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...

Pumping YES NO MAYBE

Well ... the verdict is in, no pumping for my 75 year old mom ... boo hoo. I can't even say how much this bothers me .... but , nothing I can do, it was just to overwhelming for her.

POLO, AMY and the girls are on-their-way to S. Carolina !!! WHAT??? 18 hour drive. Thank goodness for all those car DVD thing-y's! The boys are on their own ... (sounds so strange to me) Oldest Christian, is at B-Ball Camp and Baby-Cameron is spending the weekend with his play buddie, what fun!

Christian and Cameron via Computer CAM ...How horrid!

That being said , let's get back to COMPLAINING ... about the Wonder-Pump! I read and follow many Diabetic Blogs or rather, families LIVING with Diabetes Blogs. 100% of the Blogs I've read ... those families and persons are all PUMPING ... and it makes me, ONCE AGAIN, question the Endo in charge of Ashlee's care! I'm sorry, maybe it's something unknown to me, maybe they wait a year to Rx a Pump? Amy HAS asked and, if I remember correctly, her Endo didn't think Ashlee qualified for pump. Am I missing something? THIS IS the FIRST CASE of Juvenile Diabetes in our family. I wasn't aware that there were different levels of T1 ... I'm so confused. I only want what is best (and SAFEST) for this Baby Girl, Lord only knows shots are no problem for me ..(or Amy) but, if the technology is out there, so we don't have to give shots ...........OH BUMMER , I can't put this into words anymore

I'm so tired of being the ONLY ONE in this family who cares about the life long effects of DIABETES ... we've all got to do more, raise money, get involved with local "D" programs and fund raisers ... I haven't been able to convince ANYONE (in our family) to JOIN IN ...it will be FUN ...and help lead to a CURE ... Larry, please gossip about this blog, OKAY?!

Chasing numbers ...hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

November 1st

Wake-up ........ 172
10:15a ....... 146
1:45p ........ 55
5:30p ...... 206
8:05p ....... 101
10:00p ....... 104

11-2-2010

Wake-up ........ 163
12:00p ........... 60
12:45p ........... 127
3:45p ............. 230
5:15p ............. 242
6:00p ............ 144
7:30p ............. * 77

* Not a good "bedtime" #

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No Intake or bolus information

Morning receives 9 u Levimir

Bedtime receives 3 u Levimir

Ashlee uses the Insulin pens
Her regular is Humalog

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Myrnx has given up on the Pump altogether! Her Endo (we saw yesterday) said some older T1's just aren't able to deal with technology

PUMP-HER-UP

Myrnx pump has been OFFICIALLY turned on for three days. I can hear the difference in her voice already. She says she is almost able to sleep through the night, only getting up twice to pee! I just know this is the answer to all of her "brittle" problems. Wish they'd have "pumped-her-up" a few years ago! Maybe she wouldn't have had the heart attack had she been on the PUMP.

We'll never be able to change her personality ... she will always be that "TYPE A", compulsive do-er! God bless her for all she does for everyone in her life, including ME. I just want to become a blessing in her life, help her to overcome the fear of the pump, etc., etc.

A1C ..what does it all mean??

So, Ashlee had her SECOND visit with the Endo today .... A1C was 8.1 ... BUMMER and, I guess she was really acting up (something that is uncharacteristic for Pre-D Ashlee) but, alas SHE WAS OUT OF STRIPS ... zero-zip-nada .. no testing if you got no STRIPS! This is where I get on my soapbox!

ARKids supplies limited, at best, testing strips for any given month .... by the 19th or 20th of the month she is out of strips. (What's today ? Oh, yea, the 20th!) So Amy and Polo have been purchasing the difference for the last 10 to 12 days of the month. As anyone who has diabetes knows ... those friggin-strips are like GOLD! $1.10 to $1.50 each ... depending on where and WHEN you buy them ... (sometimes she runs out and its not convenient to go to one of the discount pharmacies, like WalMart). I think its just plan sinful to charge these already cash-strapped "kids" an extra $75 to $100 bucks at the end of each month! Add that to the ALL ORGANIC , WHOLE FOODS [ B.A.N.T. products (which are working BTW)]... that cost DOUBLE the regular supermarket prices and they are really stretching the family food budget to its limit! Forgive me ... I'm just worried about how they are going to make ends meet with three other children and Ashlee's illness has curtailed Amy's business outings to a minimum...she has to put Ashlee FIRST. So, the burden of keeping up the family income falls on poor Polo, who is working two jobs ON TOP of his Family Business! The Lord gives them the strength to endure and for that, I PRAISE Him!

OK ...back to the A1C ... My mom's has been OK ... between 6.0 and 7.1. This is only Ashlee's SECOND A1C test ... the first was when she first saw the Endo at the end of March. Amy doesn't remember what that number was only that it was in the double digits . ?? SO what does it mean? Too much Catalina Fun? Too much Cali in general .... I just don't know. We all only want her to to have a long healthy life ... I hate that DIABETES MOVED IN ... and isn't PAYING RENT!

"D" doesn't pay rent

You know, DIABETES moved into our homes, lives, hearts and heads. First, my Mother some 20 years ago ... and now our beloved Ashlee, five months ago. Don't get me wrong, we are usually very welcoming of new ideas and guests .... but if "D" wants to live here ... It MUST pay rent!



Myrnx is on her test run with the PUMP !!! Using just saline for the doses. She doing OK with the exception of the first site change .... after two hours she was in tears and told me she would NEVER be able to get it right! Well, of course, it all worked out and I am very excited to be taking her into the Diabetes Clinic on Wednesday to "fire-that-baby-up" !!!



I pray this Pump is the solution to her needs .... she is really wearing down and I love her so! I want her with me for always! Next step is to get Ashlee PUMPED-UP, too! As difficult as it is to get started, the long range benefits outweigh the trial and errors and haggling with the insurance! I also asked Amy to leave Ashlee with us for a few months ... to give her (Amy) a break and to show Ashlee how SPECIAL she is. I know we could pull it off ... especially now that I've been reading all these D-Mom Blogs! What a blessing these girls have been! AND Inspirational!

a Family tradition... NOT!

Summer in Catalina! Long before I was born ... this was (is) a W-Family Tradition! Amy and the grand kids still come to Catalina ( from Arkansas)... every summer like clockwork. So wonderful to have them in Cali!

This year, Ashlee, 6 year old Type 1, had her very first D-Catalina! Being newly dx'ed .. she is still adjusting (as we all are)to daily shots and testing. She has only used the Insulin Pens ... never had a dose with syringe. Mid-week thru the Catalina Vacation ... PEN WAS EMPTY! Oh bummer! Amy thought she had brought the "refill" but it turned out to be a vial of Humalog! No problem...go to Drug Store and buy syringes .. easy-peazy! WRONG .. Ashlee was frightened of this new method (can you blame her?). Fortunately for the family, Uncle Doctor , comforted Ash and told her he would give her the shot! Amy tells Uncle Doctor the correction dose is 2 units and the deed is done ...no tears, quick and easy UNTIL a recheck of Ash's BG ... dropping ... dropping ... really dropping ... Amy immediately asks Uncle Doc exactly how much Humalog he drew up ... TWO ... "up to the TWO LINE"...OMIGOSH that's 20 units! AND HE'S A REAL DOCTOR ... think of how easily any of us could overdose this darling little sweetheart! Ashlee was very happy to CARB-OUT and disaster was abated! Praise the Lord!

How life changes when you have a child with Type 1 ... I feel the responsibility and I'm not with her 24/7. We are so proud of Amy! Four kids, one husband, running a home-business, HOME SCHOOLING and now ... Diabetes has moved in, too!

The ONLY good thing about "D" moving in ... we get to be closer with the kids! We don't feel guilty about calling daily (we used to feel like we were bothering their busy lives).

The Myrnx just received the "Pump". The Home nurse will hook-her-up first week of August .... if it goes well for her, maybe Ashlee's Endo will recommend for her, too.! Keep us in your prayers! FIND A CURE!

Ashlee and the "D" word

As most of you already know... our little granddaughter, Ashlee, was diagnosed a few months ago with Type 1 diabetes. Cool! The Myrnx, my Mom, has been an adult onset Type 1 for about 20 years now so I thought I was REAL SMART about all things Type 1.
WRONG WRONG WRONG , I am just a BIG DUMMY !! After doing research and reading some D-Mom Blogs out there, I really started to get frightened by everything! My mom, little Ashlee ...everybody! How could I have had my head buried in the sand for so many years??

Bottom line ... I'm doing the "CliffsNotes" study-up ON CURRENT diabetes issues (yes, things change alot in 20 years)and will be up to speed in no time at all. I feel guilty about it taking Ashlee's dx to make me aware that I know so little! My mom could have used my help thru the past 20 years! No looking back ... just forward! I'm determined to get these two specials "girls" healthy!

PRAY FOR ME!