This year I attended a photo exhibition of what my doctor calls "the real heroes" of diabetes. I was asked if I would be willing to participate, and been eagerly anticipating Monday's opening. It went well, although seeing people looking at my picture made me feel really self conscious! I also had to write a short piece to accompany the picture - that was hard!
On Saturday we will be doing a 5km walk - I have been doing this walk since it started, and my husband has been walking with me since the second year. Last year my son joined us too. I enjoy doing the walk, and also knowing that I am surrounded by other people with diabetes. And spotting insulin pumps on others.
And maybe Saturday will motivate me a little more to get some basal testing done. I hooked up to my CGMS again last week, but just never got round to doing it. It is like a mental block - when I know I am going to be doing it and will not be able to eat, it is as though my body wil just need something! Or my BG will not cooperate entirely at the slot I think of doing. I am in desperate need of a little tweaking - I think, as I have not done this in quite some time and have made some basal changes...
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
two
You turned two just over a week ago. Two! I cannot believe how much you have grown and changed this past year. You run everywhere, and never sit still for long - except for the movie Cars. You are talking loads, and even making short little sentences. You love pointing things out to me, particularly cars, busses, trucks, and "man on motorbike". You are a real little boy - running and playing with cars, with bruises and scratches across your legs and dirty hands. I love you more than I ever thought possible.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
kicking diabetes and sarcoid butt
It has been so long since I have updated...
Today I had my first pulmonologist check-up after stopping steroids completely about a month ago. Things are still looking good. My HbA1c has improved from 7.4% to 6.8%, but diabetes control has become so much easier again (not easy, just easier) since stopping the steroids. I hope that I can stay off them permanently. I am still on the Methotrexate, and will still be continuing with this. My SACE has increased slightly from 21 to 36, but the doctor did not seem too concerned about this. I will be doing a full visit again in two months, with lung function tests, X-Ray and blood tests (also particularly to test the level of Vit D), and if things are still looking good they will start to consider a reduction in the methotrexate. The only symptoms remaining now are loss of sense of smell, tiredness (I am still sleeping a lot more than before all this started), and slight weakness in the facial nerve.
I am so relieved that my HbA1c is going in the right direction again, as I tried so hard to get it below (and keep it there) before falling pregnant. I managed to do that, and keep it below 7 for the duration of my pregnancy, and only saw the increase to above 7 again after being on the steroids.
This week is very special for me, filled with special memories (and scary ones). On Friday my son turns 2. More on all that later.
My Endo's practice has arranged an exhibition for Diabetes month and asked whether I would participate. It included a photograph, and I have had to write a short few paragraphs to accompany it. The focus with mine is pregnancy and healthy baby with diabetes.
Today I had my first pulmonologist check-up after stopping steroids completely about a month ago. Things are still looking good. My HbA1c has improved from 7.4% to 6.8%, but diabetes control has become so much easier again (not easy, just easier) since stopping the steroids. I hope that I can stay off them permanently. I am still on the Methotrexate, and will still be continuing with this. My SACE has increased slightly from 21 to 36, but the doctor did not seem too concerned about this. I will be doing a full visit again in two months, with lung function tests, X-Ray and blood tests (also particularly to test the level of Vit D), and if things are still looking good they will start to consider a reduction in the methotrexate. The only symptoms remaining now are loss of sense of smell, tiredness (I am still sleeping a lot more than before all this started), and slight weakness in the facial nerve.
I am so relieved that my HbA1c is going in the right direction again, as I tried so hard to get it below (and keep it there) before falling pregnant. I managed to do that, and keep it below 7 for the duration of my pregnancy, and only saw the increase to above 7 again after being on the steroids.
This week is very special for me, filled with special memories (and scary ones). On Friday my son turns 2. More on all that later.
My Endo's practice has arranged an exhibition for Diabetes month and asked whether I would participate. It included a photograph, and I have had to write a short few paragraphs to accompany it. The focus with mine is pregnancy and healthy baby with diabetes.
Friday, September 16, 2011
friday :)
I am so relieved that it is Friday after the week that I've had. Looking forward to a relaxing weekend with my boys, and hopefully getting out too...
The party is practically completely planned now. Venue has been booked, and cake has been ordered. I just need to sort out the invitations still and send them out. We are having the party on the Sunday after his birthday, and on his birthday (the Friday) we will likely have some cake and tea with the family. I really cannot believe that he is almost 2 - I probably say it way too much, but I am just amazed at how fast these past two years have gone.
He has been accepted at the other nursery school we applied to. In terms of location it is quite convenient - very close to where he currently is, and on the way to work for me (about halfway or so). Their opening times are slight different (shorter), but I am sure it will be manageable.
His vocabulary is growing daily now. He still repeats most of what we say, and sometimes (a lot...) surprises me with a new word or two. He is as stubborn as can be at times. He still loves playing with cars, and Cars is most definitely his favourite movie.
He will also be getting a nephew soon (from his dad’s side). Not sure what his name is yet, but he should arrive on my boy’s birthday. In a way it saddens me to think that they may likely not “grow up” together as that part of the family doesn’t spend that much time with us. I am actually a bit confused about how I am supposed to act, or how much I am supposed to do/ask/give etc., because of the nature of the relationship between us. I am not even sure when (and if) to visit after the baby arrives. (To put it in simple terms, she neither visited while I was in hospital nor after I was released or my boy came home. I hate having to put it that way – “I will do to them what they did to me”, because that will also be wrong.) I really wish I knew what to do and that it were easier. Family dynamics can just be so complicated to deal with!
Diabetes has been a bit difficult to control at times. Most of it probably due to weaning steroids, but I have also been sick in the past two weeks. I still have about two weeks of steroids left, then I go off it completely. I will see my pulmonologist and have some bloods drawn about a month later. Today I am seeing another doctor (it is crazy, another specialist, but hopefully it will be more of a routine visit than anything else).
The party is practically completely planned now. Venue has been booked, and cake has been ordered. I just need to sort out the invitations still and send them out. We are having the party on the Sunday after his birthday, and on his birthday (the Friday) we will likely have some cake and tea with the family. I really cannot believe that he is almost 2 - I probably say it way too much, but I am just amazed at how fast these past two years have gone.
He has been accepted at the other nursery school we applied to. In terms of location it is quite convenient - very close to where he currently is, and on the way to work for me (about halfway or so). Their opening times are slight different (shorter), but I am sure it will be manageable.
His vocabulary is growing daily now. He still repeats most of what we say, and sometimes (a lot...) surprises me with a new word or two. He is as stubborn as can be at times. He still loves playing with cars, and Cars is most definitely his favourite movie.
He will also be getting a nephew soon (from his dad’s side). Not sure what his name is yet, but he should arrive on my boy’s birthday. In a way it saddens me to think that they may likely not “grow up” together as that part of the family doesn’t spend that much time with us. I am actually a bit confused about how I am supposed to act, or how much I am supposed to do/ask/give etc., because of the nature of the relationship between us. I am not even sure when (and if) to visit after the baby arrives. (To put it in simple terms, she neither visited while I was in hospital nor after I was released or my boy came home. I hate having to put it that way – “I will do to them what they did to me”, because that will also be wrong.) I really wish I knew what to do and that it were easier. Family dynamics can just be so complicated to deal with!
Diabetes has been a bit difficult to control at times. Most of it probably due to weaning steroids, but I have also been sick in the past two weeks. I still have about two weeks of steroids left, then I go off it completely. I will see my pulmonologist and have some bloods drawn about a month later. Today I am seeing another doctor (it is crazy, another specialist, but hopefully it will be more of a routine visit than anything else).
Friday, August 26, 2011
weaning steroids and refusing vegetables
This week I started the next "step" in the steroids weaning process. I am now on 5mg on alternate days. Today is my second "steroid free" day. I had not really expected to be affected by it, but it turns out I was wrong. Blood glucose chaos... with me stressing about it a lot, because I was already anticipating the issues to come the following day and the next. Well, yesterday was not a good day either, and today is not going too much better either. Four more weeks or so to go before I stop them completely. I am really looking forward to that as at least then, after dealing with the "aftermath", things should be back to being a bit more stable again.
My boy is growing up so fast. He continuously repeats things we say, learning new things every day. He seems to have entered the toddler eating stage with a vengeance now - refusing vegetables, or eating it with great reluctance. One day this week he ate all the chicken on his place and demanded "More, More". We have had a few mornings of tears at the day care - breaks my heart every time.
My boy is growing up so fast. He continuously repeats things we say, learning new things every day. He seems to have entered the toddler eating stage with a vengeance now - refusing vegetables, or eating it with great reluctance. One day this week he ate all the chicken on his place and demanded "More, More". We have had a few mornings of tears at the day care - breaks my heart every time.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
the wee wee
Yesterday I bought a potty - one that can be used as a stock standard potty, a step stool to reach the basin or be able to get onto the "proper toilet", and a removable seat which can be attached to the toilet. Up to now I have only had one that qualifies more as a travel potty - you are able to use it "on the floor" with little baggies, or as an attachment on the actual toilet. At first my boy did not like sitting on the real one. I did not push the issue, left the potty in the bathroom, and never tried again. Eventually he started putting 2 and 2 together. A couple of weeks ago he started pointing at it saying "wee wee". When it was bath time and he did it I would let him sit on it for a while. He has never actually done anything in it of course... He seemed real excited with his new, as he calls it, "wee wee" yesterday. Of course it was carried all around for some time, used to sit on in the lounge too, and opened and closed numerous times. He sat on it before his bath last night, and again this morning during a nappy change when he asked for it. I am sure we still have a very looooong road to travel, but it is exciting to be reaching this milestone. I have been told that boys take longer / start later / are more difficult than girls, so I guess we have our work cut out for us!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
rewarding bad behaviour
A recent blogpost by Blackhuff reminded me of something that happened a little while ago, which is slightly related to what she was discussing...
After picking my boy up from day care I decided to take him for a walk in the area before going home. We took a walk and when we got back to the car he was really unhappy – he is such an outdoor creature, just loves being outside all the time. So when I tried to put him back into his carseat he fought back – violently I might add! Just kept pulling his little body stiff and saying “no, no, no”, making it near impossible for me to tie him in. So, because I was in no hurry, I did not force him down immediately, but rather just tried to calm him down, and even reason with him. But of course, he wanted nothing of it.... Another mom pulled up behind me, and wanted my parking spot. I told her that I was going to be a while. She got out of her car and stared at me for a while and said that her daughter did the same (Her daughter is a little younger than C). This is the first time he has protested getting into his carseat, and I knew it was just because he wanted to be outside, so I told her this. She then asks why I don’t give him “something” – meaning a “treat” or bottle of sorts. To which I answered that I do not see the point as it is not that he wants (or needs for that matter) anything, he just does not want to get back in as he wants to be outside. She then adds that she “bribes” her daughter with “Flings” when he daughter does not want to get into the carseat.
Now first off – I do not have crisps or anything of the sort with me at all times to use for bribing. I discussed this later with my husband and a friend. I could not believe that people actually do this, actually I can, and she probably judged me quite a bit on my parenting “skills”. I will NEVER give him a treat in order for him to do something like get into his carseat. What is the point?? – so he will then get into his carseat and eat his snack. Then, next time he will use that behaviour to get a treat, right? I believe that doing so could teach him that behaving in a certain way will get him “rewarded”. And “rewarding” bad behaviour is not exactly something I would want to encourage, and I see this as doing exactly that.
I am pretty sure that at some point I will be faced with a situation where I will be doing exactly what I say I would never do, but I would not want this to become the norm. And I am glad that up to know I can confidently say that I have not yet “rewarded” bad behaviour.
After picking my boy up from day care I decided to take him for a walk in the area before going home. We took a walk and when we got back to the car he was really unhappy – he is such an outdoor creature, just loves being outside all the time. So when I tried to put him back into his carseat he fought back – violently I might add! Just kept pulling his little body stiff and saying “no, no, no”, making it near impossible for me to tie him in. So, because I was in no hurry, I did not force him down immediately, but rather just tried to calm him down, and even reason with him. But of course, he wanted nothing of it.... Another mom pulled up behind me, and wanted my parking spot. I told her that I was going to be a while. She got out of her car and stared at me for a while and said that her daughter did the same (Her daughter is a little younger than C). This is the first time he has protested getting into his carseat, and I knew it was just because he wanted to be outside, so I told her this. She then asks why I don’t give him “something” – meaning a “treat” or bottle of sorts. To which I answered that I do not see the point as it is not that he wants (or needs for that matter) anything, he just does not want to get back in as he wants to be outside. She then adds that she “bribes” her daughter with “Flings” when he daughter does not want to get into the carseat.
Now first off – I do not have crisps or anything of the sort with me at all times to use for bribing. I discussed this later with my husband and a friend. I could not believe that people actually do this, actually I can, and she probably judged me quite a bit on my parenting “skills”. I will NEVER give him a treat in order for him to do something like get into his carseat. What is the point?? – so he will then get into his carseat and eat his snack. Then, next time he will use that behaviour to get a treat, right? I believe that doing so could teach him that behaving in a certain way will get him “rewarded”. And “rewarding” bad behaviour is not exactly something I would want to encourage, and I see this as doing exactly that.
I am pretty sure that at some point I will be faced with a situation where I will be doing exactly what I say I would never do, but I would not want this to become the norm. And I am glad that up to know I can confidently say that I have not yet “rewarded” bad behaviour.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)