I Voted!

DID YOU VOTE?

It's your right....DO IT!

Trick or Treat!

Kacey (Tigger) & Kayleigh (Dorothy)

Stephen (Scarecrow), Kayleigh (Dorothy),

Me (Wicked Witch) & Frankie (Evil Hunter)

We managed to survive Halloween...with a starting blood sugar of 372 @ 5:30pm(can you say EXCITED?) and it dropping to a 97 @ 8pm!! Kacey did really good at the party...until we got back from trick or treating. She started feeling the drop and started feeling bad *sad* so we ended up leaving so she could get her Lantus and something to eat. We got in the car and we didnt even get 5 miles up the road before she fell asleep...poor thing!

So last night she actually had a Reeses cup with her dinner. You'd of thought I gave her a million dollars! She was so happy :) We made sure we added in the 12 carbs with her meal dose and she was happy as a clam! Her numbers are closer to range today so maybe the highs were just the excitement of Halloween coming...who knows?

~*~JILL~*~

First MeMe

This is my first Meme :) (stolen from Cara...lol)


1. Where is your cell phone? In my hoodie front pocket
2. Your significant other? Asleep In bed
3. Your Hair? Dark Brown
4. Your Skin? Tan
5. Your mother? Caring
6. Your favorite thing? My kids
7. Your dream last night? Didnt dream
8. Your favorite drink? Sweet tea
9. Your dream/goal? To live a long and happy life
10. The room you’re in? Living room
11. Your ex? 13 years ago
12. Your fear? Sound of a chainsaw and crickets
13.Where do you want to be in 6 years? Happy
14.Where were you last night? Celebrating Halloween at a party
15.What you’re not? Ungrateful!
16.Muffins? Mmmmm...banana but!
17.One of your wish list items? Trip to Hawaii
18.Where you grew up? Virginia
19.The last thing you did? Watched movies with the kids
20.What are you wearing? Jeans and a hoodie...its coldddddddd!
21.Your TV? Off
22.Your pets? Cat & Dog
23. Your computer? Damn dialup!
24. Your life? BUSY!
25. Your mood? Tired
26. Missing someone? Sure
27. Your car? White
28. Something you’re not wearing? Watch
29. Favorite Store? Walmart
30. Your summer? Scary...Busy...Kaceys diagnosis....Kayleighs hockey
31. Like someone? Sure
32. Your favorite color? Purple
33. When is the last time you laughed? Dinner
34. Last time you cried? today when watching P.S. I Love You
35. Who will respond to this? Anyone
36. Who’s answers are you anxious to see? Everyone's

Cat Knows?

Hello! My name is Miley and I live within the walls of the West household. I came to live with them on Christmas Eve 2007. Daddy West brought me home on his lap in a rough riding pick up truck, I was so scared! I was a scrawny little kitten and I barely fit in Momma West's hands. I was immediately greeted by some very excited children named Kayleigh & Kacey. They were so loving and kept picking me up. Over the last 11 months, I've been so loved and cared for. Momma West feeds me and gives me water. Daddy West is always chasing me off his side of the bed but I know he loves me. Kayleigh likes to rough play with me and I try to bite her but its really cuz I love her. But Kacey holds a special place with me. When I was just a kitten, I would get up in Kaceys dollhouse and watch her play. She never pushed me out. She would pet me and snuggle me...which I love! I'd purr and let her wrap me in a blanket and carry me like a baby. When Kacey got sick in July, I knew something was wrong but I couldnt talk to tell everyone she was so sick. When Kacey came home from the hospital, I didnt leave her side. I would go in and lay in her bed with her because I knew she felt bad. Every day she's been sick, I dont go very far from her. I watch over her and make sure I alert Momma West if something is wrong. One time I kept saying "Meow....meow...meowwwwww" until Momma West knew something was wrong and tested Kaceys sugar. It was high...and I knew it was....because Im smart! I think I know Kacey is getting sick before she even does! When she feels bad, I sit next to her and purr or I sit close to her and keep watch so no one bothers her. Shes so brave and we have fun playing together. I will always watch over her!

Unexplained Highs

High! Good Morning from a chilly (37 degrees F) Virginia!

OK...for 24 hours now Kacey hasnt had a reading under 200! We went nearly 2 weeks with readings in range and now we're back to fighting the highs! Diabetes SUCKS! *sad*

She woke up with a 204 and didn't want to eat because her tummy hurt and her head hurt *sad* She pulled the covers back up over her head and I knew she was gonna have a serious case of the "grumpies". I went and got the kit....sure enough...a reason to be grumpy! So... yesterday her readings were:

168 when she woke up and told me she felt bad

324 @ 9am

227 @ 12pm

262 @ 1pm and still complaining she felt bad

214 @ 5pm

331 @ 8pm

251 @ 10pm

209 @ 6:30am this morning

So...now what? Any idea what this means?

She still doesnt feel like going to school today. Since her castle project is due tomorrow, I told her we would take it to school and get her missed work from yesterday and today and then go back home. She started crying because she didn't even want to get out of bed *sad* I hate this! I hate the way this makes her feel! Go away Diabetes! We were doing so good for 2 weeks and now this...no reason for the high! Shes not eating anything different. The only sweet thing she had was the cupcake the day before yesterday and its been a steady rise in sugars since then. Surely a cupcake couldnt of stirred things back up....could it?

Any other advice other than water and rest?

We're still so new to all this! If I give her Humalog at a meal and 2 hours later shes still high...do we give more Humalog and risk a low or do we wait and give her more with her next meal? I'm guessing since we're still in the honeymoon that its a waiting game and you risk that serious low if you give too much. Grrrr! Ive never been good at mind games and this is definately like playing a game of checkers. The next move could wipe you out and take your king... or the next move could be victory with a jump. I guess I need to ask that question. We've just been told to give Humalog with each meal or anytime her snack is over 15 carbs....then give Lantus at night....thats it! Yesterday she ran so high she didnt even want a snack in between meals like she usually eats. She just kept saying her tummy hurt *sad*

I faxed blood sugar numbers to her doctor from the last week so they should be calling me within the next day or so. Maybe they have an explained reason for this?

Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers :)

~*~JILL~*~

Update

Well...Kacey must have known she was going to spike this morning and thats why she was feeling so bad. She hit a 324 at 8:30am!! I guess she really does know her body better than I thought she did! She did manage to eat some breakfast and shes back down to a 227 and its almost 1pm! She is getting ready to have some lunch so we'll see how the afternoon goes.

~*~JILL~*~

Diabetes....Please go back on vacation!

Dear Diabetes,

I am writing this letter to please ask you kindly to go back on vacation. We've had a really great 2 weeks since you decided to pack your bags and let Kacey's body settle into good numbers. We've been doing just fine managing life without you rearing your ugly head at us. You decided to come back yesterday after Kacey ate a cupcake at school to celebrate Brandon's birthday. Why Diabetes? Why did you come back and ruin the party? She was only helping her friend celebrate his birthday and you decided to come home...make her feel sick...and kept her blood sugars up all night. Now she's laying on the couch and not going to school today because YOU decided to come home from vacation. Thats not very nice, you know? We didn't want you to come back and we really wish you'd back your bags and permanently keep your nasty butt as far away as possible! Ive heard those islands down south are beautiful!

Thank you so much!

A Loving Mommy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yep...thats right...diabetes has reared its ugly head and after 2 weeks of amazing blood sugars, Kacey had a cupcake at school for a birthday party...which we bolused for...and her sugars stayed up all night and she woke up at a 168. She hasnt been in the 200's in almost 2 weeks! Shes still feeling sick at her stomach and shes got a headache...so shes laying on the couch with her blanket and Rufus. Looks like we wont be making it to school today *sad* I shoulda known that the good numbers would come to an end sooner or later....just wish it was later!! For now...its just rest!

~*~JILL~*~

Walk to a Cure (Warning: Long Post)

41 people came out to support our team!

Rufus wasn't too far away!

Kacey & Madison...Our Sweeties!

Whew...what a journey the last 3 months have been! When we first came home from the hospital, we knew we wanted to get involved and be a part of raising money to find a cure. Since we chose the team name 3 months ago, we have been working hard to get sponsors and having bakes sales.

This week was full of excitement, worry and stress....but I didn't let that get in the way of a beautiful day! We had the radio interview, the newspaper article, the shirt dilemma and in between all the things that needed to be done to get ready for today.

My day began at 5:30am. Beep! Beep! Beeeeeep! I rolled over and shut the alarm off and then pulled the covers back up til 5:45am. I sat up in bed and rubbed my eyes. I smiled and let out a small sigh...today was the BIG DAY! Today was the day that we were going to walk...holding our heads high....knowing that we gave 100% in raising money to find a cure for this terrible disease called...DIABETES. I quietly got out of bed...washed my face...brushed my teeth...got dressed...and turned the computer on. Last chance to check and see what we raised.....OMG! OMG! OMG! We made our goal! We had set the goal at $500 to start with...then we raised it to $1000... then we went up to $1300. I wasn't sure if we'd make that goal or not, but I was hopeful! I sat here and watched the little ticker move...stars popped...OMG! We were now at $1415! If you had asked me 3 months ago if we'd raise that I would of said... I doubt it! But there it was...the goal was met! I smiled and turned the computer off. I woke the girls up...Kays best friend arrived at 7:30am....we left the house at 7:45am....picked up Kays boyfriend by 8am....and we were on our way! As I pulled into the parking lot of the school, I got butterflies! The excitement was building and I could barely contain myself. I looked over at Kacey and the smile on her face made my heart cry with joy. Mom & Brian met us there early and we got everything set up and ready to go! By 9am, our friends started to arrive! Each one greeted us with a smile...a prayer for no rain....and more donations began to roll in. I couldn't believe how generous everyone was giving! God IS good :) Ask and you shall recieve...yep I asked....and we were receiving! Before long, we had "Diabetes Sweeties" running around everywhere! We had a total of 41 people.... moms, dads, sisters, brothers, cousins, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends (new and old) ...there they were...taking time out of their daily life to walk for our daughter. I stood there looking around for a moment trying to choke back tears. Why was I wanting to cry? Ohhhh for so many reasons! Everything we'd worked so hard for had finally come together, we met our goal and were now exceeding it by leaps and bounds, Kacey was sitting on good blood sugar numbers despite the excitement she was having, and everyone was pitching in to make this moment a memorable one for Kacey. Yep...I had a reason to cry...but I held the tears back and smiled! While there, we talked to pump reps, glucose meter reps, complete strangers that shared stories with us ...and most of all people that welcomed us with open arms to the "Diabetes Community". We actually felt "normal". As you looked around, you could see people bolusing for snacks, shots being given, blood sugars tested and we really did feel comfortable!

The walk began at 10am. As we walked the nature trail, Kacey smiled and giggled with her cousin...I watched people on our team carrying on conversations...and I made friends with 2 Moms that are parents of 2 boys from Kacey's class. These 2 Moms didnt know me...they didnt know Kacey... but one of them has a niece in CA with Type 1 and the other just felt it was important to show her son how much he needed to support his friends. That mother went on to share with me how she'd talked to her son about how sick Kacey can get...how he whines about getting a flu shot yet Kacey takes 4-6 a day...and how he felt like he needed to come out and walk with Kacey today. Talk about feeling touched! It says alot about a person when they share something like that with you. So we're walking along and Kacey starts getting tired...we thought the walk was a mile...LOL well it was a mile ONE WAY...yep so we walked 2 miles :) Kacey tested her sugar along the way and she was falling so she grabbed a snack and kept going! Over the course of the walk...our team spread out and some walked faster than others. Kacey and I were one of the final ones from our team to come across the line...moreso because I wanted everyone to be waiting there for her when we finished. As Kacey and I crossed the finish line, I was a bit overwhelmed! I was forced to choke back tears again :( After all the hugs were done we got some lunch...joined in the raffle...and socialized some more! We stayed til the last of our team members told us goodbye and then we packed things up. Mom took all the donations with her so she could count everything up to send in to Lori.

While we were driving home, Mom called me to give me the total.... nearly $650.........WHAT?!?! OMG!!! $1415.... plus $650.... HOLY COW!!! Thats nearly $2100 ~faints~ I excitedly told Kacey and all of a sudden she began to sob. I hung the phone up and pulled the car over. Yep...she was crying real tears... I ended up in tears... and I still didnt know why she was crying. I got her settled down enough to ask her why she was crying? "Mommy, they gave all that money to find a cure for me! Its happy tears!" Well that just made me cry even harder :( "Yep, there were alot of people out there today that love you very much and that shows how much they care!" The rest of the ride home was pretty silent...both of us still sitting with tears streaming.

I just cant express how thankful I am for all the donations and to all the people that showed up...even with the weatherman calling for 80% chance of rain! All of you made this a day to remember! We are still getting more donations rolling in and I will have a final total soon :)

THANK YOU!

~*~JILL~*~