Teenage Guessing Games

Hello Blogosphere, I am still around.....and yes I still have five daughters, 2 of which have Type 1.


My Awesome Teen Type 1 - Whom I worry about


My teen Type 1 is currenlty flooded with pubescent homronal surges that threaten her daily diabetes life more frequently then I would like. However I strive to  be a mature (Ha, ya right) father and I must gently pursuade or encourage her to be responsible with her diabetes. In other words I try to lead by example, and yes.....I constantly remind her to test before; eating, moving, sleeping, skate-boarding, breathing, blinking, you get my point.

I worry....who doesn't, but here are my biggest worry's:

Me "What's your suger?"

Her: "It's fine, I can tell" - As she injects a huge amount to chase the carb she ate 30 minutes ago

Next:

Me "Did you test" - Before she is about to leave with her friends to go long boarding

Her "No, but it was good before"

Me "When? Before....!"

Her "This Morning" 8 hrs ago

Me "Test or you don't go" My thoughts - I wish she didn't have diabetes.....but I want her safe and alive.

Next:

Her "My stomach hurts"

Me "What's your sugar"

Her "Don't know"

Me "why?

Her "Haven't checked today"

The list goes on and on....

I try not to nag but man, I worry about her safety, the blind injections, the not testing, the guessing, the everything.....then I remember that when I was a 15 yr old Type one they didn't even have meters, and I took 2 shots per day, I survived, and I know she will too.

Cheers!
Trev

Would You Like to Buy Some Cookies?

Sure! I say enthusiastically to the 2 Girls standing on the porch holding a box of "Girl Guide" cookies.

As all five of my girls huddle behind ready to pounce me if I say no.

I say "Just one sec while I go get the money"  I return with the 2 toonies (2 two dollar coins in Canada) hand them the money and retrieve the goods

I close the door and my offspring follow us (the goods and I) into the kitchen.  Eagerly waiting for their delicious cream filled cookie to be rationed out.

Then reality sets in. Crap, Rowan was high 15 minutes before the goods arrived. 

I take the cookies and put them up in the cupboard risking a full on assault from all five of my children.

But I only say one thing, "Rowan's high right now"

They all (with the exception of the toddler) understand. 

I distract the wee one with a toy, and a drink.

The rest sit down at the table, and say " Come on Dad let's finish our game of cards" I smile and sit.

On the inside I think.  What a great bunch of kids, Rowan didn't complain at all, and the others put their own desires (trust me for an 8 and 10 year old to deny themselves a cream filled cookie is a major feat) aside for the consideration of their little Type 1 sister really touched my heart. I was a very proud dad at that moment.

This is one of many examples of the things parents with children of type 1 diabetes have to experience more often then they should.

Trev

Kids Don't Come with Instructions

Wish they did though!

Parenting a child or in my case children with Type 1 D is like parenting any other kid, but with a catch.

Whats the catch? 

Well when they are irritable beyond the point of what we perceive as normal kid behaviour we have to ask ourselves; "Is the mood swing related to the diabetes or is it them just being a kid?" 

I know other parents with diabetes in their family can relate.  So what do we do.

Depends on the kid of course but for the 6 year old we always do a quick finger poke to check her level, then if it is normal we send her straight away to the naughty bench and let the temper tantrum proceed, telling ourselves, well that is simply her being an emotionally dis regulated kid. You know, the old 1 min per year rule on the bench. 

The dilemma rises when her glucose reading is high.  Then the act of discipline (to teach) is a little more comprehensive.  We have to explain that her glucose is high, but this is still not an excuse to beat your sister with the barbie(kidding)but true.  It is not as simple, like most things with diabetes, eating, exercise, whatever, there is way more extra thought involved. 

Our goal with our 6 year old is to teach her boundaries, appropriate behaviour and coping strategies for dealing with her feelings.  But we also have to teach her that high blood sugar can effect her physical and mental well being.  It is a tedious and challenging process, especially for a child as young as six.  

Disciplining my 13 year old Type 1 involves allot of the same principles. Although the Naughty bench has lost its effect.  Key differences include; her increased self awareness, and her ability to self-test.  I do however notice a trend (not too often) when she uses her glucose level as an excuse.  Once again this requires us parents to have a discussion about making different decisions when feeling unwell.  We recommend she test, correct, let us know, and spend some quiet time in her room. This of course is not always the case.  There are the verbal outbursts "That's not fair" or "It was her fault!!!" accompanied by stomping feet, and the occasional door slam.

Disciplining children with DM is really the same as any other kid; but always ask yourself is this the Diabetes talking or is it just the kid?

Then teach your child how to cope and deal with the situation, feelings, and behaviour.

Unfortunately they don't come with instruction books.  Like Diabetes, each kid needs to be treated slightly different.  Some days you wish they came with a receipt, to return them when their behaviour has pushed you to the brink of insanity.  But then they go to bed, and you think, man they drive me mad but I love em more then life itself.

Trev

It Started with me...now there's 3

Three to Treat is my attempt to reach out and share some experiences of dealing day-in day-out with this challenging thing they call Type 1 Diabetes. 

When I was nine my mom took me to the doctors office (get this) becasue I was peeing all over the toilet seat and my urine felt like syrup.  I could barely reach over the toilet at that age. Anyways, we went to the doc and I urinated in a cup, and was admitted to hospital.  This of course was almost thrity years ago. I should also mention I was constantly wetting the bed prior to diagnosis, and my mom was likely sick of doing laundry. 

Back then you were admitted in hospital for 2 weeks.  They would set you up on a diet, use these massive "razor blades" to lance your fingers for samples, and also take blood three times a shift to check glucose levels----am I ever glad times have changed. I remember the coolest thing for me was building a model airplane with my dad and running up and down the ward pretending to fly, the wall TV was cool too!  I was just a kid, no idea what was in store, what this whole diabetes thing really meant.

Then came the news, lousy timing on the hospital staffs part, "You are going to have to take a needle every day forever.....I remember looking up at the nurse in the common room shocked, and then my parents entered(right ater the news)and then I started to cry.  I think because of my mom's expression more then anything.  I still really didn't get it. Crazy I remember that moment like it happended yesterday.  I felt different somehow.  What the hell---I am a grade 4 student, likes to draw, very shy and now I have diabetes.

The 2 weeks ended with a ride home---of course they did a lot of teaching, figured out an insulin dose, and set us up on the good old diabetes exchange plan of the day--then discharged me home.

Then it all started to sink in.....I started to realize they weren't kidding when they said a needle every day.
You can't have pop anymore(by the way I think Diet tab was the only sugar free drink back then) "You have to eat all your meal, don't forget your snack" (believe me the low taught me to remember)

My point is this:  Type 1 Diabetes changes you whether you accept it early on or not, it can define you, motivate you, discourage you, down right piss you off!  In my case it defined me, heightened my interest in the human body, influenced my career choice, motivated me to be in fit shape, eat healthy etc.  Your probably thinking, blah, blah.

It was a process, I actually failed the diabetes exam during a course I took in the earlty nineties, talk about denial, I would get so discouraged, angry, wanted to give up or throw in the towel, but never did.

I am now the Father of five gorgeous daughters, I have a very supportive wife of almost 20 years.  I advocate and teach others how to best deal with chronic diseases such as diabetes.

Now for the Kicker---I have 2 type 1 daughters with diabetes. 
Hence the title;  Three 2 Treat. 

Thanks for letting me share.

Trev