3rd Annual Diabetes Blog Week: What its like to have Type 1 Diabetes

What it’s like to have Type 1 Diabetes

Managing type 1 diabetes is a balancing act. This daily stabilization of blood sugar levels depends on the four injections of insulin in which the amount is based on food consumed and physical activity through out the day and night. Blood sugar levels have to be checked 6-8 times a day and there is constant worry about highs and lows, which can both be dangerous. Type 1 does not go away, it doesn’t take a break. Type 1 is on your mind constantly and you can never forget about it. It’s a 24 hour a day, 365 days a year job.

A day in the life of Alyssa:

6:15a Wake up, prick finger to check blood sugar

6:30a 2 insulin injections

Eat breakfast

9:30a snack

11:50a prick finger to check blood sugar

1 insulin injection

3:00 p snack

4:30p prick finger to check blood sugar

Cheer/tumble from 4:30-6p

5:45p prick finger to check blood sugar ½ way through practice

If low (usually) treat with juice

6:30p prick finger to check blood sugar

1 insulin injection

Eat dinner

9:30p prick finger to check blood sugar

Eat bedtime snack to avoid lows during the night

*Depending on how her bg’s have been there may be a blood sugar check in the middle of the night. Also, if she is more active than usual, there may be other blood checks during the day.

3rd Annual Diabetes Blog: What can we improve on...

What can we improve on….

Well, I’m not sure there is anything that we can do better. Most problems we have with Alyssa’s D1 is out of our control. No two days are alike; but lately, for the most part there are more good days than bad. Now, of course this disease is ever changing and what is working now, may not work a few months from now. Things have been going well recently and I think this is because we have a consistent routine of checking blood sugars and calculating carbs. I have found in the last year and a half, that consistency is a must. If she eats the same amount of carbs at about the same time each day for her meals, then her BG’s are normally within range. Of course there are times that her BG’s are low or high and that is usually because of extra activity or if we’ve gone out to eat (I’ve found most restaurants’ nutrition information is not always accurate).

Diabetes Blog Week: One Great Thing 5/15/2012

Managing Alyssa’s diabetes is a lot of work and I do find that I become obsessed with glucose levels and calculating everything that she puts in her mouth.  It can become the center of your life; like many D-moms, Alyssa’s diabetes is the first thing I think about in the morning and the last thing I think about at night. 

There are many times I feel overwhelmed and get frustrated when her numbers aren’t good or when she suffers with a lows.  And then I remember I’m not the one with the disease.  What I do try to remind myself is Alyssa is a child and she just wants to be like every other almost 9 year old. 

It’s impossible to be perfect, but there are many things that she does spectacularly!! Alyssa knows when she isn’t felling right and she will immediately go for her meter and check her BG and she’s not embarrassed about it…she’ll pull it out anywhere.  If it’s low, she goes for a juice box and a lot of times she’s treating her low before I even know what’s going on. 

This has helped lift some of my fear—I don’t stress as much when she’s playing outside or when she’s at cheer practice because I feel confident that she knows to address any change in how she feels right away.  More importantly, this has given Alyssa the opportunity to be more like other kids her age.

Diabete Blog Week: She needs no introduction

Most of you probably have read her blog, but I had to mention that D-Mom Blog: The sweet life with a diabetic child was the first blog I read (and I still read) after my daughter was diagnosed a year and a half ago. Her blog helped me prepare my daughter to return to school after her diagnosis—as most of us, I was at a loss.  I’m not sure I would have survived the chaos without it! 

Our daughters are close in age and I find that I relate with many of the diabetes related issues she writes about. I read all of her posts on her blog and follow her Facebook page. She provides an amazing amount of information and if I’m not sure about something, I look at her older posts for the answer because I know she has already been where I am at. 

For the few who have not read her blog, I recommend D-mom, whether your family is new to type 1 diabetes or not.