Diabetes Talking

Question:

Patricia have you checked out the children with diabetes web site? This site can be extremely helpful and it includes chat rooms for parents which are often quite full as well as an ask the diabetes team area and pen pal area. ctantiques

Response:

Well I have already replied to your earlier message. Diabetes is just a medical condition, there are a lot worse things to have. Still, it isn’t fun seeing your wee one upset when it comes to injections and finger pricks. Take the time to train someone you can trust, then take off for the weekend, or even overnight somewhere and recharge your batteries. It will do you the world of good. Antony

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am the single parent of Aaron the 4 yo boy recently diagnosed.  I admit I am in denial alot over this.  I worry myself anxious over what the future may bring.  So far our blood sugars are running on the high side and we are introducing short acting insulin into the NPH to bring the values into range.  My husband had to leave our house maybe because I am over serious about this and he is more non chalant.  But I noticed he has been drinking alcohol more maybe to numb his fears.  The counsellor I see, and our son’s counsellor at the education center has highlighted that this disease tends to amplifly underlying existing problems.   This is true.  I see a tough road ahead and I want to prepare myself because I want to help my child manage his illness and be as healthy as possible.  But this is hard to do because of the noticable changes in him, mood swings, unruliness, physical things like when his BS drops from 15 to 10 he gets white, easily tired, ssweaty, etc.  I know we haven’t gotten the insulin dosage worked out yet and I an anxious because we have been running higher numbers for the last 2 weeks.  I am following our nurses advice and changing insulin 1 dose and time  at a time…… but still how has everyone else coped with all this……. advice or suggestions…… — Patricia L. Skripitsky

Response:

We have trained my sister and mother to test and administer insulin to Nick (7 yo, t1 3 yrs).  He spends a week or two with both of them every year. Remember, you are just a phone call away. Not only do we get a break, Nick gets to have a really nice visit with Grandma and his cousins.  It also alleviates some of the fears of the rest of the family.  It is a good idea. Now if we could just get things regulated at school…(sigh) Apryl

Response:

I am the single parent of Aaron the 4 yo boy recently diagnosed.  I admit I am in denial alot over this.  I worry myself anxious over what the future may bring.  So far our blood sugars are running on the high side and we are introducing short acting insulin into the NPH to bring the values into range.  My husband had to leave our house maybe because I am over serious about this and he is more non chalant.  But I noticed he has been drinking alcohol more maybe to numb his fears.  The counsellor I see, and our son’s counsellor at the education center has highlighted that this disease tends to amplifly underlying existing problems.   This is true.  I see a tough road ahead and I want to prepare myself because I want to help my child manage his illness and be as healthy as possible.  But this is hard to do because of the noticable changes in him, mood swings, unruliness, physical things like when his BS drops from 15 to 10 he gets white, easily tired, ssweaty, etc.  I know we haven’t gotten the insulin dosage worked out yet and I an anxious because we have been running higher numbers for the last 2 weeks.  I am following our nurses advice and changing insulin 1 dose and time  at a time…… but still how has everyone else coped with all this……. advice or suggestions…… — Patricia L. Skripitsky

Response:

Diabetes is a major disease, no question about it. Fortunately you your can be like other kids. It’s just that he need more care from your part. Test often (over 10 times round the clock) for a few months and you will get a better handle just how his bg responds to life with insulin. You will get a lot of info from internet but just plain common sense & advice from doctors will get you through the hurdles. What works for my son (diagnosed at 3.5 years old in 1996, now 7 years old): – testing often, 10 times a day (and test at night too, this is important). Some say this is too much. Our doctor said that we’re just exhausting ourselves. This is where I disagreed with him. I sleep better when I can be really sure my son is OK. I’ve talked to some other doctor whose own son/daughter is Type 1 and they all test at least once a night. – find out which insulin regimen works best for your kid.  If you use a needle to inject don’t mix insulins. Give each shot separately. this will give a more consistent result. We used six shot a day, sometimes using Ultratard, Protaphan, Actrapid and Humalog for months. Now we’re using the pump and injecting with it is a *lot* more easier and *much* less painfull. – calculate everything that goes into his mouth and contain carbohydrates. You’ll soon find out that "’x’ grams of ‘y’ type of carbohydrates causes a spike lasting ‘z’ hours but can be dealth with a ‘q’ units of insulin ‘w’". Carbohydrate counting is easy when you do it all the time. – get a Vaculance lancer and use it with Glucometer Elite. This really made a different to a small kid. We seldom use fingers nowadays. Testing from a leg or waist is easier and less cumbersome. – if you can, get a pump. They are expensive but worth it. – last thing: yours son’s diabetes will some day be cured. Science and medicine are advancing and real progress is made. It’s now 01:50 in the morning for me and I’m going now to check my son’s bg again to see If I can finally go to bed. It’ was 5.0 (90 U.S scale) which is great but going down from previous bg. I gave 13 cho juice and shut down the pump for an hour. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am the single parent of Aaron the 4 yo boy recently diagnosed.  I admit I am in denial alot over this.  I worry myself anxious over what the future may bring.  So far our blood sugars are running on the high side and we are introducing short acting insulin into the NPH to bring the values into range.  My husband had to leave our house maybe because I am over serious about this and he is more non chalant.  But I noticed he has been drinking alcohol more maybe to numb his fears.  The counsellor I see, and our son’s counsellor at the education center has highlighted that this disease tends to amplifly underlying existing problems.   This is true.  I see a tough road ahead and I want to prepare myself because I want to help my child manage his illness and be as healthy as possible.  But this is hard to do because of the noticable changes in him, mood swings, unruliness, physical things like when his BS drops from 15 to 10 he gets white, easily tired, ssweaty, etc.  I know we haven’t gotten the insulin dosage worked out yet and I an anxious because we have been running higher numbers for the last 2 weeks.  I am following our nurses advice and changing insulin 1 dose and time  at a time…… but still how has everyone else coped with all this……. advice or suggestions……

To email me remove the NOSPAM from my email address

Response: