The Most Difficult thing about Diabetes and Exercise....

Exercise is great for everyone, but is particularly awesome for those with Diabetes. It helps to lower blood sugar numbers, which in turn means less insulin for Clifford. But there is also a hitch to exercise and diabetes. That is the management.

When Cliffy exercises his blood sugar lowers at least by 20 or more. We've tried this on World Diabetes Day including playtime outside on the swingset, lowering his blood sugar from 159 to 128, in the matter of 15 minutes. This is great, but sometimes can be tricky in trying to make sure he doesn't drop too low too fast. So to me the most difficult part to diabetes management and exercise is the attempt to make sure we are getting the benefits of the activity and keeping his blood sugar stable.

This post is my March entry in the DSMA Blog Carnival. If you’d like to participate too, you can get all of the information athttp://diabetessocmed.com/2011/march-dsma-blog-carnival“

Seeing Blue once again....

Unfortunately the DOC knows too well what the wave of blue candles across our social networks mean. It means a life was cut short to this vicious disease once again. This time two innocent lives were taken away due to Type 1 diabetes. One a 24 year old man, who had been missing when he went to visit his sister, and an 8th grade boy who went undiagnosed. Please say prayers for both the families as they mourn the loss of their loved ones.

No one should be dying from non diagnosis of Type 1. It is VERY important to recognize the signs and symptoms ahead of time, you can never be too careful. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with them, you never know when it will come in handy. You may save someones life!

Type 1 diabetes signs and symptoms can come on quickly and may include:

• Increased thirst and frequent urination. As excess sugar builds up in your bloodstream, fluid is pulled from your tissues. This may leave you thirsty. As a result, you may drink — and urinate — more than usual.
• Extreme hunger. Without enough insulin to move sugar into your cells, your muscles and organs become depleted of energy. This triggers intense hunger that may persist even after you eat. Without insulin, the sugar in your food never reaches your energy-starved tissues.
• Weight loss. Despite eating more than usual to relieve hunger, you may lose weight — sometimes rapidly. Without the energy sugar supplies, your muscle tissues and fat stores may simply shrink.
• Fatigue. If your cells are deprived of sugar, you may become tired and irritable.
• Blurred vision. If your blood sugar level is too high, fluid may be pulled from your tissues — including the lenses of your eyes. This may affect your ability to focus clearly.

I didn't know any of these symptoms before Cliffy was diagnosed. But he had weight loss, fatigue, extreme thirst, frequent urination. I know I said there are times I want to scream at the top of my lungs "I HATE BEING A PANCREAS", but I'm happy that today Cliffy is with us , and happy that I have the chance to be his pancreas! Unfortunately for so many that is not the case. Know the symptoms!!! It can save lives.

I hate being a Pancreas.....

I've worn many hats in my life thus far, there are those I was born into, daughter and sister. Those I've acquired as I grew up, student, athlete, and friend. And there is the most important hat of all, MOM. Little did I know that God would choose to bless me with a special kind of child. A child with whom I would wear yet another hat, a pancreas. A child with Type 1 diabetes.

There are days where I feel my duties as a pancreas have been handled wonderfully, then there are days where I just want to scream out that I hate being a pancreas... But unlike Clifford's actual pancreas, I may get tired, and worn out, but I will not quit working.

Have you ever had that pulling feeling that you need to do something right away? That type of feeling occurred to me at 2:30 am while I was up with the twins. It was the type of feeling that I had to stop what I was doing and just NEEDED to test Clifford. I couldn't wait till 3 like normal, for some reason my world ceased to move until I went and tested him. Normally this type of feeling, leads to a discovery of lows, and has been life saving in the past. But this time brought on another number I, as a pancreas, hate to see, 401! This is where my duties as a pancreas must kick in and I must make the right decision on what to do. I debated briefly with myself, do I correct and give an injection to a sleeping boy at 2:30 in the morning, or do I let him ride it out and hope he goes back down by morning. I decided to re test him, to make sure the number was correct. The next beep of the meter revealed what I had hoped was just a fluke, 403! I did not feel good to let him ride this out through the night knowing he climbs in the early morning hours of 4 to 5 am. I decided to correct and give him an injection. But these are the times I spoke of where I detest my pancreatic duties, and I detest his pancreas for not doing it's job... But they are also the times when all goes well, that I am happy I was there to serve as a pancreas for him, when his has decided to quit.. As of 6am we are sitting pretty at 153, a much better number to have him waking up to.. Clifford did end up waking up for the injection and wanted me to make a guess on what his waking number would be, I guessed 182, he said nope it's going to be 123! I surely hope for him he is correct, that would be an awesome number!