missing 2012 .... ALOT!

My TENNIS partners

Paul,  Bill (my hubby) and Dick .

I, of course, am the forth and you'll

NEVER see a picture of me ...unless

well, unless ...

unless I die!

I can't believe this is my ONLY post for 2012 and 2012 is

ALMOST GONE.

what a bummer!

HR

A1C UPDATED

I am so happy to report that Ashlee's A1C was 8.5 ... never thought I'd be happy with 8.5 but after the 10.5 in July this is a huge improvement! My Mom's was 6.5 ...good for her ... she has finally learned not to cheat! Wish I COULD!

HR is STILL so much of my daily (and nightly) thoughts ...it's crazy! Little Romeo has slipped into total separation anxiety melt-down mode! I can't go to the mailbox without him crying ... I thought he was completely over that stage of his life .. but either my energy ABOUT H or he misses his bully-buddy, H, OR he really thinks he's alone now ...I don't know what ??? but we'll figure it out!

I have actually been thinking of calling the Breeder who Lisa and Michael got HR from. (SHHHH...don't tell Bill!) It goes against everything I believe should be done for all the HOMELESS dogs in the shelter ! I just miss H so much ...I want a part of him back, even if it's a distant cousin! Don't worry I just WON'T buy from a breeder ...but I can think about it!

11-23-2011 ...this has been sitting in a "draft" file for over a month ... now I can't remember what I was going to add...

and Now she's EIGHT

Ashlee & Cameron July2011

Happy Birthday to our darling D-Girl! Today she is EIGHT ...where do the years go? I remember the day she was born! Mom missed a trip to Disneyworld that summer ...can't fly when you're 8 months PG !! ☺

One and 1/2 years post DX of Type 1 ... another life changing moment! But it's Ashlee's Birthday today ... and D will not creep in ..period, nada, zilch ... ZIP-No D!

Heavy sigh............................

The little darlings' A1C level is 10.5
(It was 8.5 previously)

Nothing to do or say ... those Moms' out in the DOC understand .... no one else does ... not even the darling daughter, the D-Mom in this case.

I had to say goodbye to HR .... my beloved Tibetian Terrier! Kiss Miss Chloe for me, H !

Sharing!

it's been a long time .....

I haven't updated this blog for some time now .... however, I still check the blogs I follow (all the Darling D-Moms and such) whenever I get a chance.

Diabetes is depressing! I get alot of chuckles from some of your antics ... up's and down's, HIGH's and LOW's! Lord, I pray daily for the comic relief I get from some of you girls! I cry alot, too. NOT an hour of my day (and sometimes in my sleep) DIABETES creeps in. I want it to be over... cured... no more! I want a cure for my Darling little 7 year old Ashlee ... and for my Mom and for ALL the T1's young, old and every age in-between!

We rescued a cat ... and several months into our "ownership" (if anyone ever really owns a cat), Baby Leeza, short for Condoleeza, became constipated (I thought) ... after a week of lethargy I took her to the Vet. She had DIABETES! It pains me to say she had to be put to sleep ... she was unable to deal with the shots and would hide from us to avoid the needle ... and the illness took over. Then, when our little G-daughter was diagnosed, my mind kept creeping back to poor Condoleeza Kitty .... if a CAT can't deal with daily injections and wants to run-a-way from home to avoid them ... what is going through a six-year-olds mind??? Ashlee, too, HATES the pokes from testing and shots. Will she, one day, run away from it all? Will she give up on her diabetes? Will she be able to live a normal life, grow up and have children? My brain is in hyper-drive today ...with diabetes shifting my gears, our whole family is "diabetes dysfunctional" I'm afraid, with everyone ...including D-child's Mom & Pop ...just letting it "ride"! The "ME" generation at it's finest.

You know ... somedays you're better off just staying in bed! Today is one of those days!

In Memory

May God remember the soul of my beloved friend, Florence, who has passed to her eternal rest. I pledge charity in her behalf and pray that her soul be kept among the immortal souls of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Leah, and all the righteous men and women in Paradise. Amen.

Long time, no blog!

I've been so overwhelmed with dogs, birds, geriatric duty and so on and so forth that I haven't had time to keep up with my blogging ...or even my reading, but I ALWAYS try to catch up on all the D-Moms because I SO need their understanding and [sometimes] humor!


My poor mom has been in and out of ER rooms so many times I've lost count, my darling dog had to have part of her liver removed and my other older dog has Congestive Heart failure .... geeezzee, what a MONTH!

Little Ashlee, the D-Grandchild just had her regular Endo check and (as I told her mother), I don't think I like him very much ....and I don't even know him! I told Bill, my hubby, yesterday that maybe it's time, once my Mom is really stable, for me to take a trip to Arkansas and just wreak havoc on the "system" there (her insurance, etc.) to get thinks easier for Amy to handle. Ashlee's A1C remained at 8.5, unchanged from last check ....but, one good think is that her Endo has now requested that Amy email him a daily log / journal of BG , food (you know the drill) every two weeks .... something he never asked her to do in the past ...which is the reason , I guess, she never thought it was important to journal!

I wish I had photos of ER rooms .... I do have sick doggie and lost pigeon pics !! Have to post them later! Poor pigeon is a Racing Pigeon! Suffice to say ....he/she lost ....

The faster I go, the behinder I get!

Can't catch up ... no decorations .. only five cards sent ...

CLOSE OUT THE YEAR ???? HA ... never happen! Why does everyone get sick at the same time ....

I'm dancing as fast as I can............................. hurry, someone throw out that dance card!

the cool scale

HLA , Genetics and GUILT

WOW oh Wow oh wow oh wow............. I have been studying (or trying to) the possible Genetic link to diabetes. I truly DON'T understand half of what I read ... but I'm a Pit-Bull when it comes to Care Giving, and, as my husband has been having serious health problems since age 47, I have schlepped him from one Specialist to another and picked up more books than the Public Library!





So, Grandpa Bill is HLA Positive ... some B-27 gene effected causing him to have a cavalcade of disorders ... the most recent is Lupus Anti-Coagulating Disorder (??) which is NOT Lupus but it causes Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT's) which are a REAL BUMMER!





Being HLA Pos, he has a 50/50 change of passing the Gene to Amy ... and Amy has a 50/50 chance of passing to her issues and so on and so forth ... NOW, if I understand the explanation, if there is an extra allele present, it's almost an 90% chance of developing diabetes!





Bill and I were discussing it ... and of course, he feels terrible that he may have passed on this gene ... it also makes me wonder, as the "Family Cemetery Plot" in Ludington , Michigan, has a whole section MARKED "Children and Babies" ... can you believe it? No names ... just a head stone marked ...so sad!





I guess NOTHING is going to change the diagnoses ..but, it helps to understand why or MAYBE why...and definitely an advantage when a CURE for certain types of diabetes is isolated. The "fanatic" in me wants to have ALL the G-kids tested for this Genetic Link .... but to what end? Just more to worry about I guess ... so, I'm not even going to approach the issue. The Family, with the exception of me, wants to pretend that the G-Child is no different from anyone else. I believe this is a mistake ... but I, too, don't want her to grow up thinking she's a victim .... but she NEEDS to know that her very life hangs in the balance of keeping her BG in order (something that she doesn't understand at this point and doesn't care about). Like so many blogs I follow, her numbers have been all over the board in the past two weeks ...and no one has wanted to deal with it ... even ME! I'm just not up to the "fight" it might cause .... the ONLY good thing about the past 14 days is FINALLY ...Amy is LOGGING food and insulin and BG #'s !!!! You have NO idea how it helps to trend the BG when you write down everything consumed and all the injections and times given ..... let's hope she maintains this journal I made for her 8 months ago! (I've been trying to journal over the phone, but its hit and miss at best!)



I got Amy a very COOL diabetic scale that gives a complete Nutritional Label for over 1000 different food items ... its so cool, I just know (and pray) she'll use it! and it remembers up to 100 entries! (Heidi D-Tales, Thank you for the wonderful idea!)

OFF to Tennis!! just write LOSER across my forehead! boohoo!!

FANATIC

That would be me ... the whole Family thinks I'm a crazed, diabetic NUT-JOB.....

SO SAD .... TOO BAD ...

No one wants to pull their head(s) out of the sand and see what is going to happen to our D-Darling if someone doesn't start taking this serious!

I ONLY wanted to take her to the LomaLinda Children's Diabetic Clinic for a fun outing with other kids! Kids who PUMP ... kids who don't pump ... fun learning activities and LESSONS for little ones on logging and making their OWN DAILY routine(s) FUN FUN FUN .... and also to see that its NOT SO TRAGIC! Other 7 year olds give them self shots ... no big deal ... its an awareness issue and a definite confidence booster!

More later ...after TENNIS ... hope I win!

I LOST POOH

Someone please advise

OK ... so the D-child is HERE and both sets of G-Parents are in charge of her care ... (not my idea) .... BUT PLEASE HELP ME ....

Problem ... other D-G'ma has her for next five days and when I asked how her numbers were, she smiled and told me JUST PERFECT ... Wow, I was impressed!! After a bit more conversation she told me her secret for keeping numbers in range ... SHE IS ONLY FEEDING HER SIRLOIN PATTIES ...THAT'S IT! BREAKFAST LUNCH & DINNER.... She thought it was smart to just not give her carbs...

I know this is not the way!! OMG OMG ... I don't want to cause a Family Feud .. my hubby said to keep my nose out of it ...but, once again, I haven't been able to sleep from the worry of five straight days of protein only ... Please pray for our little Ashlee!

Home Again Home Again Jigity Jig

I don't know what day it is ..... I am in a BRAIN CLOUD! I know I picked up the Arkansas Gang on Thursday at the Grapes-O-Wrath Airlines in LAX ... God directed me to the Airport with visions of "light" telling me to count the minutes and in SEVEN I would be there! (AND I WAS THERE in SEVEN MINUTES!)

The son-in-law drove us back to PS ...all the while playing with his "droid", texting, talking and GPS'ing! I was very near having a stroke from the waves of fear and just clutching to my beloved Romeo for dear life! The D-child was OUT ... dead silent and I feared her BG was very lo ... but didn't want to voice any opinion or offend the family in anyway.

The following day, my mom called and said she needed me to take her to ER. (My mother NEVER asks me to take her ANYWHERE so I KNEW THIS WAS BAD) She didn't want to call 911 because she knows I know how to treat her diabetes and most ER folks really don't have a clue with Adult T-1's. I drove the 35 miles to her home ... deciding midway that I was going to bring her to Palm Springs Hospital* until the issue could be resolved. (I knew she was having a hyponatremic event which can only be resolved by hospitalization.)

* Mother didn't want to come to PS Hospital ....

Reader's Digest Version: I had my mom at THREE different hospitals within a 30 hour period (in addition to the Urgent Care I took her to to get a PRE-Admission to the hospital and the first liter of Potassium Chloride). The first Hospital (now remember, she already had been admitted via the UC doctor!) told me to take her to their ER 1st ...then they would admit her. That ER room filthy dirty, all kinds of hazardous waste on the floors, counters and BEDS!!! I gave the ER Doc the records and Admission slip ... she ALREADY HAD an IV in and ready to go ... they then gave her another liter of Potassium Chloride ... and proceeded to start re-doing all of the tests she had JUST HAD at the UC (their affiliate!) I had to go to the Ladies room and when I returned to my Mom ...she was just finishing a HUGE hamburger that a nurse had given her and told her she MUST finish! OMG .... within 10 minutes her BG was 497 and I was freaking out! They refused to allow me to give her a correcting dose of insulin and my mom starting fading in and out of consciousness .... we were in that ER for about 2 hours, I think ...the whole thing is a blurr to me now ... all I remember is after the third time my mom slipped under ... I asked them to remove the IV so I could take her to Loma Linda Hospital (and also give her insulin to bring down the BG). That's when the FIGHT STARTED ... I know my rights and had her ready to go in about 15 minutes ... as I was signing all the medical release info, SOME CONFUSED NURSE HANDED MY TWO PILLS and before I could stop her ...down the hatch they went! The nurse had given her the MEDS for the WOMAN in the bed NEXT to my MOM! It was some kind of anti-biotic and they assured me that it would cause no harm ... and wrote the name of it on the records I was taking!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?????????

Now ...I get mother in the car, it is pouring rain and I covered her with my London Fog Rain Coat and I, of course am soaked! (That's ok ... I can take being cold .. mother can't!) I call ahead to Loma Linda and get Mom Pre-admitted ...once again! Groovy! No more problems!

WRONG WRONG WRONG ... we get to Loma Linda ER WITH the Pre-Admin Info and just as they start to take Mother ....the admission room is flooded with cops, CHP officers and at least three hand-cuffed men walking and three or four more men bloodied and hand-cuffed to gurneys ...GUNS DRAWN and SHOTGUNS at READY! We were the only people in that admission area and a CHP Officer took us to a holding room and said they'd be back for Mother once they cleared the admission area of the gun-shot-victims!!

I kept checking Mom's BG ...I knew she was still in fading in and out and I really didn't know what to do, other than pray for her safety! ..... I guess I don't need to tell you that they FORGOT ABOUT US! At 4:30 AM ...in tears ... I went to the admissions desk and asked how much longer before my Mom was admitted ... horrified, the ER Nurse got my Mom into a "room" (if you can call a broom closet a room) and said the Doctor would need to see her before they sent her upstairs (to start treatment). At 5:45 am, this PISSED OFF, TIRED daughter (me) lifted my mom into a wheel chair and proceed to get the HECK out of there! Of course, NOW they tell me I'm risking her life if I remove her from THEIR care (WHAT CARE? they had done nothing and she was NOW having chest pains!)

I don't know how I did it ...but I got her back to Palm Springs (where I should have come in the FIRST PLACE) and they proceeded to stabilize her electrolytes and potassium levels. At 3pm they assured me she was stable, didn't need to be admitted , and to take her home and keep an eye on her BG for the next 24 hours .... HOORAY ...I can finally sleep!

At our Condo ...I make Mother comfortable .... and fix my darling hubby something to eat, walk my dogs and just do GENERAL stuff to get ready for the evening. At EXACTLY 5:15 pm I notice my mom is unconscious once again, I check her temp and it's 102.7 ...OMG OMG OMG! I get as much covering off her as I dare ...and her temp drops to 101.5 but she is shaking uncontrollably ... back to PS ER!!!!! At this point I'm running on adrenalin ONLY ... but the Doc at PS ER had me bring her directly to HIM, and bless his heart, he realized that the PILLS given by the 1st ER needed to be flushed from her system as well as keeping keeping her electrolytes in balance while her blood was flushed. The rest of the night is blurry ...all I know is that they put mother in the VIP ER Room ... a place they reserve for celebrities and presidents, where every piece of equipment you could ever need is IN THE ROOM .... he did EVERYTHING except a spinal tap to make sure that nothing was missed this time ...and that we were truly dealing with hyponatremia! After about 6 liters of something (along with the tests) my mom was her old self again by 9 am the next morning!

to be continued when my blood pressure goes down! ♥

My darling Ashlee !!!

PALM SPRINGS!

To the Arkansas Gang ...this is HOT weather!

To us old Desert Rats...
we're freezing!

The kids went to the park to play this afternoon (PS is NOT known for its "kid friendly" features! )

PALM SPRINGS: HOME OF THE NEWLY WEDS BUT MOSTLY NEARLY DEADS!

Grapes of Wrath Airline

This airline is held together with DuctTape and Plastic Wrap ... !! No JOKE!

Poor Romeo ...Poor Me!

T-Day driving!

Well ..I'm going to pick up the Arkansas GANG tomorrow at Lax! It will be the VERY VERY first Thanksgiving I haven't been able to spend with my Mom ... and it hurts just a little tiny bit. She mentioned today that this was the beginning of getting used to a life without her and I just started crying! She loves (even at her age) to prepare and serve a scrumptious dinner for us!

I'm THANKFUL that we all are healthy ...at lease at present! and, I guess that's all that matters ... I guess I'm just being selfish ...wanting to have as much MOM time as I have left!

Reality Bites

OKAY ...this is going to sound stupid, but I would LOVE to see a NEW Reality program on Discovery about a day-in-the-life of a D-mom (or Dad). Think of the awareness it would bring!

I have to say, some of the D-Moms that blog are funnier than Joan Rivers and are able to dance faster than a cat on a hot tin roof! Amazing women!

I know the "show" would be much more interesting than shooting 'gators in the head or watching 19 children sew skirts out of pants. (I do love that family, however!) Maybe I'll email Discovery and submitt some of my favorite Blogs!

Road Trip with Your T1

I have to give credit where credit is due! Our Amy is a rock ...strong and solid, nothing bothers her (at least, that she lets show) . 18 Hour Road Trip to S.C. (one-way!) with hubby (co-pilot), one tween, Alexa and one 7 year old T1, our Ashlee!!

Our little T1 ran the gambit of numbers from extreme highs to way-to-lows ... throwing large amounts of ketones, a throw up here and there ... Amy is a rock! I would have been hopelessly banging my head against the wall ... but she is calm and sure and seems to ride it all out!

In looking back at Ashlee's W/E numbers, we were trying to figure out just what happened. (Two heads are always better than one!) I think it REALLY boils down snack eating (when no adult is around) which lead to the highs and that ketone business (no insulin to make "Gas", so her body started burning that good'ol protein for fuel!)

Kids are kids and you need to let them BE KIDS ... that means running in and out and grabbing something quick to munch. Ashlee needs to know its OKAY to eat "wrong" foods sometimes ... just to TELL someone so insulin can be given cover! NO one will be mad .. it was supposed to be a Get-a-Way Weekend with just a touch of business thrown in! And that's what it was ... FUN for ALL ... The boys went to the Duke/Princeton Basket Ball game while the ladies had a lovely dinner out .. no kiddies! Good for them! Ashlee's #'s would have had me in a tailspin. Guess that's why I'm NOT the D-Mom!!