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.