There's a lot of things most people don't know about diabetes, things I didn't know either until Nevaeh was diagnosed. But one thing that is hardest is that it never goes away and it is an all day 24 hr job (a job for the parent and child). A job that is taxing emotionally and physically! Diabetes is always lurking around every corner, every day, all day!
Most people ask me if we're ok and I want to tell them no, but then there's so much to explain of why we are not that I usually just say that we're alright. But everyday and night we experience lows and highs and some days extreme lows and highs. Everyday and night we check blood sugars and give boluses. Every night I check her through the night to make sure she doesn't go low to the point of not waking up! Some nights with stubborn lows we get only 3-4 hours of sleep! Everywhere we go we have to make sure we have her pack with supplies and a snack. Every night and everyday I have some type of thought that makes me wish a million times I could take this disease from my daughter! Thoughts about her getting her finger pricked so many times they are sore or how she has to always being connected to something (the other day she wanted to swim longer but she had to get out bc her hour's time without her pump was up)! We have tears from sites being pulled off accidentally, or her going high so fast that her belly hurts and she feels like shes going to pass out or throw up, or fast lows where she is extremely pale and lethargic! It never ends, it never goes away, we have to make the best of it and take one day at a time!
Daily Routine with Type 1 Diabetes....
12 am - Finger Prick = to make sure my blood sugar level is good for the night
* Once or sometimes more throughout the night Nevaeh gets her finger pricked and according to what her blood sugar is I either give her insulin or a snack.
Between 8:30-9am - Breakfast = finger prick, carb counting, insulin given
*Throughout the day her finger is pricked if she feels high or low or needs a snack. Then if she is high she gets a bolus of insulin, if she is low she gets a snack, and she needs a snack we count carbs and give insulin to cover the snack. Highs and lows make her feel horrible and really tired!
Between 12:30-1pm - Lunch= finger prick, carb counting, insulin given
*Throughout the day her finger is pricked if she feels high or low or
needs a snack. Then if she is high she gets a bolus of insulin, if she
is low she gets a snack, and she needs a snack we count carbs and give
insulin to cover the snack. Highs and lows make her feel horrible and really tired!
Between 6:30-7pm - Supper= finger prick, carb counting, insulin given
*Throughout the day her finger is pricked if she feels high or low or
needs a snack. Then if she is high she gets a bolus of insulin, if she
is low she gets a snack, and she needs a snack we count carbs and give
insulin to cover the snack. Highs and lows make her feel horrible and really tired!
Then the cycle starts all over again!
This is something most people, who don't know someone with type 1 diabetes, have no idea about! I have so much more compassion on people with this disease! I had no idea until October 23, 2011!
Thank you for letting me share! Sometimes it just feels good to share!
