Friday, August 29, 2008

It's Friday....and we're running LOW!

Kacey woke up with a 99 this morning. Not too bad ...but not great for getting 13 units of Lantus the night before. She wasnt in the best mood and she only wanted cereal for breakfast. Her doctor changed her breakfast carb ratio again to 1:30 since she was still dropping at lunch. So she only had 36 carbs for breakfast...one unit of insulin...hell...I shot more in the air this morning with the test shot than what I had to give her! So she went and got on the couch...and thats where shes stayed til lunch. She wanted to play the PS2 for a bit but she wasnt acting all jolly like usual. So at 12 she tested for lunch...74! No why the hell would this drop? Shes getting LESS insulin for breakfast...and MORE carbs. Weird!

So...yesterday I took Kayleigh to the doc to have her A1c tested. The paranoid Mommy part of me just needed to make sure she was ok! I called the doc a little bit ago and they said everything is normal!! Her A1c was a 5.6!! So I had my "Mommy Moment" of tears of joy and now Im relieved!

Kayleigh had her first real hockey game last night and she was a starter! I was beaming proud at how much shes grown and how shes turned into such a great young lady! She has changed so much and its hard to believe that in 4 short years she will be graduating! Anyway, they won the game 2-0 and she played nearly the entire game :)

Now...whats the rest of the day hold for me??? Running Kay to practice from 3-5:30pm....taking Kay to Mom's house because tomorrow is her last cake class *sigh*...then home for the rest of the evening to "rest". So thats about all for now!

~*~JILL~*~

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Song

While I was driving today I heard a song that touched me! I think maybe it was just the moment...but the lyrics these girls were singing felt like they were a chapter in my life!

Here it is...

"Just Stand Up"

Beyonce: The heart is stronger than you thinkIt’s like it can go through anythingAnd even when you think it can’t it finds a way to still push on, though
Carrie: Sometimes you want to run awayAin’t got the patience for the painAnd if you don’t believe it look intoyour heart the beat goes on
Rhianna: I’m tellin’ you thatThings get betterThrough whateverIf you fall, dust it off, don’t let up
Sheryl: Don’t you know you can go be your own miracle
Beyonce: You need to know
CHORUS
Sheryl: If the mind keeps thinking you’ve had enoughBut the heart keeps telling you don’t give up
Sheryl/Beyonce: Who are we to bequestioning, wondering what is whatDon’t give upTHROUGH IT ALL, JUST STAND UP!
Fergie: It’s like we all have better daysProblems getting all up in your face
Leona: Just because you go through it
Fergie: Don’t mean it got to take control, no
Leona: You ain’t gotta find no hiding place
Keyshia: Because the heart can beat the hate
Leona: Don’t wanna let your mind keep playin’ you
Keyshia: And sayin’ you can’t go on
Rihanna: I’m tellin’ you that
Miley: Things get better
Rihanna: Through
Miley: Whatever.
Rihanna: If you fall
Miley: Dust if off, don’t let up
LeAnn: Don’t you know you
Natasha: Can go
LeAnn: Be your own
Natasha: Miracle
Carrie: You need to know
Ensemble: CHORUS
Mary: You don’t gotta be a prisoner in your mind
Ciara: If you fall, dust it off
Mary: You can live your life
Rihanna/Carrie: Yeah
Mary: Let your heart be your guide
Rihanna/Carrie: Yeah yeah yeah
Mariah: And you will know that you’re good if you trust in the good
Ashanti: Everything will be alright, yeahLight up the dark, if you follow your heart
Mary: And it will get better
Mariah: Through whatever
CHORUS
Fergie: You got it in you, find it withinYou got in now, find it within nowYou got in you, find it withinYou got in now, find it within nowYou got in you, find it withinFind it within you, find it within
Everyone: THROUGH IT ALL, JUST STAND UP!

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Meeting with Nurse....and Kay's open house!

Sooooo...its nearly 11pm...the house is finally quiet and all I hear is the sound of the fan and my fingers hitting the keys. I guess this is what "peace & quiet" sounds like...LOL...just sad that I have to wait til 11pm to hear it!

Today was pretty eventful :)

Kacey woke up at 3am *shocked face* and screamed in the baby monitor "MOMMYYYYYYYYYYYYY" ... ummm...if my heart needed to be tested I could have easily had my BP checked...LMAO....but that scream put me to the test! I went rushing in her room....heart racing.... "Kacey! Whats wrong?!?!" and quietly she says "I had a bad dream" *big let down* LOL I calmed her down...my heart still racing...and managed to get the glucose machine and just check to see where she was... 191 *puzzled look* Ummm ok...so it wasnt a bad dream because her sugar was high...hell, she couldnt even remember what the dream was...HAHAHA! So...I get her back to sleep...I go back to bed and collapse. but not for longgggg! 4:30am.... MOMMMMMM.... rush back in to her.... "I hear beeping in my ears" (omgggg by now Im a nervous wreck from being woken up like that...not once, but TWICE!) So I manage to get her layed back down and back to bed I stumbled. My eyes popped back open at 8am. At this point 7-11 coffee was sounding pretty damn good! LOL! I settled for Folgers..ha! I woke Kacey up at 9am and she was a 129...perfect! By lunch she was a 115 :) great!

Then by 1pm we were off to the meeting with her nurse at school. I was going into this meeting a bit on the defensive side. I guess Im at this point where I feel like a mother protecting her newborn and the "Nobody can care for her like I can" attitude was kicking in. I had to snap outta that before I drove myself to the looney bin (which isnt to say that Im not nearly there now...LOL) So we meet with Nurse Joanie and she was happy to see Kacey. I've known Joanie for many years! Her son and I graduated high school together...she was on the rescue squad with my Mom...and she was actually the clown for Kayleigh's 1st Bday party...13 years ago! She's watched both of the girls grow up and so I should of felt VERY comfortable going into the meeting, but I still had that "protective" feeling! So she welcomed both girls...gave them hugs...and we went into the conference room where we were joined by Nurse Jenny...who happens to be the nurse from the high school AND a parent of a Type 1 child who was diagnosed at 3 and is now 13. So she was coming into this meeting with nurse and parent info...OMG I must say...it was at that point I felt a sigh of relief *alittle*. I started out telling Kaceys story...how we got to where we are...and going over everything I was expecting. Nurse Jenny started to chime in with good ideas that have worked for her son over his years in school and things I could do for Kacey to help the transition be the easiest as possible. We talked about the 504 and how one needed to be put in place to protect Kacey. Also...the dreaded convo about "What to do in case of an emergency". My stomach was in knots thru this and I hope and pray I never have to be faced with that....BUT at least we have an "action plan". So once we talked for about an hour then Nurse Joanie brought in the teachers Kacey would have this year, the Librarian, the Music teacher, Art teacher, PE teacher, Guidance Councelor and even the Cafeteria workers!! We went over Kaceys schedule...what do to if she isnt feeling well...and the emergency plan with them. All of them asked questions and every single one of them was very open to making this as easy as possible for Kacey! So then everyone left out except her 2 main teachers and we talked with them a little more in detail. Her main teacher has a diabetic husband, who only found out a year ago he has Type 2. So she is aware of looking out for symptoms...and the other teacher has taught a few diabetic kids before and she was aware of things as well. So that REALLY helped me ease my mind. We are going to make a RED folder for Kacey. There will be one in place in each classroom and resourse class. This will be the emergency folder and the folder that will be given to any substitute that is in the class. If there is going to be a sub that day then the teachers have agreed to call me and let me know so I can alert Kacey. This way she can make sure whoever is in the class reads her folder. Also, the teachers and I thought it would be a good idea for Kacey to tell the class about her diabetes. My main reason for this was 1) to let Kacey speak out about it and inform others and 2) this way her "friends" will be on the lookout and if they are anywhere in school (lunch, walk & talk, recess, or class) then if they see she isnt feeling well and she isnt well enough to find a teacher....then she will have help! Her friends can sort of look out for her :) They were also very excited about the JDRF walk and told Kacey they are sure they could incorporate that into class and get class support. So I thought that was VERY special! So I left there with a great feeling :) I even got Nurse Jenny's numbers and email and she told me that if I ever needed anything that we could talk parent to parent. Just having that bit of support helped!

So...I left Kaceys school and we had to go to Kayleigh's open house. OMG...talk about a trip down memory lane! It seems like yesterday that I walked the halls of that high school!!! Fun times *wink wink* LOL...scary thing is...there are still teachers there that were there when I was there...ummm...15 years ago!!! So I bet they're feeling REALLY old tonight...haha! Kay got her schedule...we went around to all her classes and got the class lists and met all the teachers (which happen to be super nice!) I think shes gonna have a great year and she's pleased with her schedule because she got all her first picks for classes! She was even more excited when she found out she has her hockey coach for her English Honors class! While we were there, I had to meet up with Nurse Jenny again...LOL...and I gave her Kays doctors note for her to carry her inhaler. So we chatted a bit more about the 504 and she urged me to push it because of the seriousness of diabetes and the symptoms Kacey could face. So it makes me feel good to have a parent so close to talk to face to face and that is "seasoned" with all the school stuff.

OK...so we leave school...come straight home....and get in the groove for dinner. Kacey tested at a 147 :) another good one! So then it was getting close to bedtime testing and Kay made mention of feeling sick at her stomach. Kacey giggled and said "Sissy you should test! My tummy hurts when Im high!" So Kay brushed her off and Kacey went on and tested at a 109. Well I told Kay out of curiosity I thought she should test since it had been nearly 4 hours since she'd eaten anyway. Ummmm...so we tested....and it was a 151. OK...not really an alarm...but on Saturday she was feeling bad and "drained" and I tested her and she was a 74 (after she'd eaten an hour before) So...call me paranoid....but Im not getting a good feeling and Ive got this sick little ping in my tummy. Surely they BOTH are not?!?! So just to ease my fears...Im going to make an appt for Kay to just have that A1c checked and make sure! Better to be safe than sorry is what I say!

And that brings me to now....everyone still asleep...the calm so nice....and my mind still racing 100 miles an hour! LOL! Sadly, Nurse Jenny informed me today that the "Mommy Meltdowns" never go away...and the fear you feel when you do middle of the night checks and morning wakings will never go away! Im always gonna worry...its my job....its called....being a MOM!

So with that, I will leave you. May you all rest well and keep praying for a cure!

~*~JILL~*~

Monday, August 25, 2008

~sigh~ Weekend Update

OK...so...I left on last Thursday and here it is Monday and Ive not updated...guess that shows how busy Ive been! So lets take it say by day...

Friday 8/22/08

I woke the girls up early to go over to Busch Gardens. They didnt know we were going and since it was my birthday it was a surprise! We met my Mom and went to breakfast at IHOP. Kacey did really well! Her sugar was a 117 and she even did her shot at the table! So we left there and went to Busch. They were really excited! By lunchtime I could see Kacey getting tired and asked her if she was ok? She tested and she was a 91. During that time, I finally got a call back from the Diabetes Center and Kristen said since Kacey seemed to be dropping at lunchtime then maybe we should changed just her breakfast carbs to 1:22 but keep the rest the same. So dinner she was a 135 and we went to Moms for presents and dessert. She did REALLY well and her bedtime sugar was 156. I got lots of really nice stuff :) The girls gave me the Pandora bracelet I asked for and the silver heart charm. So it was a really nice birthday after all *smile*

Saturday 8/23/08
Kacey woke up at 119 and we did the new carb dose for breakfast and she was a 155 for lunch :) She went up to a 191 for dinner and then we had a birthday party to go to and she wanted to have cake. She tested at 167 and since she'd just had insulin 2hrs prior and she was getting her night time dose in another hour, I didnt give her a shot. She only went up to 186 for bedtime. Another good day!

Sunday 8/24/08
We slept in this morning :) Kacey woke up at 145 and we did the new dose again and at lunch she was a 99. We had another party to go to at 2pm and she wanted cake ~sigh~ You cant tell them no when everyone else is eating it. So she tested at a 114 and she had a small sliver of cake and did just fine! By dinner she was a 162 and then at bedtime she was down to a 102. Another good day...LOL...the streak is gonna end soon I know it! I had some time to chill out and get things ready to do her 504 Plan. I checked the Diabetes Sweeties myspace and there were a few new friend requests. I met another Mom on there named Sheri and her daughter is 10 and had Type 1 since she was 5! I emailed with her for a bit and she reminded me that I really was "normal" ...hahaha! Kacey is excited to email Nikki. She wants her own myspace now...LOL! So I have to create that for her when I get time.

Monday 8/25/08
Yep...as I suspected...it ended! Kacey woke up at a 134...which was good! I started working on her 504 Plan since I meet with her nurse and teachers tomorrow afternoon. At lunch, Kacey was complaining of a headache...sure enough...she was down to a 64!!! So I gave her 3 glucose tabs and waited 15min....retested again and it was 398!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMGGGGGGGGGG!!!!! From one extreme to the next! So I put in a call to the diabetes nurse just to ease my mind. This was at 12:30pm and so by 1pm they hadnt called back and Kacey was hungry so she retested and it was a 126....WTF?!?! OK....so either her body is doing wacky things or the meter was wrong. I tested myself to make sure it wasnt the meter....Nope...and owwwwwww! Those finger sticks hurt! So the nurse calls me back about 1:30pm and she said that Kaceys body just did something wacky and she doesnt have an explanation for it...but since she was 126 now then she was ok and for us to just pick up where we left off. So...by 4pm she was a 128 and then for dinner she was a 171. Does this roller coaster ever end?!?! ~sigh~ Im just so tired and worn down. Im stressing over this meeting tomorrow! I completed the 504 Plan and the Health Plan so Im going into this as prepared as I can be. I got all her supplies together so we can take them with us. The only thing I have to get is some of the individual ketone strips, more alcohol pads and some snacks for her to keep at school. I will let ya know how the meeting goes tomorrow.

Til tomorrow...
~*~JILL~*~

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Crazy Few Days

OK...as if things couldn't get crazier....and to think I was seeing "normal"...NOT!

So...after Kacey got that 127 on Tuesday...she went down to 108 for dinner and then up to 181 for bedtime. I was pretty satisfied with those numbers :)

Yesterday she woke up at a 104...it was ok...but not great. Then....lunchtime she went down to 69!!! GEESH!!! We went from one extreme to the next :( So around 3pm she was only at 105 and then for dinner she went back up to 170. When it was time to test for bed she was down to a 97...so I made her eat a little more and brought her up to 129 at 10pm. She went to sleep and then woke up crying from a dream at 12am...her sugar was 176.

So...I let her sleep in this morning and she was a 137 when she woke up at 9am. We had to take Kay up to the school because she had a game in Va Beach today and when we got to the school, Kacey said she had the shakies....she tested...67!!! My goodness!!! I cant win :( Then she went to 112 for dinner. She just tested for bedtime and it was up to 205. Grrrrr!

Struggled with Kacey tonight over the shot. Frankie wanted to do her night time dose and she cried and didnt want him to do it. He got frustrated...I got frustrated...and its just been a mess. I know he wants to try to give them to her but I cant force her to let someone try and give her a shot after he failed twice before. Especially since this is her large dose. So I told her that we would let him try again when she was getting a small dose.

I put in a call to the Diabetes Center earlier since she had 2 low blood sugars and because I still hadnt gotten a call back from them since Frankie faxed the blood sugars in yesterday. They never called me back so I dont know whats going on?

Well... tomorrow is my birthday... not really up to celebrating :( It's been a rotten month and I really dont have much to celebrate. I was asked what I wanted for my birthday and I still insist on "a day of peace and quiet" but somehow now matter how many candles I blow out...that wont be a wish I get!

Tried to call Kaceys school again about scheduling a meeting. Sally said she gave Dr. T the message and they are waiting for the teachers to get back and they would call me and let me know when we would meet. I dont wanna put it off too long because Open House is next Thurs and I dont want to spring this on them.

On a good note...Kay went to Va Beach and played a scrimmage game on the turf field at the Va Beach Olympic Training Center. They won 1-0. I couldnt be there (and Im sad I didnt go) but with traffic and all...there was just no way I could. She went to dinner with the team afterward and she had a great time! She was a motor mouth when she got in the car...telling me all about the game...and how she got to play most of the game :) So thats wonderful!

Well...I think Im gonna go try and get a hot bath...I need it :(

Just having an all around rough day :(

Til tomorrow...
~*~JILL~*~ (Forever 32) *wink*

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Seeing "Normal" in sight!

Well...it looks like there may be a bit of "normal" headed our way! I finally got a full night sleep last night! Yesterday at lunch Kaceys sugar went up to 202. So I figured we were on the same roller coaster as we were the last 2 days. Well as I was totalling her dose she says "Oh gosh Mommy! I forgot to tell you I had milk with my breakfast" ....yikes! So that was 12 carbs unaccounted for....yep...thats what caused the level to jump! So by dinner she was still a 200...but its ok because by bedtime she was a 135!!! YAYYYYYYYYY!!! Finally back in range :D I didnt have to get up in the middle of the night last night and actually fell asleep as soon as I layed down in bed to watch the Olympics...LOL! I was even told this morning that I had to be shoved because I was snoring...hahaha! I had a great night sleep....wonderful dreams *wink* ....and woke up refreshed at 7am! I woke Kacey up at 8am and she tested at a 127!! Woohooooo! Hopefully things are starting to turn and we're on our way to things looking up :)

Today is Kays first scrimmage JV hockey game against Tabb. She's really excited :) These 2 scrimmage games will determine the starting line up! She's definately playing defense...we're just not sure if shes starting yet. I know she'll do good though!

So Im off til later....
~*~JILL~*~

Monday, August 18, 2008

Long Night

OK... the alarm went off at 1am and I stumbled to Kaceys room...shook her a bit and told her it was time to "See how sweet she was?" (in other words...check her sugar). She stuck one finger out of the covers and never moved the whole time. I was trying to get my eyes open enough to read the glucose machine in the dim light from her night light... 23?!?! NOOOOOOOO... I rushed out to the bright light in the dining room... 231...whew! So she was still running high. I tried to get her to drink but she didnt want any parts of it. So I covered her back up and stumbled back to bed....tossed and turned to get comfy....and finally dozed off somewhere between 3am and 4am. Got up around 7am and tiptoed to her room just to check on her. By 8am I woke her for her finger stick...137. Geesh!!! So now we're back within normal range...she just had brekkie...so we'll see how the rest of the day goes :) Im glad Kays practice is later this week! We dont have to rush so much in the morning.

I will update more later!

~*~JILL~*~

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Another Sleepless Night Ahead :(

Well...looks like Ive got another rough night ahead :(

I woke Kacey up at 1am and tested her and she was a 282. I tried to get her to drink but she was so sleepy she sipped and went back to sleep. I tossed and turned and ...yes...worried! So I woke her up at 7am and tested her again...155! So I let her go back to sleep and I layed back down and I started thinking about what she ate yesterday and at lunchtime we had her bowling party and I thought maybe I didnt calculate in enough carbs for what she ate while we were out....and since she was down to 155 then maybe I was right. So by the time she got up it was after 9am...she tested and it was 134! So surely I was right and it was just that she didnt get enough insulin for what she ate.....WRONG! Lunchtime rolls around and she tested...253!!! UGH! *grumbles face* I dont understand whats making her shoot up. I know for sure I calculated her dose right *cry* So..we decided to take the girls back over to Busch Gardens since we were meeting Mom & Brian for dinner. We walked around and the girls got on a few rides...we saw the Jukebox show....and then we left because it was so crowded again! We got to dinner and Kacey tested... 126!!! Geesh!!! Its like a damn rollercoaster :( So I told her she could have what she wanted and we would make sure we tried to guess a little better for what she was eating. Well.....its now bedtime dose....she tested and I nearly fell out... 297!!!! WTF?!?!?! I really dont understand :( I know Im calculating her dose as accurate as possible and she still seems to be running high. I think maybe they shouldnt have changed her carbs to 1:20 ...it should of stayed 1:15....but what do I know? So now we just have to keep a close eye on her because the doc doesnt want us calling unless she gets 3 sugars over 300 back to back in a week. How crazy is that?!?! So I guess Im in for another sleepless night... have to set the clock for 1am to retest her :(

Good news for this week... Kay's hockey practice's are only from 5-7pm on M, W and F ... and then on T and Th she has her first scrimmage games :) Im excited because I think she may be on starting line up. She's started every scrimmage game theyve had against the Varsity team...so we'll see! One of the games is in Tabb and the other is at the Olympic Training Center in Va Beach. So I'll be on the road with her :)

OK...Im off for a shower! Thanks to all of you that are reading and keeping up :)

Til tomorrow...
~*~JILL~*~

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Anddddddddd HE DOES IT!!!!

Michael Phelps wins his 8th gold!!!!!!!

YAYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!

OMG I was so happy for him!!! Kacey fell asleep so she missed it :( So she'll be excited when I wake her up at 1am to do her finger stick. OK....just had to share my excitement. Im off to bed for an hour and a half and then Ive gotta get up to check her.

Till tomorow.... ~signing off~
~*~JILL~*~

Grrrrrrrrrrr! Feelin stressed!




First....

Sooooo......Ohhhhh how bout that close swim race last night? GO PHELPS!!! GO USA!!!! That race was amazinggggggg!! I watched a really good interview with his Momma today. Funny how when he was little everyone teased him...and now he's the spotlight of the Olympics. Bet those guys that teased him are kicking themselves in the ass! HAHA! Damn...he's easy on the eyes! LOL!


OK...so now for the news...you know Kaceys dose was changed....and I THOUGHT we were gonna be doing good...but today she ran a bit high ...132, 177, 140 and then she tested for her bedtime dose and 247!!!!! WTF?!?! Grrrrrrrr! So now I will be up all night testing her and pushing water to get her to come down! I cant seem to win right now *cry*


Today was Kaceys last day of bowling and she got her trophy. It was good to finally see everyone after being gone for a few weeks. We signed her up for the fall and she is moving up into the higher division along with her team :) So thats exciting! She wont be bowling with bumpers so I wanna take her up there and let her practice before she has to start doing it for score.


Kay had her cake class today and she learned how to do fondant. Her cake turned out really cute :) She is gone to a sleepover tonight with all the JV hockey girls. They are making shirts for their scrimmage games next week. So shes really excited about the whole "team bonding" thing. Im glad shes involved :)


Had a couple more walkers join the team this past week....also got a few donations....so thats good :) Im hoping as it gets closer to the time then things will pick up. We told quite a few people about it today while we were at bowling. Several were interested and got really excited about it. One of the Moms said she would definately join with her kids. It made Kacey feel really good to see the outpour of support she was getting!


Sooooo.... thats about it for now.... Im gonna go get a bubble bath before Michael Phelps graces me with his presence....LMAO!


Goodnight!

~*~JILL~*~

Friday, August 15, 2008

Doing Better!!

OK...the storm has passed and Im back :)

Soooo...seems that things are starting to look a little bit better. Kaceys sugar at dinner was 172...we had to do our first correction dose in a long while :D And then she just tested a little bit ago for bed and it was 148. She got her 13 units of Lantus again and so we'll see how things look tomorrow morning!

Been relaxing and watching the Olympics with Kacey. Shes really getting into it and shouting "Go USA!". Shes trying to stay awake til 10pm so she can watch Michael Phelps swim (wooweee!).

Kay is at Moms tonight and Frankie has been out at the dog pen...so its pretty calm and definately quiet tonight! Tomorrow we have Kaceys last day of bowling. I feel so bad because she hasnt been able to bowl with her team for a while :( She will get her trophy tomorrow and then bowling will be done til Sept. I think we're going to go on and move her up to the next division because shes not being challenged anymore. The only thing I dont like is they bowl 3 games instead of 2 and they start earlier. But she still wants to do it.... so we will! :)

Still no word from her school! I called day before yesterday to tell them that I needed to meet with them and go over her medical plan. Only 2 more weeks and they go back to school! She said to me today ... "Mommy, will you come to school every day and give me my shot?" Ugh! Im beginning to think that its not going to be an easy transition! She still wont even let Frankie try and give her the shots anymore...so Im the only one doing them. So it looks like I will be going up there everyday to have lunch with her :D But...for peace of mind...I think it will be easier because then I will be figuring her dose and doing the shots and its less stress for everyone!

OK...Im off again...20 min to Phelps time! YAYYYY!

~*~JILL~*~*

Still on the "Low" end

Well...its been nearly 24 hours since Kacey's dose was changed and she's still running on the "lower" end of things. She woke up with a 94 and had a 94 for lunch...so now we have to work toward getting her to that "target" of 150. Im guessing that if she doesnt show signs of coming up then they will reduce her Lantus again next week.

On another note...I got Kay's hockey schedule for the season. Whew! Its gonna be crazy and they travel all over! A few of the games are at the Olympic Training field so thats pretty cool! Im happy for her :) Ive seen a HUGE improvement in her the last 2 weeks. Its like watching a butterfly come out of its coccoon. Very cool! She's still playing defense and her hits are so much stronger...thanks to all that weight lifting she did over the summer with the conditioning! She came home really excited the other day because she got to keep her same number... #12 ....from the last 3 years she's played!

OK...a storm is about to hit so Im gonna go for now... be back later on with dinner dose results :)

OXOX,
~*~JILL~*~

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Dose & Carb Change

Got a call from Anne, the nurse at the Diabetes Center, and she said the doc said he wanted to decrease Kacey's Lantus again to 13 units...but he also wanted to change her carb ratio to 1:20 from 1:15...so thats GREAT news! She said Kacey is definately in her honeymoon period and now its a waiting game til she comes out of it. Once she does then we will get a good idea of what her dose will be and we can think about getting the pump :)

She had a better night last night....and I got a little more rest :)

Went grocery shopping today...ugh! I got Kacey a few of her favs... Goldfish and mini Nilla wafers seem to be what she wants at the moment. Also got her the new Jonas Brothers CD and she's played that song by Nick called "A Little Bit Longer"over and over! He wrote it about his diabetes and so it means a little more to her :) LOL...altho hearing it on repeat is getting old! I went on and put it on my iPod and so I let her listen to it from there so it was in her ears and not mine...haha!

Got a parent meeting for JV hockey tonight. Im soooo tired of running! Frankie asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I started to cry and said "Just one hour peace and quiet" *sigh*

So thats all for now!
~*~ JILL~*~

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Diabetes Carnival @ CHKD on 8-11--08

Kacey painting on the spin wheel

Madison with her Mom & Dad



Madison & Kacey with silly teeth





Kacey, Ms. Renee (RN/Diabetes Educator) & Madison


CHKD Diabetes Carnival Aug 2008

Attempting her first shot!!!




OK....Just having a "proud Mommy" moment.... Kacey attempted doing her own shot this morning! She asked to do it and I asked her if she was ready? She said she was nervous so I held her hand and guided the needle in and she pressed the button on her pen. I just sooooo proud of her!!!


Here is a pic of the Humalog Kwik pen that she uses. It looks like a pen you write with and you take the cap off and put a new needle on the end. After you use it then you take the needle off the end and discard it and replace the cap. These are sooooo much easier to use than the viles!! No air bubbles either :) Her Lantus comes in the same type of pen!


Rough Day/Night Yesterday

OK....so Im writing this with a total of about 3 hours sleep!

So...yesterday Kacey was having more lows. She stayed on the lower end of things on Monday... 101, 75, 93, 113, 103 and 121. She has been on the 17 units of Lantus. Well yesterday she woke up at a 84 and she ate and right before lunch she came to me and said "Mommy I have the shakies again" (Shakies= her way of telling me her knees and hands are shaking) So I immediately told her to test... 64!!! So I gave her 4 glucose tabs and she came up to a 156. I called her doctor and they told me to decrease her Lantus to 15 units tonight. Well by 3pm she told me she had the shakies again and she was a 75. She had a snack and I hoped that would do the trick....NOT! By 5pm she dropped to a 66 with the shakies again :( So she had dinner and went and layed down. By 8pm she was still only a 84 and I knew I had to get her above 130 to go to bed. So I let her have Ramen noodles for snack with some peanuts. I rechecked her at 9pm and she was a 181 and went to bed. She woke up at 12am and she was crying and said her stomach hurt so I tested her again and she was a 194. I put her on the couch and I ended up getting up every hour to check on her because I was so scared. So then by 6am I rechecked her and she was at a 92. Not sure whats in store for us today...but Im exhausted!

Update to come!

~*~JILL~*~

Monday, August 11, 2008

CHKD Diabetes Carnival

We had the Diabetes Carnival tonight at CHKD. It was lots of fun for Kacey to be around other kids going thru the same thing she is. Most everyone we met were years into their diagnosis but it was great to be able to talk to others and hear their stories and what worked for them. I asked tons of questions about the pump and I think Ive changed my mind about how I feel about it. I also think Kacey has too! She originally didn't want it because she didn't want to be connected to it all the time but seeing the other kids with them and how much easier it makes life was a huge eye opener! Many of the kids were quick to tell us about their pumps and show us their sites and it made us feel really comfortable! Kacey also got to see Madison!!! This was the first time since we left the hospital that we've been able to get together :) It was really nice to see them feeling so much better. I got to talk to Patty for quite a while and we both were in much better shape than we were the last time we talked! I got all Kaceys paperwork for school. Im still very nervous about her going back! I heard a few "horror stories" while we were at the carnival. One mother said that her reason for getting her daughter on the pump was because her school had a sub nurse that day and her daughter wasnt feeling well and she went to school to check on her and the sub nurse figured her daughters dose wrong and instead of her daughter only getting 1/2 unit...this nurse was going to give her 5 units!!!! OMG!!!! My heart sank because thats EXACTLY what Im afraid of!! So Im hoping that within the next 6 months we can get her on the pump :) Anyway...we didnt win the Jonas Brothers tickets....but we walked away with something more valuable and that was ....experience and more friends! Theres a support group for parents of kids with diabetes that I think I might join. Im still feeling so stressed some days and I think to ease much of that and for someone to just say... "You're normal to feel this!"

So thats about it for now! Just have to schedule an appt with school :)

~*~ JILL ~*~

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Good week...but BUSY!


We had a really good week this week. Only a couple of lows but not anything to get all upset over. Since Kacey's dose was backed to 17 units she's done really well staying in range. She did drop to an 83 at one point...which isnt a real low...but she started to get shaky and actually asked to test to make sure she wasnt too low. So Im glad shes really starting to get in touch with her own body and feel the warning signs. It makes me feel alot better because even at an 83...she ate lunch and bounced right back up...so we didnt get all upset about it dropping.

I got a chance to speak to her school nurse this week. So shes got a heads up as to what Kacey is facing this year and once we go back to CHKD on Monday then we will have all the paperwork to take to school and set up a meeting with all the teachers. Im still REALLY nervous about her going back and I talked to Frankie and I think my plan is going to be... take her to school in the morning so she doesnt have to be on the bus for an hour and then go back and meet her before lunch to do her fingerstick and then have lunch with her and then go to the nurse with her so she can get her shot then come back and get her in the afternoon. Until she gets in a set routine, then I think I will feel much more at ease doing it this way. Shes still doing her own fingersticks so if we can get her to do her shots within the next few weeks then that would be great! Im not gonna push her though :) She actually started the Kwik pens this week and they are MUCh easier than drawing up the insulin and making sure you got the bubbles out!

I did manage to have some "Mommy time" this morning. I left at 8:30am to get my hair cut and didnt come home til 10:30am....so thats a big step :) I actually needed it!! Although...I did wake Kacey up and did her fingerstick, breakfast and shot before I left...just to keep things calm. I still have moments where I feel so overwhelmed and break down into tears...and Im sure those moments wont go away overnight...but then I sit and remind myself at how far we've come in just 3 short weeks! I had a blow up with Frankie earlier in the week because I needed some free time and all I wanted was to drive and pick Kay up from hockey and be in the car ....ALONE! So I finally got that today. I didnt even turn the radio on...I just drove :D

Some good news to report....Kayleigh made the JV Field Hockey team so all her hard work paid off and she was thrilled! Shes had practice everyday this week from 8-11:30am and then on T and Th she had to go back from 5-7pm...so it took us a little while to adjust to all the running but we did fine! It doesnt end now though...that schedule will be the same til school starts...haha! But now that we have a set routine then we should be ok :) We just get up and I take her to practice and then Kacey and I come back home and do fingerstick, bfast and shot....and then we go get Kay and come back home for lunch. When she has to go back for the evening, Frankie and I worked out a schedule so I have her fed and her shot done when he gets home and then I can leave to go back to school...ALONE....and watch the end of Kays practice in peace :D I think it will work out just fine that way!

Well...I guess thats all for now...thanks for reading!
~*~JILL~*~

Monday, August 4, 2008


Good Day

Today has been a good day!! Kaceys levels have all stayed within range today :D Maybe this means we finally got the dose right!! We went out for breakfast this morning and it was just me and Kacey so we sat there talking and I asked her "How many carbs do you think your meal has?" It was VERY cool to watch her guess (which was very good guesses) and we totaled it all up since we had no way to get an accurate count of how many carbs it was. I told her we would retest her sugar in an hour to make sure the dose was right. We retested and it was perfect!!! So we were both excited because that meant we guessed right and she got just enough insulin :) Its been almost 3 weeks since she was admitted and it seems that its much easier now with feeling more comfortable in public. I didnt drag the backpack into Walmart with us today...Kacey carried her camo pack with her insulin in it and I told her that if she felt "low" we would just buy something for her to snack on. She did have a bottle of water with her but we never had to get her a snack. I watched her today and shes gone from a sluggish grump to a smiling sweetie. She wanted to jump from store to store today while Kay was at hockey and I asked her "What happened to that little girl that hated to shop?" She laughed and said "That was the sick Kacey and Im the new Kacey that feels better!" LOL...it made me giggle and smile because Im so happy to see her feeling better and adjusting to this new lifestyle with NO problems! I got her some new snacks today...Teddy Grahams and some mini 100 cal pack chocolate chip cookies for those days she needs something a bit sweeter :)

All in all...a good day :)
Jill

Sunday, August 3, 2008

The Best Hospital Ever!!!

CHKD, Norfolk



CHKD Satellite office, Newport News

KACEY'S FIRST TUMMY SHOT!!!
7-29-08

Another Dose Change

Well...Kacey woke up with ANOTHER low this morning... 62 :( So I called over to her doc's office and they called me back within 5min. They've lowered her dose from 20 to 17 and we have to try that and see if that keeps her sugar in her normal range. Kacey was excited because that means its not such a huge dose...LOL! Not sure how long this honeymoon is gonna last?!?! She had a 74 at lunch and then jumped to a 144 for dinner. So tomorrow we will know more about how the new dose is working.

Been a relaxed day today :) While I was stressing this morning, Frankie took it upon himself to go make us all breakfast. I was thrilled to see him picking up the slack! After breakfast, I decided I needed to get a bit of cleaning done around here and as I was cleaning I saw him following my footsteps and he scrubbed the bathrooms, cleaned up the kitchen from breakfast and dusted in our room. Today is the first day I actually havent felt "rushed". Maybe it was having his help...maybe it was getting comfortable in our routine...whatever it was Im just glad I wasnt feeling like I was running in circles!! I think he finally realized today how hard all this has been on me. We had a really good day at Busch yesterday and today has been another good day. After we cleaned up, we went to Grannys for lunch. His Granny & Aunt actually went and got frozen pizza for the girls and they had read the labels!!! I was SOOO proud of them! Thats a huge step for them to actually look at the labels til they found something that Kacey could have too that didnt have too many carbs. Made me feel really good! I also talked to them about his other Aunt. Her diabetes is very out of control and Im actually scared for her because her legs are sore again and shes got another UTI/bladder infection. Her doc isnt an Endocrinologist and I fear that it wont be long til she loses her legs and when that happens you cant turn back the clock. So I got the name of the doc that Tracy goes to and I called his Aunt and told her all about the doc. Shes a female so I think she will have a bit more sympathy for her. I told her I would call and get her the appt and take her over there if she would go....she said YES! I was floored!! Her own kids have tried to get her to go and she put it off but I think now she sees that its to the point that its really out of control and I told her I want her to be a good role model for Kacey and if shes not following the doc then how is Kacey going to learn how to manage her diabetes. So I think it just struck her the right way!! So tomorrow I will call and make the appt for her :)

Well I guess thats it for now! I'll keep you all posted :)

JILL

First "Long" Day Out


Today was the first time we actually decided to go out for an extended period. We took the girls over to Busch Gardens around 3pm and we stayed there til 10pm. Kacey did REALLY well considering she'd had a low earlier in the day. We took her into the Festhaus around 5pm and she did her finger stick in public and then ate her dinner and did her injection in public. I was SOOO proud of her! So then around 8:30pm we knew it was getting close to her bedtime dose and she was going to need her snack so we went to the Kinetix show. This gave us a chance to sit down and relax as well. It was VERY hot and she was drinking water but she needed a break. So we sat down in the front row since the show wasnt due to start until 9pm. We got her finger stick kit out and I could sense the black woman behind me staring. Frankie said she was giving her husband a weird look and then looking back to what we were doing. So we did the finger stick and she was a 93 ... she was a 95 at dinner...so she was dropping. She had her snack and then it was time to do her large night dose of insulin. Well the same woman was having a mini "freak out" but we totally ignored her and praised Kacey for being so brave in public :) We came home and her sugar was still on the low end so she had milk and vanilla wafers before bed! :D I'm just so pleased at how well she handled herself in public today. We're making progress!!!