I Wear Gray For .....

I wear Gray for my daughter Nikki Tyler diagnosed at the age of 2 and half years old, still a baby. She should have been free to be just a toddler and to know a life that doesn’t consist of finger pricks and site changes. Nikki Tyler does not know life without diabetes. I hope that someday we can give that to her.

I wear Gray for my son Adam diagnosed 2 years after Nikki at the age of 14. Adam had his teen years interrupted by diabetes. Adam knew a life without diabetes, yet having lived with his sister knew what was to come. A major adjustment for any teenager.

I wear Gray for my son Patrick diagnosed 4 months after Adam at the age of 11. Patrick who after having his brother diagnosed with diabetes actually said “I wish I had Diabetes too”. Sadly that wish came true.

I wear Gray for my husband Diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes 2 years ago, my wonderful husband who has been so committed to finding a cure for diabetes now finds himself included among those that need the cure.

As you can see I am wearing a lot of Gray!

I wear Gray for the many friends and family that have been touched by diabetes because I feel what they feel that it truly is our time for a cure.

Wearing Gray brings me comfort that one day I will be able to say “We helped find a cure for diabetes”.

Now it’s your turn “Why do you wear Gray”

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Get Involved It's An Honor!

Getting involved is the best medicine! Think you can’t make a difference? You are wrong, no matter how small the effort getting involved really does bring us 1 step closer to a cure.

As we are all connected to the world of diabetes I feel a sense of community and family among all of you. From the first diagnose of our daughter 10 years ago, yup it will be 10 years in June we have tried to do our part to help find the cure. We have walked in the walks, we have fund raised by having different benefit suppers and events. We have literally been involved in so many different things, just to mention a few, sidewalk art contest, radio-thons ,spaghetti dinners, candy bar sales and so much that sometimes my head spins.

Last year I think I became totally burned out! I remember feeling guilty because I just couldn’t pull everything together for an annual dinner we put on, then a very wise mom of a child with diabetes told me, “Do what you can” when you can” there will be times that you can do more and times that you can’t, it’s the fact that you do something! We all need a break sometimes just don’t forget to come back after your rest, because diabetes does not rest and we need you!

I share this with you because when you are battling this disease for so long sometimes you do need a little breather, and we all can continue to support our cause in so many ways. So no matter how small the event, no matter how little the donation, do “what you can” “when you can” and together we will all make a difference. As people with loved ones that suffer from diabetes, we have not only the challenge of managing our loved ones diabetes, but the “Honor” of being a part of their cure!

Give Yourself a pat on the back for all that you do even when you do need to take a rest, we will carry you while you rest to get reenergized and welcome you back with open arms! Support your local Diabetes Organizations.

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How Do You Keep Your Site On?

With the summer weather quickly approaching we will all be dealing with swim season and with swim season comes the never ending question “How do you keep your site on”?. Personally we have tried everything and nothing has really worked for us.

My daughter especially likes to be in the pool for long periods of time, she will get out of the pool test, than get right back in, she tends to run low during swimming so we are careful on what we give her during this activity. She will get out of the pool at lunch time, plug on her pump (if the site hasn’t already come off) than bolus eat and go right back into the pool.

We were on vacation this past week and we had several days where we have actually had to change her site twice in one day! We have tried the tape, and all of the other remedies such as the liquid stuff that you have to actually use a removable detacher to get it off, except of course if you are in the pool the majority of the day because than that will even come off. (note we do not allow her to be without her pump for this amount of time she has to get out test and plug in frequently) which makes it so much harder to correct a high or to even eat a snack when every time you turn around the site has come off.

So I thought I would put this question out there to see if anyone has a secret way that might really work to help keep sites on and save our children from having these endless site changes, not to mention the use of all of the additional site change supplies that have to be used.

So let’s hear it “How do you keep your site on!

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What Does It Mean?

What Does It Mean?

We have a 2000 Chevrolet Venture, it’s a 7 passenger vehicle which has been great for carting everyone around. When you have 3 children and all of their things and their friends to bring all over having a van is a great way to go! We also like to go to Myrtle Beach and driving 10 hours in a van has made the trip comfortable and has allowed us to carry everything we need with us.

Since Adam is now 21has his own car and rarely travels with us and Patrick is 18 and has his own car also, that leaves us with just Nikki! So I tend to tool around with our Honda Civic, who wants to fill that gas tank on the van when it’s just her and I! So our van now sits a lot more than it ever has before. We are getting ready to take a short vacation to Myrtle Beach and you got it my husband and I don’t want to drive the van for only 3 people! Nikki of course wants us to take the van because than she can have all that extra room.

Even though we haven’t been using our van an awful lot over the past 2 years I have always justified it by saying its great when we want to go on vacation or need to travel. So as this vacation approaches us and both my husband and I don’t want to take it I wonder.

I hate the thought of not having our precious van, full of memories and fun times, our precious vehicle has served us well and now sits more often than not. What does it mean? Approaching an empty nest?


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The Hidden Expense

People will often comment on the high cost of having diabetes. Diabetes is an expensive disease and it is also a disease that carries a lot of hidden cost. I don’t think people are really aware of the true hidden costs to people who have diabetes? Here is a list of the things that cost us money constantly that most might not relate as an expense to having diabetes (unless of course you have diabetes, than these things you will understand) .

The cases of drink boxes we supply to the school and to have on hand at all times
The snacks that need to be readily available at home and at school
At the beginning of the year the supply of pencil boxes filled with cake gel/drink boxes etc.
The fast acting sugar that needs to be available in all of our cars for drivers with diabetes
The cases and clothing that hold the insulin pump/meter/sensors
The batteries we go through!
The time off from work for the doctor appointments and emergency trips to schools
Extra everything for trips and traveling

I have just added a few because I was shopping at Sam’s today and had to replenish our supplies for home and school and just was amazed at the hidden costs involved that people just don’t understand. I am sure you all will have more that you can add to my list!

Oh and let’s keep the list to items we have to spend money on that are not even “Medical” because that’s in a category all to it’s self!

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Julie

I Don't Want To Go!

We have been having terrible blood sugars with our daughter Nikki who is now 12 years old, It could be that we are exiting the tween age group and will soon be entering the teen age group (ok I am looking for excuses). I have heard as they near the teenage years the numbers are more difficult to control. This past 3 months have not been good. We have also had our moments of not wanting to test or the famous I forgot to test and bolus (this I will never understand how you forget when you have been doing it all your life). It’s a time where I feel that I have lost control over being able to rein in on all of our blood sugars. ( I can’t believe I am saying this but I actually liked having control of everything she ate and what the numbers were when Nikki was small) as she gets older I have to rely on her to do the testing and blousing, which is becoming an issue. The high blood sugars also do not make for a "nice" Nikki, so I hope you can feel my frustration and aggravation at the constant nagging for her to test and bolus. I can check and double check and believe me I get the answers I want however, looking at her pump tells a different story.

As Nikki’s next doctor appointment approaches (the last one wasn’t good) I don’t see much of a change. I can honestly say I would rather not go to this doctor appointment. It’s terrible but I feel that these appointments are more about us than about her. It is very difficult to be with them 24/7 to try to make sure they are doing what they should. Yes, I am checking the pump, Yes we are reminding her to test, Yes we are making sure she remembers to bolus (when she is with us). However, she is no longer with us 24/7 so now we have to rely on checking her pump history to see what she has been doing. Yes we have tried the sensor (she totally ignores the alarms). I think we are going through a combination of the age (almost 13) and the “I forgot” stage. Next week is spring break she will be back in my control! New senor will start and hopefully we will get it going on the right track again.

As we crack down once on trying to find a positive way to reinforce good diabetes practices I simply dread this upcoming appointment. So I have come up with the solution! I am sending her in with dad and I am taking the day off! Stay tune !

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As We Prepare

As We Prepare!


We are in full swing with getting ready for the 17 families that will be attending the Pump Wear Inc. “Caring & Sharing, diabetes weekend. This will be our 3rd annual weekend where the chosen families will attend the “Double H Ranch” in Lake Luzerne New York; this is a Paul Newman camp.

I can’t tell you how much this weekend means to all of us. This weekend is the dream of many to be able to put together a totally free family weekend for families that have diabetes (transportation not included) We are so fortunate for the Double H Ranch and the wonderful Angels (that’s our loving committee listed below) that have made this weekend possible.

As a mom of 3 children with diabetes, I remember oh so well never being able to go anywhere and really just feeling that no one else get’s it. I often felt that I was alone in my quest to keep everything going and I felt that we as a family just needed a break where we could have time to focus as a family rather than the focus always on the diabetes. That’s why a weekend away where diabetes is the norm and fun and relaxing are the goal was so appealing to me. I remember wishing that something like this was available for us. What I love about this weekend is that families are not chosen based on anything other than the recommendations that are sent in and our group of Angels simply pick out those that sound like they could really use a “hug”. Believe me it is really hard to choose because we know that so many families could use a weekend like this.

We are getting everything ready for the families’ arrival we want to make sure that this weekend is special to all of them as a family.

We wanted to share our list of “Angels” as we call them, the women behind this event, these wonderful women, fund raise, organize, follow for forms, fund raise, donate, solicit for donations and so much more, oh and did I mention they fund raise!

Kathy Striker
Debbie Bennett
Katie Marschilok of Medtronic
Kimberly Sanger Jones
Anne Levitt of Animas
Julie DeFruscio
Dawn Juneau

The 2010 Caring & Sharing weekend will be April 23-25th, shortly after the weekend in early May we will post the updates for recommending your family for the 2011 weekend.

A huge hug and thank you to the many people, companies and friends that have help to support and make this weekend a success and a special thank you to The Double H Ranch for their staff and wonderful place to hold this event , they truly know how to make this weekend special!

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View Previous Caring & Sharing Weekends