Friday, May 27, 2011

crazy week

Thank goodness for Friday...

This has been one crazy week. I was involved in a car accident on Monday when I guy jumped a red traffic light. He turned right in front of me, and I was unable to stop in time. I was just so relieved it happened after I dropped my boy. Luckily I was not hurt. Now the week has been spent dealing with insurance issues, which are a huge pain! They have been very efficient, with the only outstanding issue now " placing blame". The other driver has, of course, denied fault. There was a witness, so now I am waiting for the insurance to contact me regarding his statement. Hopefully this will all work in my favour and I will get
excess back!

And my car.. In for repairs, with no idea when I still be getting it back! Apparently they are waiting for parts, and there have been major delays with this recently.

The rest of my week, uneventful. Had another awesome swimming lesson. He is enjoying them much now, and so am I. Our place is also finally on the market, so we will also be looking at new property a little more seriously now.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

nursery school decisions

I went to visit another nursery school today. I have only visited two so far, but don't really think I will be visiting much more (there one more possibility, but then that will be it). We have not really made a final decision yet, but so far will be applying at both I have visited, mainly because the first one is already full so we will be placed on a waiting list anyway. There was really not a lot of difference between the two I have visited so far, and I got a good feeling from them both. They are quite similar in terms of what they offer, but there is quite a difference in their monthly costs. Both of these are also substantially more expensive than our current place.

The main difference between the ones I am considering now and the current one is opening times. Moving him will mean adjusting my work hours, but this should not be too much of a problem. Also the one I visited today shuts for a full 4 weeks at the end of the year (I need to check on the other one as I forgot to ask how long that closing time is for).

While he is still able to stay on at the current place I feel I need to trust my gut. And my gut is telling me it is time to move. We have been very happy with the current place. Of course there were little issues, but then no place will ever be perfect, or do everything exactly the way you want it to be done. I also think they were a perfect place for the stage he has been in - baby to entering toddlerhood, but I would like a more structured environment with more focus on education from next year. The current place is new-ish, and was initially only going to take babies up to age 2, so he would have been moving next year anyway.... Only now they have started to expand (and in some ways I think they are expanding too fast...). I feel quite weird about moving him though - he has settled in so well there and has made friends and gets along with the staff. But I am sure he will settle in quite quickly at a new place also.

These decisions are so difficult, much harder than I thought they would be. Just so many things to consider. It amazes me when I talk to other moms and they are just not really aware of all this, or making any plans for their kids yet in terms of schooling etc. They just seem to take every day as it comes, while someone like me has already investigated proper schools and what we would like for him in terms of his education.

So now there are forms to be filled in and deposits to be paid. Then we wait...

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

aaargh temp basal

What a terrible day that could have been better if only I had been paying attention.... My temp 150% basal ended this morning, probably around 06:30. I did not reset it. At lunch I was high - not terribly high, but very high. I just chalked it up to miscalculating breakfast or something (even though I was pretty certain I didn't, and I had not tested after breakfast because of meetings). So I decided to have lunch anyway and just correct because I was hungry. Come 2 hours post lunch and I am now sky high. take correction and as the insulin is trickling in it dawns on me... Hopefully I will be back in range in a couple of hours. I just hate feeling this way!

I had all my blood tests done today in preparation of my appointment next week.

Coming up later this week - preschool decisions. Have another visit set up for Thursday morning. It has been a bit of an issue at the moment, with leaving the planning so late. I guess I was a bit relaxed since he can actually stay at the place he is at now. But, I need to trust my gut, and my gut is telling me to move him.

Monday, May 9, 2011

diabetes and sarcoid treatment

About 2 and a half weeks ago I started treatment for Sarcoidosis. The decision to start followed my second brain MRI (this time with contrast), which confirmed neuro sarcoidosis. It does not seem “too bad”, but my doctor wanted to get a neuro consult and start treatment immediately.

I started on 20mg prednisone per day for the first 10 days, and then reduced to 10mg. The effects on my blood sugar set in about 5 hours after taking my first dose. I increased my basal rate up to 150% gradually over two days and things seemed to settle there. But then a couple days later I started experiencing some lows around midnight, and had to start adjusting. The weird thing was that I still needed to run my basal at 150% for most of the day, but not at night. I reduced my rates, and strangely ended up on LESS insulin between about 10:00 and 02:00 than before the prednisone. I know this sounds a bit impossible, but things have seemed to be a bit more stable since. After reducing my dose to 10mg there were no real changes.

I am also on 15mg methotrexate per week. I have not experienced anything too bad related too this. I had slight cramping now and then a day or so after taking it. I noticed after the second dose that I was losing a bit more hair than normal, but nothing too bad. It was decided to add the methotrexate in order to keep the prednisone dose as low as possible. My doctor does not like prescribing it to women of child bearing age, or women who still want to have kids because of the possible side effects on fertility. But because of our fertility history this was really not an issue for me. I am also taking 5mg folic acid per day, along with a multi vitamin.

I have a couple of bruises on my legs, which I think is possibly because of the meds. Headaches are infrequent now. My facial movement has mostly returned – my smile is still a bit skew, and then I also don’t have full movement back around my eye. I am still without my sense of smell – which sometimes I think is a blessing in disguise. But I do miss it a lot. My taste is also still a bit altered.

I saw the neurologist who was happy with everything. I will now just monitor the improvement in my facial movement, and if in about another 4 weeks (6 weeks from my visit with him) there has not been much changes, I will go for a lumbar puncture. This will be mainly to determine whether the dosages are sufficient. I have a blood test in about 3 weeks – recheck my SACE level , and some other tests to see the effects of the methotrexate on my blood levels and liver. A week later I will another lung x-ray and lung functions done and see my pulmonologist for an update.

To be honest it all probably sounds a lot scarier than it is. Most of the time I do not feel sick. I feel tired a lot, but that is about it. And most of the time I am just glad that I got diagnosed in the end, because I realise it could have taken a lot longer than it took.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

an award and update

So much to update on, so little time....

I am back at work after a short holiday. The holiday, albeit short, was much needed and thoroughly enjoyed. We visited a small town outside the city for a few days, just chilling (and trying to keep warm, as it turned out to be freezing there due to the early snow....). I even fitted in a little Spa treatment!

It was so much fun being able to spend such a lot of time with my boy. He really is growing up fast now. 18 months... where did the time go?! He is an active little boy, running and hardly ever walking, climbing and jumping on anything, and talking all the time - even though he does not have too many words yet. He has become quite a lovable little guy, dishing out hugs and kisses to mom on demand most of the time. Cars are still his favourite toys, but he has starting enjoying paging through his books a lot more recently. And of course his favourite book is one with pictures of cars and truck in it! Feeding is still mostly an easy task, as he will practically eat anything. But of course anything that mom is eating is a hit right now.

I visited a preschool a couple of weeks ago. The visit went well, but unfortunately they have a waiting list for next year already. We will likely put his name on the list and see what happens toward the end of the year. I will also be contacting another preschool in the next week or so. He is still able to stay where he is now next year, but I am still of the opinion that we should move him.

Thank you Blackhuff for the Versatile Blogger award (it took me long enough!) So 7 things about me....
  • I am an online gamer... Few people know or would probably expect this. I do not play nearly as often as I did before having my son, but I still enjoy playing a lot.
  • I HATE shopping – absolutely detest it.
  • I grew up in a small town, but I always knew I would never be able to live there. I could not wait to finish school and get out of there.
  • I would not say I am addicted, but I do spend a large part of my day online.
  • I love reading. Finding time to read has been hard, but since getting my Kindle (Best Gift Ever!) I have started up again. Just really need to control myself – buying books is way too easy now!
  • I get along really well with my in laws ... yes, even my mother in law.
  • I do not like having my picture taken. I also do not generally take a lot of pictures. This does not include pictures of my son though – but lately he will not stay still enough to have decent ones taken!