Enjoying the summer!!

What's been going on.....

Whew....well things are going well with Alyssa!  She is healthy and active and enjoying the summer!  Life is busy and hectic for our whole family and I haven't had the time to catch up our blog!

Before school got out Alyssa's elementary school held a Kid's Walk to Cure Diabetes (JDRF) and Alyssa raised the most money out of the entire school!  She was gifted a huge care package from Chick Fil-A as well as many other prizes from JDRF!

On June 15th Alyssa celebrated her 10th birthday with a party with her friends at the park!

Now we are preppy for walk season and looking forward to taking part in all the activities!  In the meantime Alyssa is working hard at the thing she loves the most, competitive cheer and enjoying the summer!!

It's time to gear up for walking season!!

Yesterday I re-upped for JDRF's walk to a cure on Oct. 6th in Elon, NC.  This year our team name will be Alyssa's Army!  I'm so excited about all the response we have already gotten!!  Research is so important, not only for a cure, but to also make the lives of people living with diabetes a little bit easier.  Remember, without research there would not be life saving insulin or meters or pumps...the list goes on and on!  It's very likely that each of us has been touched in some way by this disease; so, each one of us has a reason to support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.....my #1 reason is Alyssa!

I just wanted to add that Advanced Auto, Ford Motor Co., Marshall's and Walgreen's are all huge supporters of JDRF.  (I am not recieving any compensation ;)  So the next time you have a choice of where to shop, support companies that support JDRF!! 

Below: Some pictures from last year's walk!!

Mom Going Back to Work: Afterschool and Diabetes

So we are in the 3^rd week of school.  Alyssa has adjusted well to her school schedule.  I recently started working part time in the afternoons, so she has also started going to after school care for the first time in her life.  The great thing is that one of the diabetes care managers at her school is also the director of the after school program.   

Alyssa also started cheer & tumble.  I’ve made sure I check her sugar and give her a snack before the class so that her levels stay balanced.  We’ve have 2 classes and she hasn’t gone low either time.  When she was first diagnosed, she was in the middle of basketball season and even with snacks beforehand, she still ended up going low.  We ended up giving her 2-3 snack during 1 practice.   I think it was the honeymoon period, so now she’s a little more leveled off.

I had a project this week that had to be on a medical specialty.  Of course I chose Pediatric Diabetes.  I am not one that enjoys talking in front of a class, but it was a little easier because it was a topic that was so important to me.

We are just 22 days away from our first JDRF walk.  If you have donated I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.  More than 13,000 children are diagnosed with Type 1 every year and it is important that we find a cure!  We’ve risen just over $400 through the internet in Alyssa honor.  We feel so blessed that so many people love our baby girl!  We also have more than 20 walkers signed up to walk with us!  It’s very emotional for me to think about our friends and family that are willing to take a stand against this disease and support the research that will lead to a cure.  I love you guys!!

I’m working on T-shirts for Alyssa’s Angels!  I’ll post pictures once I get the final draft!  So, my life’s a bit crazy right now, but I am excited about everything that is going on!

Summer break is coming to an end......

Ok, so I think I have all of my ducks in a row….or either I’m just trying to make myself feel better~ which is very possible. I am at the beginning of my second week of the semester and I am finally thinking I’m comfortable in my schedule. Not sure what I was thinking when I signed on for 6 classes, but anyway…so far so good.

Its been kind of tough starting school before my kids summer break is over. I just have to say (again) that I have 2 amazing sons! They currently take turns each day so that one of them can always be at home to watch Alyssa while I am at school. They also take turns & help out by keeping her so that me & dad can go out to dinner at least once a week~ just him and I. Of course I check in often when I’m not home, but they are on it! I love you Phillip & Jamon and I am so very proud of you. Taking care of Alyssa’s diabetes is a huge responsibility and you do such a great job!

So this week is busy!! Phillip had his junior orientation last night… since he drives, this is the first one I didn’t attend. :( It was more of a social event for him. Jamon and Alyssa will meet their teachers this evening. Dad is taking J and I’m taking Alyssa. I read her teachers bio online and she has been with the school for 11 years and teaching many more years than that. I am hoping that somewhere in her teaching history, she has had some experience with diabetes. Tonight I will bring in the extra class supplies like tissues, hand sanitizer, and Clorox wipes along with Alyssa’s midmorning snacks, juices for lows, and sugar free jello for those surprise cupcake or cookie parties so she can at least have a treat. If I know in advance, I can plan her schedule and she can have the sweets, but at least we have a back up.

Tomorrow I have 2 classes and during my break I will be taking all of Alyssa’s diabetes supplies to school and meeting with the nurse along with the teacher to train her. Even if her teacher has experience with diabetes, every child is different. I love the nurse at her school, she is wonderful and I feel very comfortable. So far in her pack is all her medical paperwork, a copy of her 504 plan, emergency glucagon, insulin, syringes, glucose tablets, 2 meters, strips, lancets, finger pricker (lol), juice boxes, and log book. I think that’s everything….

Thursday, I am so excited to be going to the kick off captain’s luncheon for the JDRF walk that is coming up in October. This is my first walk with them and I’m looking forward to meeting the staff I’ve been working with over the phone and via email. Then tomorrow night is me and the hubby’s evening out! Hope everyone has a great rest of the week and for those that are starting school on Thursday, have a great 1^st day back!

Walk to a cure and weekend stuff

Wow!! So excited about everything going on in my life right now! Just registered our team “Alyssa’s Angels” for our first JDRF Walk to a Cure that will be held at Elon University in Burlington on October 8th. The response has been outstanding!! http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/alyssasteamangels

My oldest son, Phillip is touring his first college today with one of my best girlfriends. I can hardly believe that he is a high school junior! I’m still struggling with the fact he just got his license!  My other son, Jamon will be starting the 8th grade at a new school this year!
I have 2 weeks left of my summer break and then I’ll be back to school for my 3rd semester!

We had a great weekend full of celebrations for family and friends~ diabetes showed its ugly head Friday night while we were at a pool party. Alyssa’s levels were perfect all day long, she ate a great dinner, had a lower dose of insulin because I knew she would be swimming (1 armed swimming because she’s still wearing a cast until Wednesday) and then came the dreaded words “I feel shaky.” Her glucose had dropped to 43, the lowest it has ever been. 4 oz of juice, checked in 15 minutes, up to 63, still shaky and now nauseous. Juice usually does the trick, so I think it was lower than the meter read. I gave her about 2-3 oz of Pepsi, checked blood in 10 minutes and back up in the 90’s…whew. Gave her 2 peanut butter crackers, nausea gone and back to the pool she went. Back home, checked again before bed, 300 :-/! What a roller coaster….I know it was the Pepsi, but I felt I had to get that sugar up quick! Glucose tabs tend to take too long; the juice brought it up, but not enough. Saturday was a good day and so was yesterday, I just have to get a handle on what amount of insulin she should get if I know she’s going to be over active. It’s just so difficult to judge?? Tonight she is going to vacation bible school and I am debating whether or not I will give her insulin with dinner, because I know my girl will be chasing all the boys around!