It's been about 8 months since Andrew was diagnosed with type 1, 7 months since he was diagnosed with celiac disease and about 1-1/2 months since he was diagnosed with double diabetes. I think things are just now starting to sink in.
It was right before Thanksgiving when we received his diabetes diagnosis. After that was Christmas and we struggled to finish up our homeschooling year while having our whole household turned literally upside down. I never really took the time to grieve since I just dove right in and made sure that Andrew was taken care of.
I'm now realizing that I forgot to take care of someone - ME.
My normal bubbly self is now so tired all the time and I've gained weight. At church today, I had to leave during the beginning music. The words just touch my heart and I break down in tears. I'm just so emotional lately. I excused myself to the bathroom and got myself together. I then ventured to visit Andrew and see what his 1 hour post breakfast was. As he was testing, he said that one of the little girls in his class stood up and announced that her mom now has diabetes. It took all I had to keep it together. I know the family and they are just wonderful people! To me, it doesn't matter if someone has type 1, type 2, type 3, MODY, LADA, gestational, etc... Wherever diabetes shows up, it impacts that person and everyone around them.
My question to all of you: When does it get better?
I know that my healing can only come through the Father. As I got into our car after church, I was overwhelmed as the Lord spoke to me. He told me that my healing will be through helping the newly diagnosed diabetic in our church family. What a blessing!!!! His name will be praised as I explain how He has worked in our lives since Andrew's diagnosis. God ALWAYS knows what we need and when. He wants me to give all my fears and worries to Him which will allow Him to work through me. Amen!
Showing posts with label double diabetes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label double diabetes. Show all posts
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Happy Medium
Since Andrew has started back on insulin, things have been going smoothly for the most part. Our challenge this week was swimming lessons. He's been fine for the past 1-1/2 weeks, but yesterday and today he's been running low and it's affecting his performance.
I've been posting about morning spikes, particularly with eating cereal for breakfast. As you know, we've been keeping him at only 2 servings of starch carbs per meal. Everyday I would carefully measure out 1-1/2 cups of Rice Chex and top it with an equal amount of nice and cold milk.
One hour following his breakfast, he would spike into the 200's. When I would switch his breakfast to eggs and 2 pieces of toast, he would stay in the lower 100's. I could not figure out what the heck the problem was.
My answer: MILK!! I forgot that milk is considered a carb in the diabetic world. I've been so conditioned over the years to count milk as a protein and not a carb. Andrew only uses milk in his cereal, so it wasn't interfering in our other meals.
So, when I thought I was giving him only 2 carb selections for breakfast, he was actually getting between 3 and 4. YIKES! No wonder why his blood glucose numbers went running for the hills.
It's really not been a good idea to try and start insulin and swimming lessons all at the same time, but we really didn't have a choice. His endo. has been an awesome help through this transition!
Before lessons yesterday, I tried only 1 cup cereal and 1 cup milk along with some eggs for breakfast with his normal insulin scale and he only rose to 121 one hour post meal. He was tired towards the end and came in at 57. Nothing a couple of packs of Smartie's couldn't fix. The thing that still scares me to death is that he DOESN'T feel his lows. I have to make a conscience effort to keep testing him while he's swimming.
Today, I made him a 2 egg and cheese toasted sandwich. He only came in at 107 before lessons. I should have probably fed him a little sugar, but the doctors keep telling me that his body will be ok. I'm assuming that this is true ONLY because he's honeymooning and is just taking fast acting insulin at the moment. With 10 minutes to go in his lesson, I whipped out the handy glucometer and a 62 was staring back at me. I gave him some Smartie's, but he was just wiped out and starving! He had no more energy to give and just wanted to sit out the rest of the lesson. I had to yell to the instructor that he was LOW. Of course he didn't hear me the first time around and I had to repeat it. I'm sure by now the whole pool heard me. Diabetes just makes me mad!
After class, one of the boys came up to me and asked why he had to sit out. I explained that he had diabetes and his blood sugar went a little too low. We just feed him some sugar to bring it back up and then he's good to go again. He looked at me and said, "Oh, ok." As the mother passed me, she told me that she had gestational diabetes and that her son was used to seeing her test her blood all the time.
The sad thing is that when I explained to Andrew what we were talking about, he said, "I know, gestational diabetes is something you get for a SHORT time and then it goes away." My heart just sunk! I knew exactly what he was thinking, "Why can't mine go away?" The poor kid, double diabetes and celiac disease all at once! God, please bless us with a cure!
We will hold our heads high and keep trucking. God has us in His precious hands. He gives us everything we need to endure the battle!
One thing's for sure, I think some cereal will be on our breakfast menu tomorrow as we wrap up our swimming lessons adventure!
I've been posting about morning spikes, particularly with eating cereal for breakfast. As you know, we've been keeping him at only 2 servings of starch carbs per meal. Everyday I would carefully measure out 1-1/2 cups of Rice Chex and top it with an equal amount of nice and cold milk.
One hour following his breakfast, he would spike into the 200's. When I would switch his breakfast to eggs and 2 pieces of toast, he would stay in the lower 100's. I could not figure out what the heck the problem was.
My answer: MILK!! I forgot that milk is considered a carb in the diabetic world. I've been so conditioned over the years to count milk as a protein and not a carb. Andrew only uses milk in his cereal, so it wasn't interfering in our other meals.
So, when I thought I was giving him only 2 carb selections for breakfast, he was actually getting between 3 and 4. YIKES! No wonder why his blood glucose numbers went running for the hills.
It's really not been a good idea to try and start insulin and swimming lessons all at the same time, but we really didn't have a choice. His endo. has been an awesome help through this transition!
Before lessons yesterday, I tried only 1 cup cereal and 1 cup milk along with some eggs for breakfast with his normal insulin scale and he only rose to 121 one hour post meal. He was tired towards the end and came in at 57. Nothing a couple of packs of Smartie's couldn't fix. The thing that still scares me to death is that he DOESN'T feel his lows. I have to make a conscience effort to keep testing him while he's swimming.
Today, I made him a 2 egg and cheese toasted sandwich. He only came in at 107 before lessons. I should have probably fed him a little sugar, but the doctors keep telling me that his body will be ok. I'm assuming that this is true ONLY because he's honeymooning and is just taking fast acting insulin at the moment. With 10 minutes to go in his lesson, I whipped out the handy glucometer and a 62 was staring back at me. I gave him some Smartie's, but he was just wiped out and starving! He had no more energy to give and just wanted to sit out the rest of the lesson. I had to yell to the instructor that he was LOW. Of course he didn't hear me the first time around and I had to repeat it. I'm sure by now the whole pool heard me. Diabetes just makes me mad!
After class, one of the boys came up to me and asked why he had to sit out. I explained that he had diabetes and his blood sugar went a little too low. We just feed him some sugar to bring it back up and then he's good to go again. He looked at me and said, "Oh, ok." As the mother passed me, she told me that she had gestational diabetes and that her son was used to seeing her test her blood all the time.
The sad thing is that when I explained to Andrew what we were talking about, he said, "I know, gestational diabetes is something you get for a SHORT time and then it goes away." My heart just sunk! I knew exactly what he was thinking, "Why can't mine go away?" The poor kid, double diabetes and celiac disease all at once! God, please bless us with a cure!
We will hold our heads high and keep trucking. God has us in His precious hands. He gives us everything we need to endure the battle!
One thing's for sure, I think some cereal will be on our breakfast menu tomorrow as we wrap up our swimming lessons adventure!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Double Trouble
The endocrinologist has diagnosed Andrew with type 1.5 diabetes also known as "double diabetes" or "type 3". He has a hybrid of type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Andrew was overweight at diagnosis and has since lost 15 pounds! I am SO PROUD of him! Believe me, it hasn't been easy.
His type 1 diagnosis came from having antibodies and celiac disease (autoimmune).
His type 2 diagnosis came from having insulin resistance which was detected on a recent 5 hour glucose test.
Diet and nutrition play a HUGE part is his diabetes care. The longer he can keep his weight down, the better the insulin resistance will be. Insulin resistance is when your body still produces some insulin, but your body cannot use it correctly. This is the reason why we have to keep his carb counts down.
The interesting thing is that skinny/normal type 1's can develop type 2 as well if they become overweight. Yes, TYPE 1 CAN BECOME DOUBLE DIABETES!
When we began to work with a nutritionist, they gave him an eating plan for the present weight that he was. I went round and round with the endo. that I was with at the time because I knew he needed to lose weight. She wanted to let him eat what he wanted because he was a kid after all. I'm here to say "HOGWASH!"
Yes, our diabetic kids can eat whatever they want, but I want to place a word of caution. Please continue to watch over your children's diets by limiting their fat intake, sweets and junk food. We are living proof that double diabetes exists and I don't want other kids to have to go through what we are.
If we would have continued on the path that we were on and let Andrew continue to gain weight, there is a good chance that he would be on an oral medicine (Metformin) for the insulin resistance along with his insulin. His hard work and dedication has made him healthier and has given him better blood glucose control.
Resource: http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/type2/t2_dd.htm
Andrew was overweight at diagnosis and has since lost 15 pounds! I am SO PROUD of him! Believe me, it hasn't been easy.
His type 1 diagnosis came from having antibodies and celiac disease (autoimmune).
His type 2 diagnosis came from having insulin resistance which was detected on a recent 5 hour glucose test.
Diet and nutrition play a HUGE part is his diabetes care. The longer he can keep his weight down, the better the insulin resistance will be. Insulin resistance is when your body still produces some insulin, but your body cannot use it correctly. This is the reason why we have to keep his carb counts down.
The interesting thing is that skinny/normal type 1's can develop type 2 as well if they become overweight. Yes, TYPE 1 CAN BECOME DOUBLE DIABETES!
When we began to work with a nutritionist, they gave him an eating plan for the present weight that he was. I went round and round with the endo. that I was with at the time because I knew he needed to lose weight. She wanted to let him eat what he wanted because he was a kid after all. I'm here to say "HOGWASH!"
Yes, our diabetic kids can eat whatever they want, but I want to place a word of caution. Please continue to watch over your children's diets by limiting their fat intake, sweets and junk food. We are living proof that double diabetes exists and I don't want other kids to have to go through what we are.
If we would have continued on the path that we were on and let Andrew continue to gain weight, there is a good chance that he would be on an oral medicine (Metformin) for the insulin resistance along with his insulin. His hard work and dedication has made him healthier and has given him better blood glucose control.
Resource: http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/type2/t2_dd.htm
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