her to hang on, I'll try calling the insurance co. I call the # on the back of the card and got someone who was not too helpful. She said she saw the BD ultra fine needles, but not the BD ultra fine mini needles as being covered. I told her that was ridiculous. Who else can I talk to? She said I could call my benefits people. Funny, I thought I did call them, but then realized I should have called the # on the FRONT of the card. So I do, and I get customer service, and she says that all disposable items like that are covered. I told her that the CVS people can't get the computer to say that, is there a code? So the very nice lady calls a different department, the people who deal with the disposable stuff, and talks to someone who offers to call the CVS, speak with the pharmacist, and get it all straightened out.
I passed that info to the pharmacist, and waited another few minutes for the call to come through. When it did, there still seemed to be some confusion going on at the computer, but suddenly the pharmacist smiled and said, "Thanks!" to the very nice man named "Les" on the phone. She bagged up the needles and handed me the bag. They were FREE. Free!
Morning, part II:
The things we do for our kids.
Last year we went to the Renaissance Festival for the first time. We took Nora for her birthday, and she loved it. It was a boiling hot day and I could not imagine attending in costume -- long cloaks, long dresses, wigs for God's sake, hats, etc. etc. Too hot. Too heavy. The sword would get in the way & thwack my legs as I walked. Plus I don't think it is physically possible for my breasts to be pumped up and put on display in the various and interesting ways I witnessed that day. People watching was fun for all! With all the walking, the various games, and the intense humidity, we spent lots of money on cold drinks that day.
Fast forward to today, the day we planned to go again, the only day we COULD go for weeks & weeks. All other weekends have stuff going on pretty much through the end of October! Of course it rained. I knew it was going to rain. I popped a couple of umbrellas in the car, grabbed a baseball cap, and we set off. Minus my husband, of course, who told me at the last minute (actually, Nora called to tell me while I was at CVS dealing with the needle thing) that he had too much work to do to go. GRRRRR. Fine.
Rain? Did I say rain? Deluge. Buckets. Talk about experiencing life the way it used to be (before umbrellas). I didn't feel like carrying an umbrella, so I just wore my hat. Dominic opted for an umbrella. Nora wore her cloak (former Halloween costume piece) and hobbit ears. Daniel didn't want to carry an umbrella. Until after we walked into the place and the skies opened up. Then he didn't want to go back to the car. At one point we ducked into one of the clothing stores and I actually considered buying one of those ridiculously expensive cloaks. Might have, too, if they had considered putting in slits for the arms to go through.
We watched all the people dragging their glorious costumes through 4+ inches of mud. The rain would lighten up for a few minutes to a drizzle, enough to lure you out into the alleyways to find entertainment, and then the clouds would spew once again. It was crazy, but we had fun! Thank goodness I found one stall that sold hot herbal tea. AHHHHH. Nora's birthday present of choice this year was a large wooden sword. No, she's not a girly girl. Don't get on her bad side.
Family fun at its sloppiest. Who loves you, kids? Who? Your mommy! Show your appreciation! Get that woman some tea!
Monday, September 22, 2008
Flying Time
Sure, I'm having fun. That's why the time is flying so quickly that I hardly have a moment to post. Can't even imagine doing one of those posting-daily-for-a-month things now. I guess I'm still adjusting to the full-time work schedule, but it's all good.
My crowning achievement last week was when all the kids in the kindergarten class (14 boys!!!) were sitting quietly at their computers, clicking away at their rhyming activity. It was quiet. I called their homeroom teacher over so she could witness... "LOOK WHAT I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED!!!" It was like when Tom Hanks made fire in the movie Castaway.
The other big news in my life is that I bought a new vacuum. That might not seem like much to you, but my vacuum has been giving a half-hearted performance for a while and my house looked like crap, so this one makes me smile. It's a Dyson, and I do believe it could suck the paint off the walls (look out, Bumble the hamster!). Even the kids can't wait to get their hands on it because it is so cool.
Still on track to get our pump. We finalized the order today, and we're just waiting for the letter of medical necessity from the doctor. OH THESE THINGS TAKE TIME. Breathe in breathe out.
We're about to sit down for the premier of Heroes. Daniel has been counting down for weeks now! I'd love that flying superpower... but actually, I guess I'd prefer the healing one. For everyone with diabetes.
My crowning achievement last week was when all the kids in the kindergarten class (14 boys!!!) were sitting quietly at their computers, clicking away at their rhyming activity. It was quiet. I called their homeroom teacher over so she could witness... "LOOK WHAT I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED!!!" It was like when Tom Hanks made fire in the movie Castaway.
The other big news in my life is that I bought a new vacuum. That might not seem like much to you, but my vacuum has been giving a half-hearted performance for a while and my house looked like crap, so this one makes me smile. It's a Dyson, and I do believe it could suck the paint off the walls (look out, Bumble the hamster!). Even the kids can't wait to get their hands on it because it is so cool.
Still on track to get our pump. We finalized the order today, and we're just waiting for the letter of medical necessity from the doctor. OH THESE THINGS TAKE TIME. Breathe in breathe out.
We're about to sit down for the premier of Heroes. Daniel has been counting down for weeks now! I'd love that flying superpower... but actually, I guess I'd prefer the healing one. For everyone with diabetes.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Time Flies!
What a week!
Monday is my busiest day at school, with 6 classes in a row (with one break for lunch and one 10 minute break in the afternoon). So by the end of the day I was tired. As I was driving out of the parking lot at school I felt a CRUNCH!! One of the high school kids was backing out of a parking space and hit me as I was driving by. No big damage, but certainly paint was scraped off. One more thing to take care of.
When I got home I got a call from Phil from Discovery saying that they'd really like Daniel to come and film a public service announcement instead of doing the online thing they had initially planned. But... the thing is... they were doing that TOMORROW. Was Daniel free at about 2:30?
My mind went into hyperdrive, and I started babbling. The thought process generally was that I couldn't take time off because I was already taking Thursday off to get Daniel to a doctor's appointment downtown and hmmm who will pick up Dominic from the bus, well maybe Nora but Nora has softball tryouts so who can I call? I tell Phil I will have to call him back and he said that's okay, he'll check around there to see what they can do, too.
I call around to a bunch of people to see if they can get Dominic from the bus stop, and no one is home to answer my call except my parents, and I found out that they would be downtown at a meeting. Phooey. Phil calls back to tell me that his asst. producer can pick Daniel up from school if that's okay. I say yes (figuring I'll find someone for Dominic) and we talk about release forms & wardrobe. All this is going on while I'm trying to get Dominic & Nora to finish their homework and get the table set for dinner.
Then I realized that Dominic's karate class was starting in 5 minutes. I had been on the phone for so long that none of us had eaten dinner. We skipped class, ate dinner, and then went to Baskin Robbins to order Nora's birthday cake. The Baskin Robbins is right near the Karate place. After ordering the cake I went over to the karate place, bit the bullet & signed Dominic up for after school care. Starting the next day. I figured that with Nora's softball and the after school clubs that Daniel wants to join, there would be many more occasions to panic over who would be there to pick up Dominic from the bus stop. Now it is taken care of.
When I finally got to bed around 11 that night, I realized that I had never called the parents of the kid who hit my car... Monday Monday.
Tuesday the filming went well. Daniel said it only took 2 takes for him to say his lines correctly. He loved the whole process of setting up the scene & filming it. I don't know how long it will take to put it together, but they are supposed to email us the final version when it is done.
Wednesday was Nora's birthday, with her favorite meal... pizza. Daniel had really good blood sugar numbers for a week... then BIRTHDAY. Pizza, ice cream... oh well. Get back on track.
Thursday we had our psychology pre-pump appointment. Talk talk talk talk talk and we're one step closer to pumping. Thursday night I joined weight watchers. I think I planned to do that back in January.
And now it is Friday. TGIF. Have a great weekend everyone!
Monday is my busiest day at school, with 6 classes in a row (with one break for lunch and one 10 minute break in the afternoon). So by the end of the day I was tired. As I was driving out of the parking lot at school I felt a CRUNCH!! One of the high school kids was backing out of a parking space and hit me as I was driving by. No big damage, but certainly paint was scraped off. One more thing to take care of.
When I got home I got a call from Phil from Discovery saying that they'd really like Daniel to come and film a public service announcement instead of doing the online thing they had initially planned. But... the thing is... they were doing that TOMORROW. Was Daniel free at about 2:30?
My mind went into hyperdrive, and I started babbling. The thought process generally was that I couldn't take time off because I was already taking Thursday off to get Daniel to a doctor's appointment downtown and hmmm who will pick up Dominic from the bus, well maybe Nora but Nora has softball tryouts so who can I call? I tell Phil I will have to call him back and he said that's okay, he'll check around there to see what they can do, too.
I call around to a bunch of people to see if they can get Dominic from the bus stop, and no one is home to answer my call except my parents, and I found out that they would be downtown at a meeting. Phooey. Phil calls back to tell me that his asst. producer can pick Daniel up from school if that's okay. I say yes (figuring I'll find someone for Dominic) and we talk about release forms & wardrobe. All this is going on while I'm trying to get Dominic & Nora to finish their homework and get the table set for dinner.
Then I realized that Dominic's karate class was starting in 5 minutes. I had been on the phone for so long that none of us had eaten dinner. We skipped class, ate dinner, and then went to Baskin Robbins to order Nora's birthday cake. The Baskin Robbins is right near the Karate place. After ordering the cake I went over to the karate place, bit the bullet & signed Dominic up for after school care. Starting the next day. I figured that with Nora's softball and the after school clubs that Daniel wants to join, there would be many more occasions to panic over who would be there to pick up Dominic from the bus stop. Now it is taken care of.
When I finally got to bed around 11 that night, I realized that I had never called the parents of the kid who hit my car... Monday Monday.
Tuesday the filming went well. Daniel said it only took 2 takes for him to say his lines correctly. He loved the whole process of setting up the scene & filming it. I don't know how long it will take to put it together, but they are supposed to email us the final version when it is done.
Wednesday was Nora's birthday, with her favorite meal... pizza. Daniel had really good blood sugar numbers for a week... then BIRTHDAY. Pizza, ice cream... oh well. Get back on track.
Thursday we had our psychology pre-pump appointment. Talk talk talk talk talk and we're one step closer to pumping. Thursday night I joined weight watchers. I think I planned to do that back in January.
And now it is Friday. TGIF. Have a great weekend everyone!
Monday, September 8, 2008
Wow...
Daniel is filming a public service announcement for Discovery Health channel tomorrow, all about Type 1 diabetes & teenagers. More info as I get it. WOW!
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Caving
Nora is spelunking this weekend with her youth group. The group drove out to West Virginia today, stopped for lunch, and then were scheduled to spend the afternoon wriggling through the earth. Then they go to local cabins, scrape off the mud, shower, change for dinner, and have fun group activities until bedtime. The next morning they get up, eat breakfast, and go wriggling through the earth again until it is time to come home.
Daniel took this same trip a couple of times when he was in the youth group and had a blast. I did not volunteer to be a chaperone then or on this current trip because I just can't get myself to crawl into the earth's crevices. It makes me freak out a little bit. When Daniel went (before diabetes) I wasn't worried at all for his safety because I knew he was with experienced guides, that he would follow directions and keep himself safe.
This time, I feel worried. Why? Nora is with the same guides. She is a responsible young woman. She is capable and makes good decisions. Why this anxiousness? I've had visions of hurricane Hannah roaring through the West Virginia countryside and filling the caves with water and mud. I followed the track of the storm and saw, with great relief, that Hannah stayed away from the area where they are caving. That made me feel better.
After thinking about this most of the day today, I believe that it's the stinking diabetes that is causing my fear. Yeah, I know, it seems so unrelated. Nora doesn't have diabetes. But that fact that diabetes is now in our family -- that something sad, irreversable, and life changing occurred and affected one of my children -- has changed my outlook on many things. While I don't believe I have become a negative person, I have certainly become more wary. It's not so bad to be on alert. It can save your life sometimes.
It can also make you lose a lot of sleep!
Daniel took this same trip a couple of times when he was in the youth group and had a blast. I did not volunteer to be a chaperone then or on this current trip because I just can't get myself to crawl into the earth's crevices. It makes me freak out a little bit. When Daniel went (before diabetes) I wasn't worried at all for his safety because I knew he was with experienced guides, that he would follow directions and keep himself safe.
This time, I feel worried. Why? Nora is with the same guides. She is a responsible young woman. She is capable and makes good decisions. Why this anxiousness? I've had visions of hurricane Hannah roaring through the West Virginia countryside and filling the caves with water and mud. I followed the track of the storm and saw, with great relief, that Hannah stayed away from the area where they are caving. That made me feel better.
After thinking about this most of the day today, I believe that it's the stinking diabetes that is causing my fear. Yeah, I know, it seems so unrelated. Nora doesn't have diabetes. But that fact that diabetes is now in our family -- that something sad, irreversable, and life changing occurred and affected one of my children -- has changed my outlook on many things. While I don't believe I have become a negative person, I have certainly become more wary. It's not so bad to be on alert. It can save your life sometimes.
It can also make you lose a lot of sleep!
Friday, September 5, 2008
It's Friday and I can't even think of a title...
What a week! Deep breath.
I had my first week of classes and I'm happy to say that all went well. I'm thankful for the opportunities I had to teach at my old job. Even though I found that experience very difficult, it prepared me for where I am today. I didn't realize at the time that I was going through "first year teacher dread," and though it is hard to believe when you are in the middle of it, you eventually learn how to manage a classroom. Back then I had a class of 4 year old children in the computer lab. It was like herding squirrels.
On the diabetes front... Daniel's numbers have been so high these past couple of weeks. So we look at trends. He's usually high at night and low in the morning, but this past week his body has decided to be high at night and first thing in the morning with normal readings mid day. We're adjusting his lantus & novolog to try to bring him in range. I wonder whether it's the teenage growth spurt thing, or perhaps the stress of the first couple of weeks of school? Could be both or neither. Frustrating disease.
I got an interesting phone call today though from a guy at the Discovery Health channel. They are preparing for National Diabetes day in November by interviewing people with diabetes and learning about the transitions they have experienced because of the disease. They did an initial interview with Daniel today, and if they choose him for the on-air interview, they will follow him around for a day with their cameras. Pretty cool!
So now it's time to hunker down and prepare for no-longer-hurricane Hannah, which should be roaring up the east coast tomorrow. Great day for reading blogs (if the power doesn't go out). I've missed having the time to catch up with the online community. AND the daily life community as well!
Time keeps on slippin into the future... doo doo n' doo
I had my first week of classes and I'm happy to say that all went well. I'm thankful for the opportunities I had to teach at my old job. Even though I found that experience very difficult, it prepared me for where I am today. I didn't realize at the time that I was going through "first year teacher dread," and though it is hard to believe when you are in the middle of it, you eventually learn how to manage a classroom. Back then I had a class of 4 year old children in the computer lab. It was like herding squirrels.
On the diabetes front... Daniel's numbers have been so high these past couple of weeks. So we look at trends. He's usually high at night and low in the morning, but this past week his body has decided to be high at night and first thing in the morning with normal readings mid day. We're adjusting his lantus & novolog to try to bring him in range. I wonder whether it's the teenage growth spurt thing, or perhaps the stress of the first couple of weeks of school? Could be both or neither. Frustrating disease.
I got an interesting phone call today though from a guy at the Discovery Health channel. They are preparing for National Diabetes day in November by interviewing people with diabetes and learning about the transitions they have experienced because of the disease. They did an initial interview with Daniel today, and if they choose him for the on-air interview, they will follow him around for a day with their cameras. Pretty cool!
So now it's time to hunker down and prepare for no-longer-hurricane Hannah, which should be roaring up the east coast tomorrow. Great day for reading blogs (if the power doesn't go out). I've missed having the time to catch up with the online community. AND the daily life community as well!
Time keeps on slippin into the future... doo doo n' doo
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