What is it like when your child has low blood sugar? How do they feel, what do they do? What do they say? How do they say it feels?

What does it feel like to have a low blood sugar? Please do your best to describe in words.

Show You Care

We often get emails from our local JDRF chapter on upcoming fundraising events and programs. I read every detail. Think through my head quickly of who would be able to come and participate. I think of who it would be cool to hang out with for that evening, get babysitters, and go have some fun while supporting our cause.
But then **POOF**! Gone. All but a mere lucid memory. A situation that never develops. Never even gets to the first phone call.
This may sound weird but asking for people to support the JDRF has become an awkward stance for myself. I don't know if the problem lies in who i rely on support for. Or the problem is en stowed within me asking my peeps for money. When in fact i probably owe many of them a dime here or there. I just cant shake it baby!
So this has to stop. It will stop. I am not asking for cash so i can go out for sushi, or purchase a playboy. (HUH?) I haven't purchased a playboy since i have turned legal age to do so. Now that's just weird. Denise has purchased a few for me in the past. But that is irrelevant. And WAAY off topic. (for now).
This weekend is Rocking for the Cure. It is being put on by a Father and Mother of Kaylee who is 9 and has had type 1 for 3 years now.
Not only have i called a few of my peeps (if i say peeps it makes me sound REALLY cool and hip). I am in the process of getting a football signed by none other than our Grey Cup bound Winnipeg Blue Bombers! Totally smack! (am i cool on this Friday or what?)
This is just the beginning. I swear on it.
I have a few ideas that are manifesting themselves, and have been for quite some time.
I want to make a difference. The difference starts now!
Have an awesome weekend everyone. Sorry i have to start moderating comments now for a while but, I'm cool with that.
By the way, there are a many blogs that i have read on here that their numbers in terms of fundraising have absolutely astounded me.
Way to go all.
Way to do your part.
Way to show you care.

A BIT ABOUT EMMA

Irking Level Set To High

Whenever i write on here i first look around for inspiration. So really at the end of the day i do not have to look too far. There are so many great people on this OC that keep us all in check most of the times.
I claim to be an expert about Diabetes, but if you tell yourself something over and over you begin to believe it yourself even if it is the farthest thing from the truth.
I read all of you talk about the types of insulin you and your children are on. I read about the research you have all been in tune with over the past while. Some more than others.
This translates to everyday for me. As when i do meet someone with Type 1 i am absolutely captivated by the fact. I tend to open up and try to sink every thing that they do and say in.
This i think is where you get your "feel" from. Sure calculating carb:insulin ratios is and has to be precise but you must develop a feel. Develop is the main word here. I know this will not happen over night, nor do i want it to. But it will happen and i hope Emma gets this feel with her feet moving 100 miles an hour.
This is developing.

That Was a Tight Roll..now pass it around...

A high here, a high there, here a high there a high everywhere a high high.
Lil miss Emma had a high ei-ei-o.
And with that high she had a pee e-i-e-ooo.
With a crank crank here and a crank crank there...
..you get the idea.
Momma was totally freaked out on Sunday that her ol' reliable test kit read "HI". I didn't receive honors in school nor did i do well with numbers. But one of the things i did learn is differentiate between letters and numbers (most of the time). So WTF will a "HI" reading tell you? Especially when you think in numbers then translate it yourself to either high or low.
So that was hard to do it the other way around.
It was totally awesome being at a Wedding and stepping out to call a doctor on call (well momma did anyhow, i just stayed inside and drank a lot more gin).
So with saying this it is obvious that we are entering one of those "next" phases.
Not as scary as i depicted in previous posts. But confusing none the less.
Emma is starting to verbalize how she is feeling in her stomach to us which is in terms of your daughter having a disease TREMENDOUS!
We have pulled out the PEN. Hopefully she will embrace it, or at the very least not quiver when she sees it.

Is It So

Last week our Endo was really impressed on how we were sitting over the past year and actually took time to reflect with us. There was in intern with her too so i thought that was a great thing to do with her there.
Doctor Sellers asked us what has been the biggest change in the past year? It is by far the fear factor.
One year ago both Denise and myself were absolutely petrified. There was nothing more frightening than thinking that we have to draw medication from a vile, measuring it properly and injecting it into our daughter.
Fear.
The fact that if the dose is wrong or inaccurate that will make Emma sick and compromised.
Fear.
Emma will be alone walking to school one day. She should be getting slurpees with her friends after school. She will eventually be out of our line of site. This may cause this disease to find vulnerability in our little girl and hurt her.
Fear.
Emma is going to be teased. She will be looked at differently from many people including family, friends, co-workers. Emma will cry because of this. She will have to worry about this instead of worrying about if her shoes are "in" or her braces may look weird.
It is very fearful.

One Year Ago Today

I woke up early as usual. Quietly raced to the shower, creeping between the squeaky hardwood floors guessing where the non squeakage boards are. This was important that I let Momma and Emma sleep. They have had a terrible last couple of days. Emma's days consisted of crying a lot, drinking more, and peeing even more. Mommas last days were spent missing work and going to a walk in clinic hoping to get medication for Emma's' bladder infection. (That would have been really awesome if she did have that infection!)
Then they were informed without any reason to go to her Pediatrician, Hospital, back to the Pediatrician, then essentially back to the Children's Hospital where she met our next head on at 100 miles an hour.
All this time we were talking on the phone between trips while i was at work. Momma was crying, stressed, and confused. I was the Man. Right? Being "The Man" holds responsibility. It holds an expectation. It holds the right to say nothing is wrong and to walk it off.
Well..."The Man" got his ass kicked hard that day.
The man realizes there is something more powerful than anything he could imagine. It is:
Emma, Mom, Dad facing a Diabetes Specialist informing us that Emma has Type 1 Diabetes. And is here to stay even if we do not welcome it day to day.
Upon falling into this dark deep hole. You start to rationalize if this person knows what they are talking about. Your doubt is only temporary. Your doubt turns into complete sadness. Your sadness turns into utter confusion. All the while seeing your wife quiver with her head down and knowing she is not just being a girl, but being a human being who is getting the gravity of the situation but not understanding it.
Where is the light? Where is the hand that is going to grab you and take you to safety? Please show us. But instead the Doctor went directly into telling us about insulin, blood sugars, testing, highs, lows. THIS IS REAL.
Is my child's life in danger? Can she die? What the fuck is diabetes?
I will never ever forget this day. Nor do i want to. Everyone must know. Everyone must see Emma go through this She is the bravest person i know.
She is and always will be my Hero.
I love you Emma. We will keep you safe.