The toughest job I ever had

Twelve years ago I took on a job that I was not fully qualified for and had no idea just how hard it would be.

The hours are long. There are no weekends or holidays off. I am on-call 24/7 even though my attendance isn't constantly in demand these days. It doesn't matter if I'm sick or tired, I still have to be there.

My job duties vary from cook to housekeeper to social activities director. I may be called on to act as chauffeur or counselor at any given time. I'm also a cheerleader and homework taskmaster.

Throughout it all I have learned much in my role. I know what RPG stands for and that Kraft makes the best mac 'n cheese. I continue to learn new things each day and with every passing year.

Knowing all of this you might be thinking, why did I apply?

Because the perks are amazing. I get unlimited hugs and kisses. I laugh a lot. I get to (sort of) experience a second childhood. And I am loved.

My official job title is "Mom" and this is the most important thing I've ever done in my life.

So, with that I'd like to wish my "employer", Christopher, a very Happy Birthday!


PS: In case you wanted to know, RPG stands for Rocket Propelled Grenade. I know this from listening to him go on about his "Halo" and "Call of Duty" video games. I may not understand what he's talking about half the time but I do listen and retain certain bits of info.

The diabetes Jedi and four years of Type 1

Four years ago today life threw one hell of a curve ball our way when my son was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. No one in our family expected this. It was like that scene in The Empire Strikes Back when we all found out that Darth Vader was Luke's father and everyone went Whaaaaaaat??

Anyway, in the diabetic community many Type 1's celebrate the day they were diagnosed like they would any other anniversary. It's called a dia-versary. We have never made a really big deal about his disease because I want Chris' life to be as normal as possible. But I thought I would remember this day by dedicating a post to it.

Four years. It's not that long, really. But it feels like more when you consider how much of his life and our life revolves around diabetes. That's 1,460 days of daily insulin injections, testing blood glucose levels, counting carb amounts, and doing math calculations with added injections, bg testing and carbs for those high or low sugars, and possible ketone testing if his sugar is too high. Then there's the constant worry on my end. And the physical, mental, and emotional toll this illness takes on his body.

If I had to use one word to describe diabetes I would say 'exhausting'. It requires constant maintenance. It is never-ending. There is no break, no relief. Everything that my pancreas does naturally without me thinking about it is what Chris has to manually do for himself. I could have pizza and a Sprite while watching a marathon of the original Star Wars trilogy in my bathrobe and not think anything of it. My son can do the same thing, except he would have to pause the movie to test his sugar levels and give himself an insulin injection before he eats. Unless he was low in which case he would eat and drink to bring his levels up and then re-test and dose accordingly because pizza is considered a slow-acting carb which can cause his sugar to spike as the night goes on. Once all that was taken care of he could go back to enjoying the movie. Of course, he could bring his supplies to the couch and do his diabetic maintenance routine without interruption. My point is that unlike me, he can't just eat and watch Han Solo get frozen in carbonite.  He has to be mindful of his body because his pancreas doesn't work.

Yes, this disease can be as burdensome as a non-stop chattering C3PO but some good has come out of it. My son has become more responsible for his age. He knows what needs to be done to maintain his health and he takes it as seriously as a young Padawan training to become a Jedi. I'm proud everyday of his mature attitude.

Also, he takes opportunities to educate people about diabetes. He used to be a bit reluctant to discuss it but now if someone asks him about his pump he doesn't mind talking about it. And during certain school assignments, when it was warranted, he made mention of his disease, which his teachers respected.


Sometimes there are battles. Like when he doesn't want to test again. Or the insulin injection hurt. Or when he's cranky because his sugar level is high. I understand all of these and I accept them because they are the Dark Side of this crappy illness. And because they don't occur every day. For the most part Chris handles his diabetes with dignity and grace. A lots of use of The Force.

Oh look, another joke about diabetes and candy

This is a somewhat serious post about diabetes. Non-d peeps, you're excused if you want to leave and maybe go watch some Family Feud. I hear Steve Harvey's 'got a good one for ya today'.
------------------------------------------------------------

Sigh.

Again with the stereo-type. You would think that in this day and age of vast information at our disposal that this would be a non-issue. But once again I come across a post on some social media site where someone makes a joke about diabetes and candy.

Then I weigh my options. Do I let it go? Do I (gently) respond? I usually take every opportunity to educate the un-informed masses about this myth but sometimes I feel like the Diabetes Police.

Sometimes someone comments about "Not having a sense of humor." Hmmm, let's see, holding my son's hand through a scary low blood sugar or watching him prick his finger for the 4th time in 2 hours as he battles high blood sugar is not my idea of funny. A joke that starts with, "A naked blond walks into a bar with a poodle under one arm and a two-foot salami under the other..."is funny.

You wouldn't make jokes about cancer. Hey I'm about to go lay out in the sun, guess I'm getting cancer, ha ha :). No, because that would be cruel and insensitive. Yet that statement has more truth to it based on medical and scientific evidence. Sun and exposure to ultra-violet rays can cause cancer.

But eating candy or sugary foods DOES NOT cause diabetes. That's a fact. So I'm not sure why diabetes continues to be the punchline to all the sugar-based jokes.


Diabetes is not a joke. Making fun of a disease, any disease, that people suffer from is not funny.

I actually do have a sense of humor. Anyone who knows me or reads this blog knows this. I love jokes, pranks, slapstick comedy, and 80's movies with terrific one-liners.

In the end, I did reply to the original comment. I simply stated that eating candy doesn't cause diabetes. I even kept it light by referring to myself as a killjoy to the ha-ha. So far there's been no replies to mine.

You want to send what to my 11 year old kid?: Policing your child's cell phone messages

Last August we bought my son his first cell phone for his birthday. We did this more for practical reasons pertaining to his diabetes. I wanted to be able to communicate with him regarding his blood sugar levels when he was at his friend's house, school, or just out with other family members. This special gift was also conditional on his making and keeping good grades. So far, so good. No complaints and no negatives.

Fast forward to today. I'm in his room tidying some things up while he checks his phone and to his delight he has several text messages. Then he says, "I don't know these people." Now I'm three shades of curious and I ask to see them. The contact name of these texters are a series of letters that resemble a cat walking on the keyboard: dzldjmgskgjgjagnk. I open them to find someone offering to send naughty pics to my 11 year old kid.  

What in the holy hell??

Now, I realize that these  buttheads are unaware that they've messaged a minor. But you know what, I really don't care. I would be just as pissed off if that message was sent to me. And I'm in my 40s! I hate unwanted solicitations. I hate pornographic unwanted ones even more.

Most people would probably have just deleted those messages. But I'm not most people. So I replied with a text of my own that said: This number belongs to an 11 year old. Do not text this number again or I will contact the police.

Then I told my son that if he received another text from either of these numbers or any other questionable texts/voicemails that he should let me know immediately. So far it's been quiet.

The Devil's Arithmetic

6a - 3b
2(x + 4)
5x + 3 = -2

This is what my son is learning in Math class. He's only in sixth grade. At least I was in 8th grade when I had to learn Algebra. I barely passed. When I finally finished all the required math classes in school, which included absurdly enough, Algebra II, my guidance counselors wisely kept me from stepping foot inside another one.

Because I love to read and write, I did very well in English and Literature classes. But numbers and I are like oil and water, we do not get along.

My son is the opposite. English is his least favorite class but he loves math. I don't get it. I blame the husband.


Algebra is the Devil's Arithmetic. Numbers and letters mixing together. I think a, b, x, and y all need to mind their own business.

Sometimes during homework, he gets frustrated and declares, I don't understand what this means! You and me both, kid. But after a moment he 'gets it' and goes on solving the problems with ease while I'm sitting there referencing Google for help.

This all reminds me of when I was working for a company in NJ. Somehow the burden of monthly and quarterly tax filings fell on me. I told them I couldn't do it because quite plainly I sucked at math. I protested. I pleaded with them. I think I even held my breath until I turned blue.

In their defense, it wasn't that big a deal and the off-site bookkeeper taught me what to do and always looked over my work.

But still, what were they thinking? I couldn't even be trusted to make a decent cup of coffee.

I envy people who are math whizzes. Give them a numeric problem and they can do it in their heads and give you the answer. I'm the one counting on fingers and trying to remember to carry the 2.  And let's just forget the x's and y's, shall we?

World Diabetes Day

Today is World Diabetes Day. In honor of this day I salute people, like my son, who have diabetes as well as their caregivers/supporters. We're all in this together.

source

Many will take this day to spread awareness of this auto-immune disease and try to dispel the myths and stigmatisms that surround it. I don't want to get too preachy, I just want to mention all the things my type 1 diabetic son can do. He's no different than any other 11-year old boy, except he wears an insulin pump and has to check his blood sugar levels and dose himself with insulin accordingly.

In spite of having diabetes...

he goes to Middle School and maintains A-B Honor Roll grades.
he plays video games and hangs out with his friends.
he eats pizza and chocolate cake. (yep, because it's only a myth that sugar causes diabetes and that once you get it you can never eat sugary products again)
he swims and runs and kicks my butt at chess.
he laughs and plays pranks.
he likes toilet humor and fart jokes.
he flies model airplanes and rides his scooter.
he thinks he might be a teacher in the future.
he has a great smile.
he has a sunny demeanor.


According to the International Diabetes Federation, there are 382 million people living with diabetes worldwide. Check out this link  and this link if you want to learn more about World Diabetes Day.

Fearless Beauty

I love when I can show my son a famous person who has achieved success in spite of their diabetes. Supreme Court Justice, Sonia Sotomayor. Olympic skier, Kris Freeman. And now, Miss Idaho, Sierra Sandison, who will be proudly wearing her insulin pump as she competes in the Miss America pageant Sunday.

It sends a great message to all diabetics that there is no shame in having this disease. It also serves to encourage those who were previously on the fence about getting an insulin pump.

By fearlessly wearing her insulin pump in full view she is saying, "Yes, I'm a diabetic and this device is part of me."

It's on her right hip.

 source

 

Fearless in school and life

If you tuned in last Friday expecting to see something  inspirational for Fearless Friday, I'm sorry you were disappointed. I couldn't come up with anything proper and I wasn't in the right frame of mind. However, I think I might keep Fearless Friday alive a bit longer but only if I have something worth posting so that means there might be some Fridays that go by with no Fearless post and something else (or nothing) in its place.

Today's Fearless post is for all the kids and young adults who started school this week and last and found themselves in the unfamiliar surroundings of a new campus/school.

When my son expressed his anxiety and nervousness prior to the first day of middle school I told him he would be fine. That despite how scary it might seem he had to see it through. Then I told him that life will be filled with uncertainties and terrifying moments but you must be fearless because so often they will become the best experiences.

Face the scary.
Embrace the unknown.
And Be Fearless!
It just might be worth it in the end.

I wash my hands of this weirdness

Here are some amusingly weird things I've overheard and participated in recently. Who knows, this could become a weekly segment entitled: "I wash my hands of this weirdness."

My kid and I stopped in at McDonald's for a quick lunch one early afternoon. Actually it was around 11:30 in the morning but since they stop breakfast at 10:30 (idk, weird hour) let's call it lunch. So we were seated across from this couple that were about my parents age. They had the table covered with papers and files and her laptop and a coffee cup. A heated discussion ensued. Then the man casually says, "We should get something to eat."

Of course, how novel, you are after all in an eating establishment, I think to myself.

Then he asks the woman, "You want to go to Fuddruckers?" Then they pack up and leave McDonald's. To go eat somewhere else. I so wanted to follow them and see if this was a pattern. Maybe they sat in Fuddruckers and while eating their meal debated on going to Wendy's for something to drink?

Weird.

Last week I went to the bank to deposit a birthday check my son received. Here's how that turned out:

Teller: (after looking at check and my signature) Is this your son?

Now, I wanted to smart-ass her and say something like, No, I was standing in the checkout at Wal-Mart when some random woman asked me if I could deposit her son's check.

Me: Yes.

Then she looked at the check again and back at me.

Me: If you need him to come verify I'll have to sign him out of P.E. class first.

Teller: No, no but you need to indicate that you are his mother on the back of the check.

So I had to write "Mom" next to my signature. (Curious, are women coming into banks and depositing strange kids' checks? Is this a thing?)

Teller: (while completing the transaction) Have you ever thought about opening up a savings account for your son?

Me: (a little confused) Um, he already has one, this one that you're depositing the money into.

Teller: Oh, right. I'm sorry.

Weird.

Busy, but not too busy for sweets

I've been busy. I'm sorry. Here, have a brownie...with powdered sugar on top. No, that isn't a bribe. But, is it working?

Okay, so school started on Monday. And then Tuesday was Chris's birthday. There's been notebooks and pencils and folders to buy. And cake to eat. And parental forms to fill out. And more cake. And homework to help with. But no more cake cause we ate it all.  ::boo boo face::

I've also been on some weird organizing/cleaning kick, which explains the neatnik status of my kid's room and also my closet. Still haven't gotten around to last school year's mess of papers and notebooks but I've concealed it nicely so it looks more like organized chaos and less like a school-nado ran through.

I've also got a touch of the blues, which might have something to do with summer ending. Even though our weather will stay summer-warm through September (Groundhog Summer), I still feel like it's a formal ending since Chris is back at school. So, with that in mind, I haven't felt much like blogging, despite having a notebook full of blogging ideas that practically write themselves, not to mention several drafts that need finishing.

I promise to get my butt in gear and post more. But first, more brownies! mmm good!

source

PS: This is an image I borrowed. I did not bake these. Although, now I wish I did.

Diabetes and the first day of school

Today was the first day of school for Chris. The first day of Middle school. I had been quietly dreading this day since last June when he graduated from Elementary. Of course on the outside I was all, "This will be fine." "It'll be great." Especially when talking to him in the days leading up to today but I was more or less trying to reassure myself.

Last night I calmed his worries. I never led on that I was anxious myself. I didn't sleep well, either. Hey, I remember what it was like to go to a new school. Back then we called it Junior High School. We also walked uphill both ways in the snow with no shoes. Okay, maybe not both ways.

Normally I'm not an over-protective, hovercraft of a parent but I do worry about him in regards to his diabetes and how this transition will affect him.

Will he be nervous? And how will that affect his blood-sugar levels?
Will his teachers be understanding of his disease?
Will his classmates be nice to him?
Will he have someone to eat lunch with?


All these things were going on in my head. When I spoke to some other d-parents who have older kids and so they had already experienced this angst, they all said, "He'll be fine." "Don't worry, it'll be great." Wasn't I telling my kid the same things? Is there an echo..echo..echo?

When I picked him up from school I started asking questions as we walked to the car. His answers were brief but in short: School was good. Some of his former classmates were in his classes. It was a little boring but it was also exciting.

As for his diabetes, upon dismissal he informed each teacher that he was a diabetic and they all appreciated him letting them know. Also, his blood-glucose numbers were good and in-range all day.

And, he had a friend and former classmate to eat lunch with.

Hump Day confessions

I confess to the following:

My son starts Middle School on Monday and I'm a little anxious about it.

I've also fallen behind on my blogging which explains why I'm late to the link up today. Last week I had my post all written and published and then realized late in the day that I forgot to link up. Oy.

I caught one of those annoying summer colds that I'm just now getting over which has seriously sucked the fun out of end-of-summer plans.We still plan on getting some swimming in, though.

source

 A few days ago my computer had a Windows update and long story short, my computer fizzled and wouldn't start up at reboot. So I uncharacteristically remained calm, consulted some sites via my phone and did a system recovery.  However, when I initially thought that I would have to bring her in to the computer doctor for a fix and what with the unexpected cost and inability to do  everything I do on here, for days, I did have a moment of panic. Now we're all good, thankfully.

Gifs courtesy of .reactiongifs.com

Funny answers to medical questions

This post might be violating 10 different HIPAA laws. Or not. But since I'm not naming names or vital statistics I should be in the clear.
---------------

Since Chris has diabetes it's recommended that he see an Optometrist to keep tabs on his eyes/vision because T1d doesn't just wreck your pancreas, it can also damage other organs. One of the many reasons why this disease sucks. Anyway, I promise this post gets funnier.

So, I made an appointment and the very nice woman who worked there directed me to their website to fill out the medical forms in advance. The questions were routine. Some of my answers, however, were not.

In the "Family Medical History" part it asked if the mother had any eye conditions. I technically don't but I've been putting off seeing an eye doctor myself because I'm a big wimp who's eyes aren't what they used to be.


My answer: Mom is currently ignoring any possible eye conditions. 

When I told Bill he laughed. Not at my answer but at my honest reply. Then he proceeded with his same, tired speech about how I should just go and get my eyes looked at and blah blah blah.

Under the section "Personal Social History" it asked a series of questions such as, "Do you drive?" "Do you smoke?" "Do you use alcohol?" and "Do you use any illegal drugs?" Of course I answered NO to all because He's 10! And their final question was, "Anything else you'd like to tell us about your social history?"

My answer: Patient is 10. His only vice is playing too much Minecraft on the computer. I wanted to add: If patient indulged in any of the above he would have more problems than simple eye care.

I'm hoping my replies made their office laugh. Or at the very least smile. Is it too late to claim temporary insanity? Or a hacker? Or a temporary hacker?

Start spreading the news but use a chalkboard

A week ago Little Man and I went to New York New York casino because I thought it would be fun. For a Friday afternoon. On the Strip. I'm ridiculous that way. Normally we try to avoid the Strip on weekends like the plague because it's full of tourists and while I am grateful of their visit because it pays our taxes they sometimes annoy me  provoke me to a murderous rage get on my nerves. Anyway,  NYNY has this huge arcade called Coney Island so I loaded us up with quarters and dollars and off we went.

After playing for a while he eventually got bored so we wandered around inside and then took a brief walk out on the faux Brooklyn Bridge. Outside the casino on a side wall they have a big blackboard with chalk for visitors to write stuff.

Spreading the news

I know it's not very original, however, in my defense, I was with my kid or else I might have written something inappropriate. Then again, when has that ever stopped me?

If we can make it here...

Another view. We may not be A number one but we were top of the list, or at the very least, top of the chalkboard. Anyway,  we had a good time. We wanted to be a part of it New York, New York. And we were.

[Forgive the lyrical references to the song, "New York, New York" but I was trying to be clever. Note the word "trying".]

Fearless like a ninja

Instead of a serious post this Friday, I thought I'd feature a little fearless fun.

From one of my son's t-shirts:

These are all somewhat do-able but number 2 is impossible. I can't use chopsticks to save my life. If they were the only utensil allowed, ever, I would starve. Or, at the very least I would end up slurping my food off the plate like a dog.

Happy Friday all!

Still reading with my son

A few months ago I wrote about the night-time book reading ritual that Chris and I share. I'm happy to say it still continues. (Yay!)

Finding books that will keep his interest isn't always easy and a couple times I chose a book he wasn't too sure about but he ended up loving. Case in point, Treasure Island.

 
When I chose this book from the library  he made a face that was a cross between disdain and whatever. Picture Elvis going meh with his lip curled. Turns out he loved it. (My kid, not Elvis) So did I.  I had not read the book before this so getting to talk like a pirate (remember I do the character voices) and singing Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum was a lot of fun! This book had everything a young boy (and his mom) love: sword fighting, mutiny and lots of Arrgh-ing.

After that adventure we toned things down with the newest Big Nate book which is always a hit.

Source

Currently we're reading King Arthur and his Knights. This one is a slow-go because it's written in the King's English with lots of 'Thous' and 'Dost'. Sometimes he asks me what a word means and I explain that I haven't a clue but doesn't it sound pretty? Hopefully the action heats up because so far we're 3 chapters in and Arthur just pulled Excalibur out of the stone. We have an agreement to give a book a few chapters before we declare it "Boooooring". Or, as they say in King Arthur's days, "Thou art boring."

source

Hump Day confessional

source

It's Spring Break! So I've been lazy with my responsibilities but having the time with my Little Man. We've gone to some cool museums. We've lunched. We've stayed up late(r) than on school nights and slept in the next morning.

Today we're just chillin' which explains my appearance here. I suppose I should have planned ahead and had some posts lined up and ready to go for this week but since I blog by the seat of my pants on a regular basis I figured why ruin things? Dudes, gimme some credit, I'm here now.

source

It's been shorts/capris and flip flops weather which makes me very happy. This is our Spring which will last about a month before the desert heat of the summer kicks in. Doesn't make no never-mind to me, I'm not a fan of the cold.

source

In the meantime, I'm hanging out here today.

An (almost) year anniversary review of the OmniPod

For those of you who don’t have diabetes or don’t have children with diabetes, please feel free to skip this post.

We’re coming up on a year since my son, Christopher, went on the OmniPod insulin pump and I thought I would write a review about it.

Quick background: Chris is 10 and was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes nearly three years ago. Prior to the pump he would have to get daily injections of insulin after every meal he ate.

The decision to go on an insulin pump was a no-brainer. Wearing a small device on your body versus multiple invasive injections? Yes, please! The choice of which pump to use was just as easy.

It goes back to when we first met a representative from Insulet, the makers of the OmniPod. He showed Chris the device and demonstrated the ease of use. That’s all it took. He wanted one. I preferred this pump because it’s tubeless and we wouldn’t have to worry about the tubing getting caught on something and possibly ripping the canula out. Ouch!

You will need approval by your child’s endocrinologist to go on a pump and approval from your insurance carrier first.

The OmniPod insulin pump is a great piece of medical technology. It’s small and lightweight and goes virtually un-noticed by others when worn under clothing. 

OmniPod insulin pump - the pod attaches to the body.

What insulin pump? That’s muscle from working out!

The accompanying Personal Diabetes Manager (PDM) (which doubles as a meter to check blood sugar) also manages valuable information like basal rate, carb count, and the amount of insulin to give. With the push of a few buttons it delivers your insulin via the small pod attached to your body discreetly all while looking like a small hand-held device. Little Man works it like a cell phone pro. 

PDM (with fingerprint smudges)

My only small complaint is that the adhesive could be stickier. I’m not talking super glue tight but enough for active, sweating boys in the summer. To combat this issue we sometimes apply a liquid adhesive or use a tape dressing.

One of the best things about the OmniPod is that the pod, itself, is waterproof and can be worn in the shower or pool (perfect for us pool-worthy peeps living in the desert). The PDM, not so much.

So far, we’ve been very happy with the OmniPod. It’s given Chris more control over his diabetes and lessened the hassle that comes with all the necessary equipment needed to manage this disease.

If you would like more information about the OmniPod, go to their site - https://www.myomnipod.com/. Also, check out their blog, Suite D at http://suited.myomnipod.com/. It has advice, personal stories, and it’s where all the cool people (and fellow pod wearers) hang out and talk diabetes shop like, Olympic skier, Kris Freeman, and snowboarder, Sean Busby, to drop a few names.

He speaks in movie quotes and I couldn't be prouder

Saturday we were at an all day event presented by JDRF. Chris hung out in the 'Kids Zone' while Bill and I sat in on some presentations and seminars. On the way home we asked Chris what he did in Kids Zone. Without missing a beat he replied, "I drank, I fought, I made my ancestors proud." I don't know about his ancestors but that answer sure made me proud. Yes, he's my kid.

 

Diabetes and the Olympics

I've been watching the Winter Olympics. But before they officially began, Chris and I watched the opening ceremonies. He thought it was cool to see all the athletes walk in representing their country. And he enjoyed the dancing, the theatrics, and the lighting of the flame.

But, the coolest thing was finding out that one of the athletes representing the USA, Kris Freeman, is a type 1 diabetic. He also wears the very same insulin pump that my Christopher wears, the Omnipod.

Chris knows that diabetes doesn't stop him from doing anything. He can play dodgeball, ride his scooter, and crack jokes at the dinner table with his old mom, same as any other kid. He just needs to check his blood sugar before meals and dose himself with insulin after.

He's no different from other kids. Diabetes does not limit what he can do or what he can achieve. He's been told this since his diagnosis and many times since then. But seeing this Olympic athlete compete in cross country skiing is a nice reminder. It reinforces what he knows to be true, even if in times of great frustration due to serious highs or scary lows, he may not always believe it.

So this year, we will be watching this fellow type 1, and cheering him on. Because every young type 1 needs something, or in this case, someone with the same auto-immune disease, to believe in.

source