Crossfit + Diabetes

I have become more or less an expert on Diabetes. Type 1 in particular i do know about type 2 but i do not know what makes a type 2 diabetic tick.
Sticking with what i know. A TYPE 1 diabetic has a lifelong difficult uphill struggle to maintain their blood glucose levels. Type 1 is "known" as and autoimmune disease. No one knows exactly what triggers someones body to turn on itself. These people have to act think like one of the most complex organs in the human body.
So what is the formula? How does a human being act like a human organ?
It is all about the trifecta - Diet, exercise, and insulin. Take one of those out of the mix and the diabetic will fail, or even die. But what if we took away insulin? But instead we replaced it with intense broad and general fintess.
Replaced it with a 500meter row 20 renegade push ups and another 500 meter row.
Or replaced it with murph, nancy, diane, fran.
Would these people help others live their life without insulin?
My vision is EMMA not taking 3 insulin shots a day. I see her sucking on a juice box after or before a WOD, ringette game, jazz recital.
I have read that a crossfitter with type 1 in the states along with his diet only needs one shot of a long lasting insulin a day. His carb intake is very low and his exercise is plenty instense everyday.
Would you do Crossfit not to have to inject yourself everyday?
Would type 2 diabetes be such an epidemic? Would we be fat? Would we die, loose a leg, loose vision?
It pains me that most type 2 diabetics can prevent this from happening to them yet they continue on uneducated, unwilling to be better, and unwilling to care enough. And where Emma has no fucking choice in the matter.

I really want to hear/see your perspective in this because you all of course are the real experts on this.
Let me know if i am way off or hitting the mark fully or slightly.
I need to know. I need to keep my vision clear.

Kinder - what - what!

First day of Kindergarten.
It did not really hit me until walking into that playground with school bus's buzzing around, teachers corralling their classes, and countless energetic kids running around with their mates.
Structured learning is something that is very welcomed at t his point. Until now sure she has learned but not to the extent of an actual curriculum based learn.
Everyone was excited, but Anna had no clue other than Barney had to be stopped 10 minutes earlier that morning.

Fortunately there will be a nurse in her room at all times. This is not how things are done in Canada with type 1 but there is a girl in her room that requires that care. So that just gives us copious amounts of confidence from day to day. Mrs. S (teacher) none the less seems to be really really good. And we have heard a lot about her.

An emergency kit is available in the Kindergarten room, gym, and the office. Ready for those hopefully none existent lows. Pictures of students with medical needs are not permitted in the school system any more. But from day to day everyone will learn about Emma.

Emma mentioned about 10 times yesterday how much she likes Kindergarten. And was very talkative about her first class.

Mom cried, i didn't.
Moving forward however terrifies me to death on the first time she is excluded, teased, or singled out because of her type 1. It terrifies me because i will not know how to react. But i will react. Usually without thinking. I ONLY want to say the right things to Emma when this happens. Q. Has this happened to you? Your child? How do you deal with it? What do you say to them? <----- reaching out for help.

Not much gets to me...but this certainly does.


My Big Girl. I love you so much.

Baby girl...I wish you did not have diabetes.

argh.

When your 4 (almost 5) year old type 1 diabetic child tells you that she is shaky and feels low....FUCKING LISTEN TO HER.

Oh man do i ever feel like an idiot. Please let me beat myself up for a bit here.

Yesterday Emma and myself were doing our own thing in the basement...playing dolls and playing tiger woods golf...(insert who was doing what here).

EMMA: "Dadee...i'm feeling shaky."

Dadee: "Okay E. "

So i guess when she heard my words "Okay E". She felt i was in control of the situation and i would look after her. But god dammit. Why did i not listen to her. Why did i not do something about this right away. I feel like balling as i write this.
NOT the least bit acceptable. We preach, advocate, brag, on how well we manage her diabetes and how dialed in we are. Also on how well Emma is in control of how she feels and how she can literate it.
All of that went down the toilet yesterday - for myself.
Yes obviously she was REALLY low. After i got off my ass and looked after her i drove to macs and got her a 10g thin chocolate bar. So after that she was 2.8 (50.4).
This was so bad she told mom what happened and started to cry.
Cry because she thought i did not care?
Did she cry because she felt like shit and i did not do anything about it?
Was she crying because she knows exactly what happened - and daddy fucked up on such a serious volume?

Terrible terrible.
This will never happen again.
I am so thankful and blessed to have Denise on this side of Emma's diabetes. Momma is as close to a cure there is in my eyes.
Thanks for looking after my girl.

:)

Explain?

This was taken over a year or so ago. Can you do your best to explain what is going on here? If you do not know please ask me. I expect most OC bloggers to know but i do not expect many others to know. But Please give it a shot!-no pun intended.
Numbers and ratios have changed a lot since.

Chris.

A + B = C

It was a cold and miserable winter.
Good thing i had my girls.
Anna grew like a weed and Emma just kept on getting more spectacular.

I do not know what was colder...the weather or Emma's scowl.



Renovations started in our outdated rec-room.
Once i came this far there was no turning back.

Really...what the heck did i get myself into.
This job should only have taken 2 weeks -
But with kids...and life happening it went into the three month range

Vapor barrier...2x4 studded walls...were getting there...

There were quite a few moments of overwhelm-ness. I became handy this past year when i got some quotes from contractors to do simple things. I probably saved $2-3,000 at the end of it all. And as a Ukrainian that is gold to me.

Meanwhile during the bitterness of -40 C and the disaster downstairs...Emma and Anna found some things to do. They are best friends (so far).

Getting there.

My "baby".

My Princess.

She loves doing things with her hands. Just like her daddy. Get a pen and paper some scissors and a mindful of ideas and creativity she can do anything.

Happy 1st birthday Anna! (sorry about the hat).
She is FULL of personality. I cannot help but smile ear to ear when i hear, see, or think of her.
She is not walking yet. I really do not want her to...she is a VERY busy woman! Absolute polar opposite of Emma. This is what makes them so great.

'POOF' - Done! Yea right. Almost 3 1/2 months later.

I am pretty happy with it.

Almost perfect.

Relax....?!?!?!.....ummm no....

Yard sale. The walk is next week so we decided to have this to raise money. Friends and family mostly donated stuff to us to sell. There are a great handful of people in our lives that really make a difference when we reach out.
Doing things like this is still very emotional to myself. Organizing anything to do with this chokes me up but that keeps me going in a sense. I feel privileged to be involved with a first class Charity.

All because. I love you Princess.

Show and Tell.

Over the weekend after Anna turned 1 (!!!!) we showed Emma her insulin pens. She was very interested and was enthralled hanging on our every word. So at the end of our talk/demonstration she decided it would be best if she would bring the pens to daycare for 'show and tell'.
Of course we let her (they are not in use and have no insulin in them or anyting BTW).
As much as it broke our hearts it really demonstrated on how Emma is and will be accepting Diabetes in her life. We have always put it out there as not being - bad blood sugars - bad numbers - we hate giving needles - etc.
We have ALWAYS empowered her. Since day one she has been in control of it. As much as there are times where we want to give her ultimatums to get insulin, get tested when she puts up a 'stink' . We will never take toys away, send her to her room, say she cannot do anything. this may sound like a no brainer but i have heard storey's and you can tell who does such things to their wee ones.
First thing this morning even before her chocolate milk she made me put her pens on the counter so she would not forget them. Who knows if she really knows whats going on but who knows maybe she knows more than we actually think she knows.
She sure is special!

The weather and a quote

When the weather is bad with the rest of the world...it is always worse in Manitoba!
Skating down streets and Higways has proven to be the safer mode of transportation lately. I still have not fallen, which i believe i am a dying breed. But when you get a layer of snow over this treacherous foundation like we will get today who knows what will happen?!!

Emma mentioned to me this morning "Daddy when Anna gets diabetes like when i was two she can have my baby test kit".
If that doesn't bring tears to your eyes i do not know what will.

Homer Simpson Has Nothing On Me

Thank you so much for the nice birthday wishes for Emma yesterday. Among the comments and the thoughts she had a tremendous birthday...ummm....week. The past 5 or so days have been full of birthday events.
But my favorite one was taking her to Madagascar 2. She is a big girl now and she goes to big girl movies.
So i thought i would be all Mr. Dad tonight with Emma and be a figure to her just after i gave her insulin.
I asked her if she knows what diabetes is? She looked at me and waited for this educating explanation that would clarify ALL questions that she had about it.
But instead it went like this.....

"Well Emma. Diabetes is when your body make the stuff that you need to play and move. And when you move the diabetes doesn't take your food and help you move lots. (at this point she is looking behind me at her BRATS cup, so i know this isnt going so well so i must stop talking so darned ummm...stupid). Actually it means you need insulin so you can play.

Oh my god. How brutal was that. I know when i walked away she had to have rolled her eyes at me.
I think i will stick to explaining an offside or an icing call.

oy vay.

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

I tell her 5 times a day how much i love her.

I kiss and bite her cheeks easily 3-5 times a day.

I tell her that she is the smartest little girl i know.

I tell her that her eyes can light up the night.

I tell her she is the best big sister ever.

I hug her numerous times a day.

I let her know she is the bravest person i know after every time i pull the trigger on the lancet device.

I dream for her.

I ask her to be a good girl.

I want her to love some one as much as i love her.

Four years ago i didnt know how to do all of this. I did not know what i was capable of. But a little helpless ball of joy changed that for me. Thank you Emma.

And Happy Birthday! You deserve NOTHING but the very best!

I love you.

Dada.

Break

Obvioulsy i am taking a break from blogging about Emma's diabetes. I still lurk on here from time to time and i really enjoy reading your comments when I do actually blog. Even though the penis mightier i will just throw a few pics on here just to let you all know we are alive and well.

One Month ago yesterday....

..I blogged.

One year ago today. Two years ago today.

I knew there was something significantly life changing about this date. But all day i just could not figure it out. Last year if you told me i would almost forget about this i would have told you that you are off your rocker.
Its amazing how times change and how we all adapt and live.

My Bravest

One Year Ago.

.

Think about us today.
Thank you.
We almost missed it.

Yous Guys is Killn' Me here...

ETC...

Emma's last A1C taken on September 19th was 6.9.
Well done Momma and Emma.
We are settled in our new home.
Emma is in pre school.
Anna is 7 months old.
My work is busy.
Momma goes back to work in January.
Emma can turn the computer on and go into her games.
The summer is over.
Anna is up so i better go.

What? You have diabetes too? Thats umm..terrific...

About a month ago i was having lunch with the boys in brown. Later on that lunch hour just after them checking their diads about 30 times each and laughing on how assinine the management is. I Learned that one of my co-workers sons was diagnosed with Type 1 about 2 weeks prior. It broke my heart and nearly brought me to tears. It is odd though the second thought that comes to mind for a split second is that "great! now we have someone in common with what we are going through"
But that quickly changes to madness that one of my friends life has changed.

Fast forward 1 month later to the PlayersCup. I was caddying once again for a friend of mine Luke. His girlfriend (since then now his fiance) Nikki has a sister that has Type 1 as well. So there was a natural connection when they came though and visited us here. Other than the fact she just fell in love with Emma and Anna.

So on the first day of the tournament i noticed the other golfers caddies bracelet. So i asked him what it was for. And he too was diagnosed with diabetes over a month and a half ago. (start doing the math here).

We talked about it. He seemed really brave and at peace with the whole thing which i thought was super. I watched him test, and talked about how he feels when he is low, high, etc. Could it be a facad? I don't know. I have never been diagnosed with diabetes when i was 14. So i took it as it was.


Days later i was at Safeway picking up a few things and i was thinking about him. Then i clued in on his glaring blue eyes just like Deb's from UPS. And it clicked. Boy did it click. I got on my phone immediately and called her. That was her son. I thought that was wild.

I had to address that because it is such a crazy ass disease and overtakes peoples lives at times. And This 14 year old was carrying a 50 pound golf bag up and down hills and following excellent etiquette and handling himself like a pro. Something i could never have done at 14 with out diabetes.

It Hurts Too Much Sometimes

Emma is starting not to understand why she needs needles all of the time. The more she is learning about what has happened to her the more she doesn't know what is happening to her. This in itself tears us to pieces.
I have not yet seen her wake us up in the morning with a huge smile on her face holding her NPH in one hand and her rapid in the other while her syringe is in her mouth asking us to please give her insulin because she needs it for energy and not to feel yucky. Or dropping everything she is doing because she wants to come over to us and have us give her a needle.
Weird eh?
Shit. Instead we are convincing her to settle and without struggle to take 5 seconds out of her day to dose her. It is getting harder and harder by the day to dose her. As much as the dosing is like clockwork so is her little excuses and evasiveness. FUCK.
The very worst moments of our lives can come at times when we finally convince her (on the verge of losing our Patience) to receive the injection, finally settling into her deep breathing, picking a site, and holding still. But dammit to all hell. That is the one that hurts her. That is the time she runs away from us. To her time out spot. Not wanting to have anything to do with us. Mom is crying at this point. I am crying. Emma is beside herself. Anna's face turns to a gleaming smile to a serious "knowing whats going on" kind of look.
Emma is hurt. Her skin hurts. Her yucky cells hurt. Full fledged tears.
As much as people ask us how we are doing and how Emma is doing with it all. We smile and say its good and go into our prefabricated "as long as we watch her, and she exercises, eats well..etc..everything is OK" sort of thing. It still fucking sucks.
I wish she could have had 6,8,10, or 14 years without this.
A break. A break. Give us a break for a year, a month, a day. An hour.

I will be better tomorrow.
Chris.

Run Forest Run

It is unreal what exercise and excitement brings to the diabetes table. This past week we have had the pleasure of having my little sisters kids stay with us. Emma has been beside herself! And so has her lower BS's. This is a really humble reminder on how much excercise means to a diabetics life. Makes me think of the first days of her DX when our Diabetes educator (who was featured on my last post standing with Denise at the walk) who is Type 1 as well. She is in incredible shape. She trains as if her life depends on it. Well you know it actually does depend on it!

She mentioned that often she does not have to take insulin during the day due to her working out running, playing soccer or whatever the case may be. So who better to have diabetes other than Emma. I am convinced at times she forgets how to walk because all she does is run as if she was Forest Gump!

I really wonder this all of the time about people with diabetes and parents with children with diabetes on how much exercise affects their lives. I wish i could have all of you in a room at one time and have the floor to ask these questions and hear your responses.

With saying that i would love to hear what you all have to say about this.

And remember to ask me about the Mentor ship program next time OK? I would love to tell you all about it!

Our last couple of months in pics....

And that is what we have been up to. I guess its called life. We think of everyone often and hope you all are doing tremendous!

This post could be what i need to get back in the game!

Talk to you all soon.
Chris.