Spiritually Fed

This weekend, I am being spiritually fed.  I love conference weekends.

Uphill Battle

I am struggling a bit.  My husband and I are on different pages when it comes to the D care and I feel like I am fighting an uphill battle.  I am a reader and a researcher...It comes naturally.  I am studying to be an elementary librarian and currently work as a library assistant for high school.  So this role comes easily to me and, in truth, Mark relies on me to do just that since he hates reading and researching.  The problem is that right now, as far as D goes, he is not tracking with me..and it shows.  Seth's numbers prior to vacation were relatively normal.  I made a comment to Mark that I was exhausted as we were leaving.  He didn't understand why, so we agreed to let him take over Seth's D care while on vacation so that he could more readily understand what it is I do on a daily basis.  (Hubby works nights and sleeps days, so virtually all care falls to me).

We agreed that we would keep Seth's Lantus on the same schedule there as we do at home, so instead of a 9pm injection, it would be a 1am injection to account for the time difference.  I reminded him that if Seth was over 150 at a meal of 2 hours after a meal he needed to correct using 1 unit of insulin for every 50 he was over.

And I was so exhausted and NEEDED him to understand what it is I do to keep Seth in range, that control freak me let it go...completely.  I set the alarm for 3 am checks and headed to bed.  Most nights we were still up at 1 am, so the Lantus shot was not a problem.  Where the problems began was Mark decided that rather than correct between meals, they would just do it at meals.  Since I am a huge Disney freak, Mark and Seth spent more time at the resort and pool than the girls did, we spent a majority of our time at the parks.  So, I did not know that correcting was NOT happening.  This created a bond, if you will, between Mark and Seth, because Seth Hates correcting between meals, he really fights me on it.

Further, one night at dinner, Seth got mad at me when he asked me to help him figure out carb amounts.  He didn't like the amount that I suggested, so he started yelling at me.  I knew his BG was high, due to his irrational behavior, but the issue he brought up with me is that he no longer wants me to do 3 am testing at home and doesn't see the point for it since dad isn't doing it on vacation and he's fine...further he thinks the best way to die would be in his sleep, so who cares, if it happens, it happens.  :(  (Seriously, if I have anything to do about that, it will not happen on my watch)

When I pulled the BG records a couple of days later when we got home, I found that Seth's BG was very consistently in the 200-300 range with a couple of spikes in the 400 range. He must have felt like crap the whole vacation.

Now that we are home, it has been hard getting Seth's numbers in range.  When I go to test him at 3 am, he is not happy.  He  is sneaking food and not covering for it...and I am just struggling with it all.

Because Mark has not done the research, he does not seem to understand the seriousness of long term high blood sugar numbers.  And when I mention them, he thinks I am being dramatic.  So, we are at odds on this and I am, once again, exhausted.

Fake Pump

So tomorrow we are scheduled to do a practice insertion of the canulla for Seth and then he will do a Saline trial for the Medtronic pump for the weekend.  I am pretty much over the moon I am so excited at what this could mean for us.

Apple Dip

We have been looking for healthy snack options that will stick with Seth.  I found a recipe on Pinterest that linked to this article for a healthy Apple Dip and decided to try it.  The kids and I like it a lot, Mark not so much.  But 3 out of 4 counts as a win in my book.  (I'll update the stats when Ashlyn comes home for the summer...even though she doesn't comment on my blog.)

After our initial mix...we modified it to our taste and ended up with the recipe below.  Please note, we just got back from a sweet laden vacation and I think our taste buds are on overdrive.  The recipe calls for 1/2T honey, but I couldn't handle how bitter it was.  The next time I make it, after we have been home and weaned off sweets again, I will keep trying it with reduced amounts of honey to further bring down the carb count.

Almond Butter Yogurt Dip  

1 Cup Non-Fat Greek Yogurt (we used Fage)= 9 Carbs
1/2 Cup Almond Butter= 32 Carbs
2 Tbsp Honey= 34 Carbs
1/8 tsp Cinnamon= 0 Carbs
 Total Carb Count 75

We divided this into 7 servings, so it worked out to 10.7 carbs per serving which we rounded up to 11.  An apple the size of your fist is 15 carbs, so combined with the dip, this is a 26 carb snack.  I know it's a little higher, most snacks are recommended at 15 but Seth is getting so tired of the same ole snacks. I need to do something to make it different for him.  And tonight, I had Seth and Leah split an apple with a serving of the dip and they were both satisfied.

What I REALLY like is that the Yogurt has 23g of protein for 1C and the Almond Butter has 24g of protein for the 1/2C we used, which I am hoping means that it will stick with Seth, my growing boy, a lot longer.  That means each serving has almost 7g of protein.  I'll take it!

Home

We are home!  My bed feels SO good and we are now trying to get caught up on laundry and get to the grocery store so the kids can have lunch tomorrow.  :)  We had a great time, Seth ran higher than normal and we made our peace with that, though it was nice to go to the pool to bring his number down.  And I was very touched that his doctor called us during the vacation to check in and see if we had any questions and to remind us that we could call her at work or at home if we had any problems.  Just one of the things I LOVE about our small community.  I'll get caught up soon and regular postings will resume, but this four hour time change, on top of losing an hour with daylight savings time, is kicking our behinds...we are seriously rummy, and sunburned, and getting some serious puppy love. Life is good.

~B

April Writing Challenge

I just wanted to tell you about a new activity I'll be doing this April. The Health Activist Writer's Month Challenge hosted by WEGO Health. I will be writing a post a day for all 30 days (wish me luck!).

I'm inviting you to join me in writing every day  in April about health. It's going to be a lot of fun and I'd love to see what you have to say about each of the topics, too. All you have to do to join is sign up here: http://info.wegohealth.com/HAWMC2012 and you'll be able to start posting once April rolls around.

I am looking forward to reading what have to write about.

I Believe

There are times in life that you come across something that makes you take pause and hug your family closer.  One of the blogs that I love to read and is linked on the Diabetes Blogs I LOVE at the top of my pages is called "Our Diabetic Life".  Meri is the author of this blog and I love her humorous take on life and Diabetes.  Meri is a woman of strength.  She and her husband Ryan have 4 beautiful boys and 3 of their boys ...3... have Type 1 Diabetes.  I.can't.even.imagine. 

Meri shares the nitty gritty of it on her blog, the disappointments and the accomplishments and I connect with the emotions she shares about their D life.

Today, while on lunch, I clicked to her blog to see what she had to share and the title of her post clutched at my heart:  Cancer

I encourage you to click on that word, it will take you to her post.  Her words are heartfelt and powerful and I found myself at my desk with tears running down my face.  Heartbroken at what this family is now facing...on top of what they already face on a daily basis.

This Sunday, they are asking for a miracle.  They are asking for those that would like to do so to pray for their family.  They too will be fasting and praying for a miracle.

A Facebook page for the Schumacher Family has been created that will be updated with progress.

Sigh.

~Becky