My Car Screams Diabetes!

I am one of those people that always wants to be prepared and that means always having what I need in case of an emergency. My car has become the carrier of all that is diabetes.

I have 2 items in my car that I never leave home without and they are my “Car Visor” which carry’s a fast acting sugar dex4 (we love dex4) and my purple organizer loaded with test strips glucagon, pump site change,needles,spare test kit, another dex 4 and spare batteries. I always swap out what has expired with the change of season and this has worked out great. So you can imagine my surprise when I was cleaning out my car this week and found:

In my glove compartment I had not 1 but 4 boxes of test strips (all expired ) and i am not even sure how long they have been there. In the slot of the passenger door is a glucagon (expired) a open box of needles. In my arm rest where i store my cd’s are 3 drink boxes (now this was really surprising that they did not open and leak) but they too have expired. In the pocket holders behind my seats was another box of test strips (do you think I am afraid we will be without?) a test meter that doesn’t work, (this was left behind by some child who’s test meter needed batteries. Where i keep change are 3 pump batteries and 1 meter battery. The funny thing about all of this is that all these things were brought into the car at one time or another and I don’t remember bringing any of them into the car. All of my supplies are in my organizer or car visor. So all of these items test strips etc were left in the car by one of the kids when in a hurry they grab a box from the house take a vial and leave the 2nd vial in the car, grab an extra drink box, needed a battery for a pump and swapped then out in the car leaving the used battery in my change holder.

If you are a passenger in my car it screams diabetes! From the test strips, car visor, drink boxes and meters, how could you not know that a mom of child with diabetes is on board! Well I finally got everything cleanned up and thrown out and I am back to my nice neat Car Visor and purple organizer taking care of all my diabetes necessities.

I dropped my daughter off at a friends the other day and on the seat she left a drink box and 1 box with 1 unused vial of test strips, I automatically picked up the drink box and went to put it in my arm rest and threw the vial of test strips in the glove compartment!
Here we go again!

Pump Wear Inc. Where Kids Are Kids and Adults Just Have fun!

Is It A Good Idea?

Is It A Good Idea?

I believe every parent who has a child with diabetes will experience this at some point in their child’s life. When the testing frequently becomes an issue.

I use to believe it would get easier as they got older, I no longer think that way. When our children are young we have virtual control over everything they eat, how often they test and even though there’s just no controlling diabetes we at least could fool ourselves into thinking that we had a handle on what was going on.

Then that fateful day comes when our children go off to the Middle Schools and are pretty much responsible for their daily testing of blood sugars during the day. You would think that a child who has had diabetes all of their life would just automatically remember to test before eating, when feeling high or low. Now that they are away from us and taking on more control of their diabetes I long for the way to make this a positive experience. I am tired of the hounding text messages checking to see if my child is testing, if she remembered to bolus, then downloading meters and pumps only to find out that what I thought the numbers were are not quite the same as the ones I downloaded.

So my question is this, with the New Year Approaching, I am adapting a new strategy! I will be looking at the pump each day to ensure proper testing and blousing, at the end of the week if we have had 4 days (I have to allow a day for the oops I forgot) of doing what we need to do than we will be giving out a reward, something fun like movie tickets, a trip to Target or something else that is special for a job well done.

So do you think it’s a good idea to reward our children for taking on the responsibility and care of their diabetes? I will let you know our results, Remember our kids are kids first and as hard as it is we still need to make teaching them what they need to do a positive experience.

Lists, Lists & More Lists

Lists, Lists, & More Lists!

You know its bad when you can’t find the list! This Christmas I started out with a list so I would know what I had already purchased, who was getting what, sizes etc. Well early into my Holiday Season, I lost that particular list. Now I am left with that kind of unfinished feeling, like I forgot someone, or the feeling that someone is getting a whole lot more than everyone else? Ever had that feeling?

When diabetes first entered our world 10 years ago (has it really been that long). I use to write everything down, I could tell you the exact time that Nikki ate something, the number of carbs, the insulin she took, when it peaked etc, etc. At that time I walked around with notebooks, a notebook for blood sugars, my list of things I had to do, a list for every day things to do. I had so many lists I needed a bag just to carry my notebooks of lists.

Then technology took over my lists became fewer and fewer as I tried using my blackberry to make lists, my outlook and my apple computer, but nothing for me works better than my good old notebook! I do so like my lists but I really like seeing them on paper and putting that little check mark next to the items as I complete them. I somehow feel like I accomplished something when I can put that check mark next to something I had to do! Of course if my Christmas list was on my blackberry I wouldn’t have lost it!

Are You High?

Are you high?

If you are like me you can probably tell when your child’s blood sugar is in the high range. With us we go from being extremely annoying, (guess which one this is), to being rude, loud or agitated, just to mention a few of the signs from our 3 children that tune me into the fact that the blood sugar is up there!.

So I ask are you high? Well as you can imagine that really isn’t the best way to be asking that question when you are working with teenagers and pre-teens, first of all they find it to be extremely funny (yeah mom I’am high). Although they find it funny others around really don’t have a clue what we are talking about so their ears perk up to gain knowledge on why this crazy women is asking their child if they are high?

So I have resorted to asking them to just test, or adding to the phase “Is your blood sugar high”? I wish there was a better way to ask that question, what’s a nice way to ask a child if their blood sugar is high? We should have a diabetes short hand for asking our kids questions that sounds cool and does the job of getting the desired result we want like:

1. Hey, what’s your number?
2. Hey, sound’s like you are up there, want to give me a clue
3. “What color is the sky”? (meaning how high are you)

Our own diabetes teen language, I am sure you all can come up with some really cute and cool ways to ask this question we would love to hear them, so feel free to share!

As a mom of 3 children with type 1 diabetes I try to find the positive in every situation and I am truly amazed at the out pour of support other parents of children with diabetes offer each other. Thank you all for your continued support !

It's Hard To Choose!

Dawn and I along with our Caring and Sharing Committee spent last night choosing families that need a special weekend. This was our second meeting to go over all of the entries that we received since May of 2009 from people recommending families for the 2010 Free Caring and Sharing Weekend.

Our committee of 5 poured over the heart wrenching letters from parents, diabetes educators, children themselves, grandparents and even people that have attended in the past. All telling us in their very warm way what a weekend like this would mean to them.

Reading these letters really makes you know how fortunate you really are, there are so many families dealing with so much more than just diabetes. You just want to contact every single family and send them a hug, and that’s what this camp is all about. It’s about having a place where families can just come together as a family and relax and enjoy each other. It’s a place where you recognize that you are not alone.

I can’t tell you how much all of us truly wish that we could say yes to every single letter. After hours of reading and rereading entries 17 families an 1 alternate were chosen.

We would like to send a special thank you to many of the people and companies that help us pull all this together, Medtronic Diabetes, Animas Corporation, Insulet Corporation, Ultra One Touch, Diabetes Health, Kathy Striker, Anne Levitt, Katie Marschilok , Nancy Toleno, Debbie Bennett and the wonderful staff at the Double H. These are just a few of the companies and people that help support and bring this wonderful weekend together.

To review prior Caring and Sharing Weekends take a look at http://www.pumpwearinc.com/index.php?page_id=447

If you would like to donate or help sponsor the Caring and Sharing Weekend feel free to contact us at info@pumpwear@nycap.rr.com

My Wish List For Diabetes Gadgets!

I love technology I am always waiting for the newest gadget that is on the market. I just have to say that one of the newest gadgets out there are the “Kindles” this is my all time favorite gadget. I find it helps with my tolerance level because no matter where I am now I can read and download books so if I have to wait an hour for an appointment its ok with me I just sit down and relax. I wish I had stock in the Kindles because I see this as the wave of the future before to long our children will know longer be carrying books they will all have one kindle with every school book they need on it. It will certainly help to not have to carry all those heavy books.

With diabetes the gadgets are getting better also. We have insulin pumps that communicate with meters, sensors that talk to pumps. We have Alarms that go off for low blood sugars, and alarms that go off for high blood sugars. We can download all kinds of data and the advances continue so I thought I would put out my list of diabetes related technology items that I would like to see:

My wish list for Diabetes gadgets:

The Mom Alert – this would be an alert that goes directly to my blackberry every time one of my children tests their blood sugar. Wouldn’t that be neat that every time they test you automatically get a text. This way I would know who tested, the time and the actual real blood sugar (after all the text couldn’t lie to me right). Of course the child would have no control on this (meaning they wouldn’t be able to turn it off) because believe they would try.

Safe Driver Starter – The car starter that won’t start without an actual blood test with a blood sugar within range. (and if it wants to send me a texts that's good too.

Weather Resistant pump and meters that were not affected by temperature so when I am out in the summer and the meter has been sitting in the car for hours it will still work.

Secret Santa

Our secret Santa, we started this tradition a couple of years ago and I wanted to share it with you. In one of our efforts to take the commercialism away from the holidays my husband and I decided to start a secret Santa with our kids. At thanksgiving we each pull a name and for the month of December we are that person’s secret Santa. The only rule with the secret Santa is that you have to do things for your secret Santa all month, just because. Know one knows who has who and its not about buying that person things, its about being there for that person, doing things that will be special to your secret person. Its about knowing that one person hates getting up and going out to a cold car, so someone starts their car in the morning for them, its about finding notes from your secret Santa that tell you how much they love you, its about coming home and finding your bed made the room tidy, its about getting an extra hug from someone, a foot massage when you least expect it and just learning about what makes the person who’s name you have pulled happy.

I just wanted to do my happy dance when this Thanksgiving, Nikki had all the names already in a bag to pull for our secret Santa’s and was so excited about it. It was funny to hear our sons commenting about what they did prior years, or who did what. I think I have found this to be my favorite activity during the holidays.

So take a moment and think about your special someone and surprise them with a secret note, or gesture you will be amazed at the smile it will bring to them and the hug it will give your heart.

Happy Holidays From your friends at Pump Wear

For fun creative ways to wear your insulin pump along with a growing line of diabetes awareness items visit us at www.pumpwearinc.com

Looking for the place to customize your own accessories, such as diabetes bags, packs and insulin pump accessories check out www.girlygirlstudio.com where you are the designer.

Thankful For

Thankful For

As we celebrate Thanksgiving this week, I just wanted to take a minute to thank everyone who has touched our lives this past year. It continues to amaze me how some people come into your life and how just knowing a person can bring so many new joys.

Although I absolutely hate this disease, I truly love the people that we have been blessed to meet and know through it. You know they say always find a positive and if there was ever a positive about Diabetes it is all of you wonderful people that have touched our lives.


From Our Family To Yours we wish you a holiday season filled with friends, relatives and love and joy, and a wish for a New Year with more advances in finding a cure for diabetes.

Happy Turkey Day!

So You Think You Can Dance Contest

Congratulations to Nikki & Madden who came in first place in the "So You Think You Can Dance Contest". This contest was held at the girls school and it was held just like American Idol with 3 judges that graded each act.

The girls worked extra hard on getting their act together, doing lots of practice. Madden's mom Jen was their coach and as Nikki will tell you she worked the hard! (funny what 12 year olds consider hard). All their hard work paid off.

Nikki wasn't thrilled about being the boy but she looked so cute and Madden was beautiful, they coordinated their outfits so the ribbon on the top of Nikki's hat matched Madden's dress.

It was a wonderful evening and all of the contestants did a really great job. It takes a lot for kids to get up in front of a full crowd of their peers and dance, then be judged.

So congratulations to everyone who participated. Of course Nikki's numbers were off the chart after the event, and there was only 1 trophy but the girls are doing wonderful sharing the prize, Nikki had it and Now Madden is enjoying it. Great to see how friends can share.

Julie

Finding The Medical Alert That Works

We all struggle with getting our children to wear a medical alert. Something that they will keep on. We have run the full scope of medical alerts trying to make sure that the Adam, Patrick and Nikki keep an alert on at all times. This is not easy as I am sure most of you know, you may start with something and think that they are wearing the alert than find that they have taken it off and are not actually wearing the alert at all times. Believe me this is an ongoing battle.

I think the pump itself is a direct give away that the person wearing it has diabetes but i still struggle to keep medical alerts on the kids.

Well we have been working with a line of diabetes awareness jewelry that is really cool Dazzling, multi-faceted crystal pendants that create the perfect focal point. Really beautiful jewelry, we have been playing with putting the word diabetes on one of the necklaces and fell in love with this vertical style alert.

The first shipment came in yesterday and 12 year old Nikki (yesterday was her birthday) saw them and immediately put one on. I did not ask her to wear one or even offer it to her she saw them and just wanted one. Finally something she really likes, the only thing is that its not waterproof so she does have to remove it to shower, but she doesn't seem to mind.

I would have a picture of her wearing it but she got out of here today before i could get the picture. So watch for the updated picture when she returns.

Driving With Diabetes

Safe Driving With Diabetes

As a mom with 2 sons with diabetes who are both driving I am interested in hearing how others handle “driving with diabetes”.

The things we have done:

1. Both boys are on sensors
2. We are instilling in them the importance of testing before they turn the key even if they feel fine.
3. We have visor cases in their cars with dex 4 tablets, a cake gel and a drink box all in the cars they drive.

Although we think we are covering all the basis I would be interest in hearing what others are doing to ensure that our kids are safe on the road. Have an idea, let us know, safe driving is important and we want to keep our kids safe.

Wouldn’t it be nice if the car wouldn’t start until they tapped a drop of blood into the installed tester and if it was under 70 wouldn’t let them start the car!

Julie

New Pump Pack & Meter Case Design Center!

Design Center Has Arrived!

It’s about time we finally have the ability to totally dress up diabetes, and now we can! With the help of our friends at Girly Girl Studio www.girlygirlstudio.com we now have the ability to design our own pump cases. With a large selection of growing fabric choices you now can design our popular pump cases in fabrics and styles that you like.

Meter cases can also be designed to match your insulin pump pack then for the really fashion conscience you can design a handbag, headbands, wallets, key chains, and even t-shirts all to match! Never have we had such awesome possibilities open to us.

So check out the new website of Girly Girl Studio and create your very own original insulin pump case here http://www.girlygirlstudio.com/more-gg/pump-packs.html

Enjoy, they also have gift certificates to give your special someone for the holidays

Because you are a friend of Pump Wear enter “pumpwear” in the coupon field when ordering and they will give you a 5% discount on anything you purchase through their store.

Julie & Dawn

The Sensors don’t lie

Well today we had our first appointment since Nikki went on the sensor last month. I am totally amazed at the amount of information that we were able to obtain, analyze and study.

It was very informative to see that at lunch time Nikki doesn’t bolus or test! This was something that I have been after her about and have even told her that she was going to have to start going to the nurse so that we could make sure that she does test at lunch time. She just started doing this and I don’t know exactly why all the sudden she can’t remember to test and bolus. Now that we have all the information in front of us there’s no denying what is going on. Nikki of course wanted to say that she was testing and blousing but when you have the charts and numbers and alarm notices (oh yeah she just turns those off every 2 hours), than there is no way to deny what is truly going on. (no wonder she is hating having to wear the sensor). I for one am glad to see a clear picture of what is really happening with her blood sugars.

I need to remember that she is only 11 and “she forgets” those are her words, how you forget something that you have been doing day in and day out for the past 10 years I don’t know. I would think it would be habit at this point but I could be wrong. I suspect that it might me more of an issue with not wanting to test and bolus in school, but I don’t know for sure.

So starting tomorrow her phone has been programmed to beep at lunch time she will test and text me the blood sugar and that she has bloused. 1 Missed test or bolus and it’s off to the nurse for her!

Next one up is Patrick can’t wait to see what his reveals!

Project Run Way Here We Come!

Nikki's done it again and created her own Halloween Costume! We love that she loves sewing and we love that she has a wonderful women Khyrn who teaches her everything. She loves doing costumes and I have to say I was impressed with this one, she just finished the hat and I was lucky enough to get the pictures before my camera died.

Happy Halloween Everyone!

The Report Card

It’s that time again , our 3 month check up. The A1C symbolizes a grade to me I know it shouldn't’t but it does and I sometimes feel like I am taking the test when studying all the wrong information. That’s what happens when our darlings grow up and become more responsible for their own care.

My children are growing fast and have taken on more responsibility for their care, they all change their own sites, count carbs and bolus on their own and Adam my oldest can even take himself to his doctor appointment. So how is it that this tiny number called an A1C can have such an impact over us.

It’s because that one little number (and we do hope its little under 7) really reflects what the child of the moment Adam, Patrick or Nikki’s blood sugar average has been for the last 3 months. The higher the number the worst its been the lower the number the happier we all are. I like to think positive so we are going to anticipate a great low number.

At our endo right when you walk in they take your pump and download all your numbers (no more telling them what you think they have been or relying on all your lists of numbers). Since my children are older now this has been really helpful. Being able to review the daily numbers can really now give me an idea of what is going on during the day when I am not with them.

I don’t know about you but my children know the numbers I like to hear for a blood sugar 120 and 90 and they will give me those numbers often when I am asking them what their blood sugar is (I ask it a lot). Funny when I look at their meters that’s rarely the number that is there. (sometimes they haven’t tested or they tested and they knew I would’t like the number that they actually are.) So yes even at ages 17 and 21 I still have to check meters.


Technology is a beautiful thing! We have started 2 of our children on sensors which I personally love being able to look and see what the blood sugar has been throughout the day. They also like being able to see how their blood sugars are moving.

Remembering they are still children but being strict in our belief that they test frequently and always have a fast acting sugar available. Reinforcing how proud we are of them when they are getting it right, testing and being responsible even if the number isn’t what we want.

Now that we have been on the sensor about 1 month, I am really curious to start and see where our A1C’s will be. I am looking for a good grade!

Scary Thing Happened!

A month ago we got a call that our oldest son Adam was wide awake but not responding to his friends. His friends tested him and he was 279. They called me and said he is like awake and its not a low blood sugar but he’s not really responding to us. 911 was called. My husband and I raced to where he was, and promptly tested him, he was 31. 911 arrived and started an iv which brought him back within minutes.

Just when you think you have it covered you find that you really have to check and double check. The things we learned:

This is our opinion only please check with your doctor on medical care.

1. Treat the symptom immediately (we relied on what he’s friends told us). Knowing he wasn’t responding we should have treated that low blood sugar symptom.
2. Adam was unable to drink a drink box, his friends did not know where his emergency kit was. We have now given everyone a lesson and have shown them where his kit is kept in his car. He had the visor case but with tablets in it we have now added sugar packages.
3. Make sure friends know how to test them (wipe off their fingers) etc.

One thing that I had never witnesses was the inability to drink. We tried a drink box but the juice just accumulated in his mouth so we couldn’t give that to him in fear that he would choke.

Important piece of information that I gained: (Its good to focus on a positive )

The paramedic told me something that I thought was very helpful, he said to carry sugar packages around with you, in your car in your purse. If something like this happens simply empty the sugar package on their Tongue and it will dissolve and its pure sugar.
Best of all you can grab some of these anywhere. So we have added the packets to all our emergency kits.

Hope we have given you some insight. Adam is fine.

Wow, Have We Come A Long Way!

Tolerating the Sweet Life was written/published by Janet Elliott Hughey in 2005. It chronicles her life with Type 1 DM since 1950 with lots of info of T-1 & T-2, pump and insulin info, lots of humor, tips/hints, a few low-carb recipes. Foreword by Miss America 1999. LARGER PRINT, BOLD. Ask your library to stock it. A portion of the proceeds is shared between www.insulin-pumpers.org and JDRF

The information provided for our pages about “The Evolution of Pumps” is the property of Jan Elliott Hughey and is used with her permission! Thank you Jan for allowing us to bring this story to our diabetes community. Visit Jan’s website for more information and ordering of her book Tolerating the Sweet Life: http://maxpages.com/TSLandCLIP

*Artificial Pancreas* '79

Snipped from an article in Time Magazine, June 25, 1979: Responding to shifting levels of sugar in the blood, the pancreas constantly adjusts its secretion of insulin, delivering more during meals, when larger quantities are needed, less during exercise or sleep. Daily insulin injections can correct a deficiency, but are not the whole answer: often the insulin level is above or below what it should be, and the blood's sugar fluctuates wildly, probably aggravating the diabetic's other problems. Yale's Philip Felig and other doctors are now helping nature by fitting juvenile diabetics with miniature battery-powered pumps that continuously trickle insulin into their bodies. Weighing barely a POUND, the artificial pancreases are worn on the belt or carried in a shoulder bag. The pumps tap a 24-hr insulin supply, feeding it at a slow, steady rate via a thin tube that ends in a needle inserted under the skin of the abdomen or thigh. Before meals, patients can override the pre-set instructions and briefly step up the dosage by pressing a button. One incidental benefit, reports Felig: Blood fats, including cholesterol, seem to return to normal during treatment. +++ There were no other specifications included for this pump, including manufacturer or model name. FOR MORE ABOUT PUMPING: www.insulin-pumpers.org

1979 is really was not that long ago the advances the insulin pump companies have made in that time are unbelievable. We have seen amazing technology and watched new insulin pump companies develop while others have left us.

So thankful to the dedication of the pump companies that continue to strive in perfecting the perfect insulin pump. Keep them coming!

The History Of The Insulin Pump

The History of the Insulin Pump

As a mom of 3 children with type 1 diabetes I have been so thankful for the insulin pump. Throughout the years I have become very interested in the history of how the insulin pump evolved and have found some very interesting books and websites. I would like to share some of that information with you in a series of blogs that talk about the history of the insulin pump.
A special thanks to Janet Elliott Hughey who wrote the book “Tolerating The Sweet Life”. Janet has given us permission to share this information. You can purchase Janet’s book at:
http://www.maxpages.com/TSLandCLIP
Janet’s book has lots of information, pictures, poems and humor. A must read!
My first question about the history of the insulin pump is what exactly did the first insulin pump look like?
Take a look at the picture here and just try to imagine you or your child wearing this monster of a pump.
The Evolution of Pumps
The prototype of the first pump that delivered glucagon as well as insulin, backpack style, was in the early '60s. Next is a picture of some early pumps.
Janet’s book the “Tolerating The Sweet Life” really gives you an accounting of how it was to be on the insulin pump when they were first developed. We will be doing a series of blogs about the history of the insulin pump. If you have information or pictures of the first insulin pumps and you would like to share this information please send to pumpwear@nycap.rr.com


Be sure to check out Janet's book "The Sweet Life" at http://www.maxpages.com/TSLandCLIP

Our School Tool Box For Diabetes

Since our last blog I have had several people ask me how I use the Pencil box to hold emergency supplies so I wanted to share with you more information on how this works so well.

1. Most children as they advance in school have more than one classroom that they are in during the day. My daughter is actually in 7 different classrooms and my son is in 6.

2. I have found that by providing some basic information and supplies to each class room makes our school teachers more comfortable and it has also allowed our children easy access to some essentials they may need.

3. In the box which is just a plastic pencil box you can get at any store for 1.00, I place the following items:

A. A box of test strips (my children are always running out and forgetting that they are on their last one). My children know that each class box has test strips so they always have test strips available.
B. A drink box, i use the little drink boxes they fit perfectly and again this provides a fast easy sugar if by some chance they need it and don't have one on them. Again my children are forever using and not remembering that they don't have one. (they are kids right).
C. My favorite the Dex Bites! I absolutely love these, the container fits perfectly in the pencil box and again its a fast acting sugar easily available for emergencies.
D. Cake Gel or Dex Glucose gel work best, this is available just in case of emergency for the teachers to wipe on their gums should my child be unresponsive and provides them something to administor while waiting for 911 to come.

4. To top it all off I attach a label to the top of each box that list my childs name, my phone number, my husbands phone number, the label says emergency box and says in case the child is unresponsive apply cake gel and call 911.

I think the label really helps because it is clearly written on what to do in an emergency because during emergencies people get nervous and can't think straight.

We do everything we can to help provide our schools with all the tools to keep our children safe and we have found these boxes to work wonderfully.

This is just our personal way of helping our children and teachers in school if you have any questions pertaining to what we carry in the box or its effectiveness please discuss with your doctor. This is strictly an oponion and by no means medical advice.

5 Ways To Start Out The School Year

5 Ways To Start The School Year

1. Have a 504 Plan in place. I know many people don't believe that they will ever need this, but it can be months down the road or even years before you might need to actually use the accommodations you set up. It's better to be prepared rather than wait for something to arise. Protect your child now.
2. Supply each of your child's class rooms with a pencil box filled with drink box, cake gel, extra test strips, and glucose tabs. Teachers love knowing that you are helping to keep your child safe and making life easier for school staff to have what they need close by. I also label each box with Nikki and our son's name and our emergency phone numbers and contact information.
3. Supply the school with a "Substitute teacher form that can be placed in the substitute teachers folder. This helps to let all substitutes know that a child in their class has Type 1 diabetes and what the emergency procedures are.
4. Label all food with Carb Labels, and provide the class teach with a carb counting book. This helps make counting carbs fun.
5. Place a container of extra drink boxes, snacks and medical supplies in the nurses office for easy access should a teacher need something.

Making our children safe is so important and working to have the necessities easily available will ensure knowledge and safety. Managing Diabetes for children in school can be challenging, giving out information, arranging for a diabetes educator to come in once a year to train teachers and caregivers can also help make your year in school a success.

6 Ways To Gain Added Value From Your Pump Cases.

Both Dawn and I have used our pump paks for years even though we don’t have diabetes. Nikki also has found many interesting ways to wear and use her pump paks. So we thought it would be fun to share some different ways to get the most out of your pump paks even after you or your child has switched out to a new design or style. The picture above is Dawn’s daughter Justine who does not have diabetes, she uses our pump cases to carry her cell phone!

1. Slip more than one pump case onto your belt. You can mix and match them making your own fashion statement and the neat thing is that one can hold your pump and hold your cell phone or a small testing kit in the other.
2. Recycle your used pump cases as cell phone holders that or carry in your purse for your credit cards etc. Mom’s can even take advantage of their children’s old pump cases by reusing them for herself to hold a small test kit and placing it in your purse..
3. Slip a decorative scarf through the pump paks belt sleeve and secure by tying around your waste and you will be amazed how fashionable and cute it looks!
4. Use your used pump cases for your small test meter, poker and test strips.
5. Carry a small drink box in a spare pump pak or pop a tube of dex4 tablets into an old pump case and keep it in your purse or car.
6. Use your old pump case as a change purse!

These are just a few of the many ways to get more use out of a pump case. Its fun to have a collection of pump cases and even more fun to see how they can be used for so many other things.

Summer!

Summer time is finally here and what a summer. Here in New York I think we have had more rain than anything else and I think the highest we have hit is the 80 degree mark. I was lucky though Nikki Tyler and I went to Myrtle Beach for a week with some girlfriends it was a week of all the moms and our girls and oh i can't forget about our sole man 8 year old Josh. We had a great week at the pool and beach while back in New York they were battling hail storms and cold weather. We picked the perfect week to be away. The kids had a great time and it was truly a relaxing time, I spent lots of time reading and catching up.

Nikki had to change her site daily with all of the swimming and her blood sugars were running high. I still haven't figured out a way to keep the sites on with excessive swimming. I was glad that I had brought enough site changes to change them out twice a day. Better to be prepared than worry about what to do when I run our. By the end of the week she had swimmers ear and we had to start her on drops. Over all it was a great trip, even with 14 hours of driving with all of the kids it still was a great time.

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer. This week Nikki went camping with her dad and friends of ours (I don't do camping, its to much work for me) so I decided to spend the 4 days home with the boys, who just happen to be around this weekend, which is a rare event with a 20 year old and a 17 year old so its Mom and the boys this weekend!

What I like About The New Medavisors!

I have been using our new "Medavisors" a Diabetes Low Blood Sugar Emergency Kit! This case actually attaches to the passangers car visor.

The features I love are :
1. The case is clearly labeled so if someone else is in the car with my son and he needs a fast acting sugar they know what it is and that this is something they can give him.

2. Having the case on the passengers visor makes the case easily accessible. So its really easy to get to the fast acting sugar.

3. I love the bright color cases I have my sons use the bright blue ones because I believe it calls attention and people look at it and read the label and know what it is.

4. I love that we have teamed with www.dex4.com
Dex4 believes that "You should Always Be Prepared" they have the best in glucose products and are happy to provide you with a free product simply by connecting with them. Be sure to visit their website www.dex4.com

5. I love that the Medavisor case is detachable! This means that is I want to "Always be prepared" and need to have something on me i can simply detach the case and take it with me. Just remember to put it back!

6. I love that the case also has a ring on it so that you can easily hook it to book bags, and other cases etc.

7. I love that we have also teamed with
WELLalarm offers you the ability to have your medical information obtained quickly simply by calling the toll free number. www.wellalarm.com

I have been using my pretty pink Diabetes Emergency Kit for a couple of months now and have been really happy knowing that I will "Always Be Prepared". When people get in the car they always notice it and I like that because the more people that know where a fast acting sugar is the better!

Caring & Sharing Weekend 2009!

Caring & Sharing Weekend

I’m a little late in posting this but so much has been going on since we returned from our wonderful weekend at The Double H Ranch in Lake Luzerne. The Caring and Sharing Weekend was such a great time!

15 families came together, it all started on Friday night when everyone arrived, you could see that families really didn’t know what to expect, we had several late arrivals with people coming in from Illinois and Maryland. We were so glad that everyone made it. Welcoming all of these families was the highlight our weekend! On Friday we all enjoyed a Pizza Party, a meeting and greeting activity and a bon fire complete with smores! Families started to loosen up and finally retired to there rooms. Each room at the camp is equipped with all the linens you need and your own bathrooms, which really makes this event nice, no lugging around your own sleeping bags and there’s indoor plumbing which is my kind of camping!

Saturday we were presented with a beautiful day! Since the weather was so nice all of the families were able to enjoy horseback riding, a really exciting ropes course and swimming! The camp has an indoor pool so everyone was thrilled to be able to take advantage of the facility. The grounds at the camp are such that you can walk around, sit and relax. You can participate in events when you want to. Everything is so relaxing and with all the families together it is easy to meet and bond with everyone.

Saturday night we were entertained by everyone who wanted to perform their very own talents! We are so lucky to have Deanna Walker come to each of our events. Deanna volunteers her time and energy every year to teach a dance routine and basically gets all the kids involved in just having fun! Our amazing sponsors of the event pull through for us every year, which with the economy the way it is we were so happy that this event was still seen as a worthy and much needed cause. Thanks to all our wonderful nurses who arrived and were on call all weekend to help out.

By the time Sunday came no one wanted to leave! It is a short weekend with a lot of bonding and activity. A time where we all feel so connected. Children with diabetes and families with diabetes have a special connection and we are so happy to be a part of this amazing time.

We will be posting new information for 2010 shortly; you can recommend yourself or your family for this totally free weekend (transportation not included). This is offered to everyone. We choose families in October and they are notified in December. So if you know someone or you are that someone who could really use some family time and lots of hugs be sure to send in your recommendations!

Julie

The "Wall Of Change"

The "Wall Of Change" is growing and we are so excited to see the many faces of diabetes. We developed the Wall of Change as a way to bring our community together and to make a statement about the faces and time that these wonderful children and adults have had diabetes. When you look at the Wall of Change and you see someone who has had diabetes for 35 years you are inspired that there is hope for all of us. When you see a picture of a child with diabetes who has only had diabetes for 1/2 a year you are wondering why so many of our beautiful children have to endure this illness.

The Wall of Change brings diabetes awareness to the world. We invite any one that has a person touched with this illness to ask them to participate. We wish to grow this wall so that the world can see the faces of diabetes.

All Change used in the pictures we are asking be send directly to JDRF so that we can contribute to finding a cure for diabetes. We know that all of this change will add up and do great things towards finding a cure for diabetes.

The Wall of Change bringing world diabetes awareness and helping to fund a cure for diabetes. Diabetes awareness in a world where there's hope for a cure!

View the Growing "Wall of Change" http://www.pumpwearinc.com/index.php?page_id=468

When They Leave The Nest

As all of us know there will come a day when our children will move out on their own. For those of us with a child who has diabetes it is much different. In August our oldest Adam moved out on his own with 3 friends. Adam has had diabetes for 6 years now. As you can imagine I was a wreck. Adam was moving really not far at all (around the corner from us) so we knew he had a safe place. The fact that he was rooming with 3 friends also helped to ease our stress level. At the very least they all know he has diabetes and what to do if he needs assistance. Still I worried and when driving by always checked to see if he was in and all was alright.

Now 5 months later he is still doing well, of course they have had the growing pains of getting use to living with each other, but over all they have been doing well. Adam has really grown and is discovering things like, If you work more hours you make more money. Insurance is important and what a co-pay is (when it comes out of your pocket). He's learning how to make his own hair appointment, and what its like to go out at 2 am when your roommate can't get his car started. He's learning how to shovel his car out without a plow and how to clean up after others. We are amazed at all the growing he has done in such a short period of time. As any mother I did not want to see this day come and in all honesty i was secretly hoping he would want to come back home, but no he is adapting, growing and maturing.

We as moms sometimes hate to admit that there will come a day when they don't really need us, Ok they still need us they just don't want us to know it, and that's what I was thinking today when out of the blue don't I get a phone call from Adam, Hey Mom just wanted to let you know that I arrived in Utica ok! He had made a trip with one of his roommates to another friends who is a couple of hours away and one of the things that we always asked was for our children to let us know when they arrived safely when going places. It was such a nice feeling to know that he still thought to call and let me know where he was and that he arrived safely. Makes you just want to hug him!

So as I continue to adapt to our oldest exploring the world of independence I am gratful for our thursday night dinners together and for his warm heart, never afraid to give a hug and most of all for remembering to let mom know he is ok!

Julie

The Middle School! I Thought It Would Get Easier!

Nikki's now 11 years old and this is our first year at the Middle School! If you are like me you probably are thinking how much easier it will be when they reach ths age. After all they are old enought to recognize the signs, test on their own and call you with information, well I Took Nikki to the doctors today for her 3 month check up. I don't know about the rest of you but I always feel that this is my report card. So when the doctor starts to look at her log and see's a lot of 3 and 400 numbers I cringe. I use to think when she got older this would get so much easier, WRONG! I think as they get older it gets harder! I am no longer in total control of this (was I ever really), but now I know that I have lost control! I think I lost it the minute she ventured out into the world of the the middle school! Now that she is at the middle school she has actually started to use all that independence that I worked so hard for her to gain!

Now little Miss Nikki thinks she's old enough to bolus and test without checking in, and oh if she forgets to bolus at lunch and waits 2 hours till the number is off the meter, oh well! Yes when they hit the middle school years, they hit the ground running and we are constantly chasing them, did I really think this was going to be easier?

So how do you go about giving them the independence they crave, yet make sure everything is in order and being done the way you need it to be? I don't have the answers, but I am finding that I have to check and double check on blood sugars, look at the meter myself, and review the logs on the meters and pumps myself why? If you haven't figured it out at this age they have learned the magic numbers, yes I'am 120 , I just tested. How is it all those wonderful magic numbers never appear on the meter when I check it.

Well they are after all kids and they are learning the trick of the trade, so we have to work smarter and be more determined to rein them in! But in a nice way.

So I've resorted to telling Nikki I will give her a dime for every 100 number on the meter at the end of the day! Now some may not agree with this method, but I threw it out there as a way to try and approach this in a positive way, after all the goal is for her to "test more often" remember to bolus" and to correct her highs. And lets face it the child in the desk next to her does not have to resort to all this monitoring and testing, so why shouldn't she be rewarded for remembering to test and bolus.

We've been doing this for about a week and I'am down about $5.00. Not bad for more frequent testing, and better numbers! The best $5.00 I ever spent.

This I'am sure is not for everyone and we still monitor and review all of Nikki's numbers, but I have found by getting her to take an interest in the numbers is really helping (she loves money) and the dime for every 100 number on the meter has given her the incentive to remember! Funny how all the sudden she can remember to pull out that meter and test!

I think its brought all the daily testing into a positive light where she now "wants" to test! after all if she tests 10 times a day and half of those numbers are int he 100's she's made .50 cents!

Julie

2009 Has Arrived!

2009 has arrived and we are ready! We have such an exciting year planned that I thought I would share many of the upcoming ideas you will be seeing!

First our forum has been revamped and now working (fingers crossed) those nasty spammers were hard to gain control of, but we are happy to have this forum back for all of you to enjoy, so please register and use! If you were a prior member you will have to reregister. Enjoy!

Next up you will see lots of new cases coming out. We are so happy to work with Girly Girl Studio and be able to offer you a lot of new cases with matching accessories, so you will truly have the ultimate in insulin pump fashion accessories for your insulin pump, along with stylish meter cases, fashionable pump cases and much more!

Coming soon in our clothing line are some Ladies Nightgowns with pump pockets (ladies you will love these) we've had lots of request for night wear for women and we were listening.

We will also be introducing more in the line of ladies essentials, boys t-shirts (with hidden pockets) and boxers just to mention a few of the upcoming items planned for 2009.

Our Caring and Sharing weekend is also underway, with all the families now notified we are planning all the fun things that will happen for this weekend. These families will have the opportunity to bond with other families with children with diabetes. We are so happy to have the Double H and all our wonderful sponsors that have made this possible. A special thanks to Nada and her gang at Diabetes Health that have helped to sponsor this event each year!

If you are like most of us you are probably happy to leave 2008 behind, for us it was a painful year with the passing of my father.

We are delighed to now be in 2009 and oh so happy with all we have planned.

So take a moment and reflect on a year gone by and take all your energy and place it into 2009 which we know will just be an awesome year!

To all our family and friends we want you to know that all your friends at Pump Wear are happy to help you with all your pumping needs, and we want to provide you with a diabetes community that you are happy with. Take time to view our Pump Wear Forum and tell your friends and diabetes support groups about it.

Happy New Year Everyone!
Julie & Dawn