My Kids Humble Me
Took my dear Sweetstuff to Six Flags Fiesta Texas with 12 other girl scouts and 3 other moms yesterday. Sweetstuff had her drawstring backpack packed with all her medical needs, extra infusion set, glucometer, juice, fruit roll-ups, water and of course her cell phone.The troop leader extraordinaire (also a D mom - mom of child with diabetes) packed coolers with stuff to fix lunch to encourage the girls to have a healthy lunch rather than one of funnel cakes and cheese fries (although I'm guessing a number of them - Sweetstuff included - had both).
The girls were given instructions not to leave the park, not to talk to strangers, not to separate from their small group or buddy, to meet back in 3 hours for lunch, call if anyone makes them feel uncomfortable, and most of all to have fun. Sweetstuff agreed to test often and check in hourly. Also a quick reminder to remove her pump prior to riding large coasters and put it back on after. We stopped by the first aide station to obtain a medical sticker for her bag - this allows her to take her bag to every ride and the ride attendants are required to hold it while she is on the ride - vs. having to store her bag in a locker at the entrance to the large coasters.
The girls were off - so were us moms. First stop a game in which we shoot water into a hole to win a cape. I won - although we all received capes.
Sweetstuff did an amazing job remembering to remove her pump on the big rides, check her blood sugar often, dosed for various snacks (she is getting so good at SWAGing - scientific wild ass guessing). She ate lunch with the group and counted her carbs well (I think she did a better job than me actually since I when we compared notes I was 15 under her and her after lunch bs was 107).
Theme parks can be a real pain in the arse. I've taken my kids too many times to recall and each time it is different - sometimes the junky foods and the adrenaline causes highs - other times the running around and walking countless miles have caused lows - not to mention the rage boluses, over correcting lows, miscalculated carbs.
So here is where it gets AWESOME - my dear Sweetstuff kept her blood sugars between 79 and 133 all day long - she did this really with hardly any guidance or assistance from me. She makes me so very proud - best part she recognised her success and what it took to achieve it. I hope that lesson stays with her through her life. She didn't have to struggle - she just had to stay vigilant. It didn't interrupt her day, cause her embarrassment or hang over her like a dark cloud.
She is my my super hero and really truly a Wonder Woman.
Sweetstuff does a fantastic job managing her diabetes but so does SugarBoy. He will be 8 in a few weeks and has had Diabetes (why do I always capitalize that - someone please tell me - is it a rule?) since he was nearly 3. He has always owned it so it shouldn't surprise me when he calls from a friends house and the following conversations take place:
Ring Ring Cell Phone
Me: Hello
Sugarboy: Mom can I have a cookie, Seth's mom bought them. My blood sugar was 127, let me see what the carbs are...Seth can you get me the package please...mom it says 21 grams per serving, let me check the serving size....one cookie is a serving...Ill dose first can I have it?
Me: Ah - yes.
Sugarboy: Thanks mom I love you to the moon.
1 hour later:
Ring Ring Cell Phone
Me: Hello
Sugarboy: Mom now Seth's mom made popcorn...it is 14 grams for a serving...I'm just gonna have half a serving so 7 grams - that ok?
Me: I don't think that's a good idea, dinner is nearly done it will spoil your appetite.
Sugarboy: That's why I said half a serving. Thanks mom.
5 minutes later
Ring Ring Cell Phone
Me: Hello
Sugarboy: Mom I was 50 I drank a juice and I will check again in 10 minutes before I eat my popcorn.
Me: OK - good thinking - dinner is in a half hour
Sugarboy: Alrighty then. thanks
My kids are awesome and I am so blessed to have them in my life. They humble me everyday.
You were rockin' that cape, girl! I expect to see you wearing it at the beach, k?
ReplyDeleteAnd love the convo with Sugarboy - that's awesome. (Also love the "love you to the moon" comment -- so sweet! I always tell my 4 yr old son "Love you bunches". But he hasn't repeated it back to me yet. ;) )
Just found your blog and am enjoying it very much. My D1 son is 21. He was diagnosed at 17. He has not been to any amusement parks since his diagnosis. I never heard about removing the pump to ride large coasters. What is that about? How did you know to? I will have to google that.
ReplyDelete@Shannon - thanks lady I do love my cape.
ReplyDelete@anonymous - The advice to not wear pumps on coasters was from the Animas website - if your boy wears a medtronic or omni maybe they don't talk about it on their sites. First I think it would silly to try to remove the omni for every coaster so maybe that pump is designed differently - I would guess that MM should be removed since it is the same design as Animas. It doesn't have to be all coasters - mostly ones that use magnets or have intense G force or negative G force. Im no expect - just a rule follower. Cheers.