Our Year with Diabetes

One year ago today was one of the worst possible days of my life. I watched as my then 6 year old son laid in a hospital bed fighting for his life. He was unresponsive, and in what I found out was DKA, Diabetic ketoacidosis.

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a state of absolute or relative insulin deficiency aggravated by ensuing hyperglycemia, dehydration, and acidosis-producing derangements in intermediary metabolism. The most common causes are underlying infection, disruption of insulin treatment, and new onset of diabetes.

As I watched him laying there that day, I couldn't help but start to think, "How am I going to do this, and more importantly, "How is he going to do this"...I really had no understanding at that time what exactly was going on, and what exactly Type 1 diabetes was. I was ignorant to the two types, and had no knowledge of the disease other then a few facts about Type 2. I couldn't fathom the idea of having to give my son a shot, (Let alone 6 a day). I was at the time deathly afraid of needles for myself. How was I going to manage to give my son a shot. I had so many questions that needed answered but couldn't seem to get the words out of my mouth.

I watched as the nurses showed me how to draw up his insulin, and administer the injections. During the first day Cliffy really didn't know what was going on as he was in and out of sleep. It wasn't until the second day that he started to come around after having his insulin injections. You could see how much better he was starting to look. It wasn't until this time that the idea of him having diabetes became a reality. Until then I think I was in denial thinking they had it wrong. The thought of his pancreas only functioning at 20% like they stated didn't make any sense to me what so ever. He had what I thought was only the flu. To me all he needed was to get some fluids in him and get back to eating... Well that was not the case. And it wasn't until he started to look a lot healthier with the insulin injections that I realized they were right.

It has definitely been a crazy but prosperous year with D. We have had 3 hospitalizations in addition to diagnosis, 2 from hypo episodes causing a seizure and Cliffy passing out, and one from the Flu. But in all the amount of knowledge I have absorbed since diagnosis is crazy. And unlike a year ago, we are now connected with a great support system known as the DOC (Diabetic Online Community.). Without them I may have completely lost my mind by now.

For everything that has happened Cliffy has come out on top, he is the same boy I remember but only stronger, and much more grown up. The is the one downside of Diabetes. Diabetes has forced him to grown up much faster then he should have to. But despite of it all he is a happy boy, he loves life, and his family, especially his siblings. And for it all I commend him for all he has had to endure this year, and for all he's overcome!

I also must commend Chad for everything he has done as well. For what it's worth to him I appreciate everything he has done, and couldn't have made it through it all without him as well. He stuck by our sides and went through the same things Cliffy and I did, and learned how to take care of him as well.

In ending, this may not be one anniversary I wish to celebrate one year in, but I am very happy we have made it this far. I am more happy that my son is alive to celebrate this anniversary as well. I'm sure in time I will learn not to be as bitter to D as I might be now, because I have definitely have become less and less over the course of our year with Diabetes.

A day in the life.....

I really couldn't think of what I wanted to write about today. You see I'm trying to not be very emotional over the fact that Cliffy's 1 year dx date is approaching on February 28th.. The one thing I haven't done yet in writing about Cliffy and his T1 is include a little insight on what he goes through on a daily basis. In thinking about the number of fingersticks per year just to check his blood sugar that we told DD (The Diabetes Dude), it had me thinking about what he does daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly.

Before I move any further, in case you are not familiar with DD please take a look at his site here:

http://www.thediabetesdude.com/

Noah is a great kid who like Cliffy has T1 diabetes, but he most definitely isn't letting that stop him. He is raising awareness not only for himself, and the disease, but all his T1 friends. Cliffy is actually the PA ambassador for DD, and we are hoping to tons of awesome things to help raise awareness in our area very soon! To take a look at Cliffy's page please see here:

http://www.thediabetesdude.com/Clifford.html

Now to move on with what this post is about.

A day in the of life of Clifford, a 7 year old Type 1 diabetic kid!

Cliffy starts his day around 7-7:30 am. Before eating breakfast he must have his blood sugar checked, which involves at least 1 fingerprick as long as we don't receive a strip error, or have a funky number, then that involves rechecking.

His carbs, protein and fat grams are all counted out according to his daily diet for breakfast. After his food is ready to go, his insulin is drawn up according to his sliding scale( a sliding scale is because Cliffy is still on Multiple Daily Injections "MDS's" it is how many units of fast acting insulin, which is called humalog, he should receive based on his blood sugar number.) Once his insulin is drawn up, the injection site is cleaned with alcohol( it can be his arms, legs, or tummy he refuses a top of the bum site.) Then his shot is given. NOW and only now can he sit down to eat his breakfast.

Now Cliffy can eat no sooner then 2 hours later and no later then 4 hours later since he received an injection of Humalog. Based on this schedule it is now time to start all over, count his carbs, protein, and fat grams for lunch. Another fingerstick to check his blood sugar, draw up the insulin based on the sliding scale (humalog), clean the site, which by the way should be a different spot then before, site rotation is very important. He gets another shot, then can sit down to eat lunch.

Again 2-4 hours later it is snack time. This time his carbs are counted out to 15 grams. He then gets yet another fingerstick, to check his bs#, insulin is drawn (humalog) and another shot, now he can eat his snack.

2-4 more hours later it's DINNERTIME! Carbs, protein, and fat grams are counted, Fingerstick, insulin drawn (humalog), and shot is given.

2-4 hours later it's bedtime snack. Here it is a little different, carbs and protein counted, fingerstick to check his bs#, then he gets 2 shots, the fast acting insulin to cover his carbs (humalog) and a long lasting insulin that goes for 24 hrs (Lantus). After both shots he can then eat. And it's sleepy time.

Most of us think about enjoying a night of uninterrupted sleep but Diabetes never sleeps. For the most part Cliffy gets "at least" 2 finger sticks during the night at 12 and 3 am to check his levels. This helps his endo team determine if our Long lasting insulin, and bedtime humalog are right on target as to where they should be or if they need switched. On occasion Cliffy may be running a bit higher which I think of as 400+ now I've learned Cliffy's blood sugar a bit more and how it goes during the night to know he tends to jump at least by 50 to 100 between 3-5 am. Most experts refer to this as the dawn phenomenon. If Cliffy is too high, I then have to "correct" him by giving another insulin injection at night when he is sleeping.

If everything runs smoothly Cliffy will only get around 6-8 fingersticks, and 6 injections a day. If we have a sick day he can endure as many as 25+ fingersticks a day or even more injections. On average he gets roughly around 12 fingersticks and injections a day.

For the most part he does all this with a smile. He plays video games, with his sisters, and army guys just like a normal 7 year old boy. But he has a vast knowledge of carbs, protein, bloodsugar numbers unlike a normal 7 year old boy. He can at anytime let you know how many carbs, and grams of sugar are in a cup of milk, and other items of food.

He is a strong boy and most definitely my hero. And for this reason alone, I will not stop trying to raise awareness, and fighting for a cure. Because he and everyone else battling this monster on a daily basis deserve it more then anything.

T1 kids in Washington need your help...

Sharing to get the word out for kids in Type one kids in Washington State!!

I know many, if not most, of my posts have to do with type 1 diabetes. This one is probably the most important one I have ever written. PLEASE share it as this is the fastest way I can think of to get the word out. I need your help!


The State of Washington is trying to limit the number of test strips used by diabetic children to one per day. A test strip is inserted into the blood sugar monitor each time the child needs to test his or her blood sugar. Michael tests 6 - 8 times per day - some kids test more, some kids test less. Some very young diabetics may test 15 times per day! Some children wear a CGM (continuous glucose monitor), but testing with a meter and strip is still the most common method.

Tight blood sugar control is vital to a child's health. The difficult thing with diabetes is that blood sugar that is either too high, or too low can be deadly. All type 1 families walk a tightrope of control. I would guess there isn't a type 1 mom out there that doesn't breath a sigh of relief every morning when she sees her child is OK. The daily stress can vary, but our concern for the future health of our children does not. The long term complications of the disease include blindness, amputation, kidney failure, heart disease and more. I want my son, and all children with type 1, to have a future free from these devastating effects.


I realize times are tough and that states are slashing budgets in any way they can, but this particular idea is potentially deadly! Test strips are expensive (about $1 each), but this short-sighted scheme to save money will end up costing the state much more in the long run. The state is trying to tell us that there is no correlation between frequent testing and blood sugar control...any parent of a diabetic, any child with diabetes, any endocrinologist will vehemently disagree. As a mom, I am mortified, and frankly, scared!


Please pass this along - the health of our children depends upon it. If this occurs in Washington, we will simply be the first in a line of fifty! If you are one of my "Type-1 Mom" friends that happens to have a blog, please include this in your next post. I encourage you all to at least email the state at the address I've provided below....personally, I think sending an actual letter may get more attention - perhaps include a photo of your child or a note from him or her.


Address your letters to:

Leah Hope-Curry

Program Director

Washington State Health Care Authority

Health Technology Assessment Program

676 Woodland Square, Loop SE

Lacey, WA 98503


email:

shtap@hca.wa.gov


Link to Washington State Health Care Authority

http://www.hta.hca.wa.gov/glucose.html


Please give Ms Hope-Curry a piece of your mind, so type 1 families can have peace of mind.

Sick Days

First off I detest Sick days more then anything. It is usually a battle of highs and lows. And then battling keeping those lows up. I know Clifford more then anything always fears he will end up in the hospital hooked up to an IV, and I do my darndest to make sure that doesn't happen.

Our last sick day thankfully only lasted one day, but it was a busy day. He got sick around 8-9 times we battled keeping his blood sugar up all day, then battled bringing it down later in the evening after he felt better. But we came out the victors and I managed to keep him out of the hospital.

Now if there was a reason to, I would most definitely take him to the hospital and have them care for him. But if I know we can handle it at home, then we stay home. He is more comfy in his own bed, pjs, and watching his own movies. So far Cliffy has only gotten sick once, but his temp is up and down, but we've managed to even out the last few hours. Large ketones early which was a bit of a scare, but managed to get water and insulin in him to clear those. His nightstand in his room looks very scary with strips, hand sanitizer, alcohol, cola, pixie stix's, meters, lancets, lancing devices, napkins, you name it, it's probably on there. But in all managed to keep him home.

We shall see how the weekend goes for him as he is visiting with his dad. I just hope he starts to feel better so he may enjoy himself.

The downside of diabetes....

Wow I know I should be writing at least a little post everyday, but I think I have a good reason for not being able to do this all the time.. I have 5 kids!! I have twins who are teething, and I have to be a pancreas 24/7 for my son when he's home.. I think those reasons qualify. Perhaps it's just because I'm lazy and cannot find the time. A lot of the time it's because I'm at a block and have no idea what to write about.

Let's see updates..... Diabetes is kicking my hiney this week. Not so much that it's being bad, just that it's just in the way. Clifford likes chili but isn't a huge fan of it, and last night he was having a particularly crabby night. He was high at dinner time and this was a result of him overtreating himself on the bus. He carries on him a stash of emergency "treats". 2 packs of smarties, and sometimes a juice box. And all year he has not had to use any of them himself until recently. Now he carries these emergency treats in case he would feel low on the bus ride to or from school. Well he came through the door yesterday and informed me he had to use his emergency stash. Okay good he recognized his low and treated it. However there was another bag in his bookbag for the nurse, one with a very important note for her. You see his nurse recently retired and he now has a new nurse. One who has used chocolate on two occasions to treat him, and I wanted to give her a break down on how to treat him when he is low. But with this very important note was a bag of 6 packs of smarties. This was for her since she insists on using Chocolate, I wanted her to have the correct stuff. The last time she treated him she used all his glucose tabs, and glucose gel. So fast forward, Clifford says "You know that bag that was for the nurse". Me, "Yes", Cliffy: "Well I was very very very dizzy on the bus and had to use them." Me: "Okay, well how many did you eat". Cliffy, "All of them". My mouth I think instantly dropped. I then explained to him that normally I only use 1 or 2 packs at most to treat a low, that is why he had 2 emergency packs. So we tested him and he was 212, not too horrible, but I expected a high here shortly. Low and behold dinner time rolled around and he was 353. Now he is still on a sliding scale with his insulin and this means he gets the full 3.5 units, but seeing as I know he is not the biggest fan of chili, he will eat it but was more in a complaining mood last night, I decided to let him have some apple sauce. That is a big deal to him because even though I know kids with diabetes can eat pretty much whatever they want, I prefer to have him on a reduced sugar diet. Helps with unexplained highs and crashes, since we are still on MDI's and the sliding scale. Once he is on the pump and a CGM I will be a bit more flexible. So without straying too far from where I was going, this applesauce had 12 grams of sugar. To you or I that may not seem like much, but it is a lot when I try to keep him limited to foods with 6 or less grams. My point to this story is I gave him extra insulin to cover the sugar and extra carbs. He wanted to quit eating part way through his meal, he was just very crabby. And well I'm sorry he had all that insulin on board and needed to finish his meal pronto. After a battle of wits, I won, and thankfully D did not, he was 125 at bedtime, and a nice steady line of 131 and 145 through the night. That is what I refer to as one of the downsides of diabetes, when even though you try your hardest to let them feel like a normal kid, it kicks you. He can't just walk away from a meal when he's having a crabby day and not feeling like eating, he has to eat all the carbs that the insulin was used to cover, otherwise we could be dealing with a horrible low in the near future.......

A High Morning

Today started with yet another 2 hour delay from school, this is our 3rd in a row. Shortly after breakfast this morning this is what our meter looked like.... He awoke a bit high at 323, had some Rice Krispies, and he wanted some tea with Splenda. Right before getting dressed for school he said he was dizzy. Usually dizzy is a sign he's low, or is starting to drop as I've come to the conclusion he can feel himself dropping, not necessarily just when he's low. However after testing our meter reads "Hi". Now previously we used the OneTouch Ultra 2 and a "High" reading meant the BG was over 600!!! With the Freestyle Lite it means a reading of over 500! With any reading like this, you do the following, wash hands, retest. Even after washing his hands AGAIN, and retesting it still read "HI".

As any Parent of a T1 knows, it was time to test for the dreaded Ketones yet again. I test in the morning, and test again if he has a higher BG reading. We are still using the Keto strips so it was a long 15 seconds, but *sigh* I saw it change over immediately. Thankfully our Ketone reading was only "Trace". Still not good but better then Moderate or Severe. For this I had Cliffy drink some more water. I think that boy is convinced he is going to turn into Aqua man with all the water he consumes daily. Before leaving it was yet another retest and our Ketones were gone with BG down to 384. Obviously still way high but much better then our "Hi" visitor this morning.

The first time we got a "Hi " reading on our new meter (picture above) Cliffy giggled and said I'm not high, the meter is just saying "Hi" to me.... He tends to find humor in anything which is a good thing. So now it's a matter of trial and error to figure out what exactly caused him to go a bit higher this morning, or was it from overnight and does his Lantus now need increased. A call to Children's will be in order after seeing what his numbers do tonight/ tomorrow.

And to think D recently gave us a good almost 2 weeks straight of being good with numbers from 81 and nothing higher then 178 except overnight one night to which he evened out in the morning at 134.... *SIGH* We had a good run!

A shameless Plug

I'm going to shamelessly plug our new business (website) .. Why???? For a few reasons... 1. ) Because we are very excited and wanted to share that excitement with others.. 2.) Because we are offering an awesome raffle (contest ) right now for new customers, and most importantly 3.) Because the products are spectacular. This past weekend OUR first shipment came with the items we ordered. We decided to try out the Legacy of Clean Product Intro Bundle. The first thing I tried were the All Purpose wipes. I was previously a big user of Lysol wipes. They are great especially if you have kids or pets to clean up messes. But the ones we have are great. They smell amazing, that is the one big winner for me a nice citrus scent. Not to mention the price is just crazy, but in a good way.

For $65.00 you get the following:

Get to know the real meaning of clean! We’ve taken our top Legacy of Clean environmentally-sensitive laundry and household cleaning products and created this introductory bundle. And, as a bonus, we’re including a FREE Stain Chart. You’ll save more than $4.00 off the price of purchasing these items separately.

Intro Bundle includes:

• 33.8 fl. oz. SA8® Triple Liquid Detergent-Floral
• 33.8 fl. oz. Fabric Softener-Floral
• 32 fl. oz. Pre Wash
• 2.2 lbs. TRI-ZYME® Detergent Booster
• 32 fl. oz. All-Purpose Cleaner
• 32 fl. oz. Glass Cleaner
• 32 fl. oz. Bathroom Cleaner
• 16.9 fl. oz. Dish Drops® Dish Liquid-Citrus
• 3.08 lbs. Dishwasher Detergent
• 48-count box of All-Purpose Surface Wipes and a FREE Stain Chart.

Take a look here at how well these products work:



Now taking into account our awesome raffle (contest) this would already qualify you for an entry.

Here is the raffle we are currently offering:

For our Grand Opening we have two products up for a raffle. For orders over $50 placed through our site you will be entered in a drawing to receive :
ARTISTRY® essentials Replenishing Eye Creme
0.5 fl. oz.
Value of $27.00

More info on the Replenishing Eye Creme:
Younger-looking eyes in just one day. In just 24 hours, experience a reduction in the appearance of fine lines and puffiness with this light, silky crème formula.

For any order over $100 not only do you get free shipping but you will get :
ARTISTRY® essentials Replenishing Eye Creme
0.5 fl oz
Value of $27.00

Younger-looking eyes in just one day. In just 24 hours, experience a reduction in the appearance of fine lines and puffiness with this light, silky crème formula.

AND

ARTISTRY® TIME DEFIANCE® Skin Refinishing Lotion
1 fl. oz.
Value of $48.50

More info on the Skin Refinishing Lotion.
Softens skin and improves skin texture by 52% in 12 weeks
For all skin types, including sensitive skin, feel softer smoother skin instantly with ARTISTRY TIME DEFIANCE Skin Refinishing Lotion. And improve your skin texture by 52% in 12 weeks.


When shopping online through our personal website you will get Free shipping on orders over $99 delivered within a few days right to your home!

Take a look at our site here:

http://www.amway.com/chadandbridget?

It's very important to go through this link so your order can be tracked and you can then get the free shipping for orders $99 and over.

Once you have placed an order shoot me a quick message, and I will go ahead, track your order and add your name to the raffle drawing. Winner or Winners will be notified via email!

I am really excited. These products are awesome and our house has never been cleaner, we also have a bunch of clean laundry. It is just the folding part I do not like!!!

The Steelers are everywhere.....

At dinner all I heard was "Here we go.... Here we go.... Pittsburgh's going to the SuperBowl"... Over and over and over....Clifford just had to sing it for everyone! Clifford is really excited about the Steelers going to the Superbowl. He had to decorate his snowman as a Steelers player. However he refused to have him named "Ben Frosterberger, ( the snowman reference).

He insisted it was still Ben Roethlisberger. They were having Black and Gold day at school and he is super excited! Here's to hoping he has a better day then yesterday. The nurse called shortly after lunch saying Clifford tested and he was 39! A short while later after treating he went up to 327, only to drop back down when he came in the door from school to 64! The rest of the day though managed to level itself out with nothing higher then 160 and nothing lower then 85! That was however until morning when he woke up at 213!

So here's hoping he has a good day at school and D stays in check and he can enjoy showing off his Steelers snowman to all his friends.

The girls had to get in on the black and gold action.


And yes MOM even I participated :O. I actually own a Steelers sweatshirt, why? Because my mom gave this to me a few years back and well I really like hoodies, they are so comfy!

(wow no makeup- barely any caffeine, and was up most of the night, plus didn't sleep that great!!) all that equals SCARY! Happy Friday!

Despite Diabetes.....

The most awesome thing we've done despite diabetes............ Speaking from Clifford's point of view here, there are many things despite diabetes he has done. But the most awesome would be take on a new sport, basketball!!! For the most part D hasn't affected Clifford playing basketball, except one time he kept dropping low. Despite D Clifford has put his all into learning a new sport and having fun with his friends. D didn't stop him doing what he wanted to do. And despite diabetes this Spring he wants to take on another new sport, Soccer!!

From my point of view as his mom. The most awesome thing I've done despite diabetes, is to keep him a happy, healthy, friendly child. It's been a challenge, his behavior has been a challenge, but in all we are doing good. Despite diabetes he's been a good big brother to all his siblings. (for the most part ;) ). And despite diabetes we are still living our life the way we want with a few new things.

So despite diabetes you can live a normal, healthy life. It just takes a lot of work, blood (literally), sweat and tears. But in all it's worth it to keeping yourself, and your loved ones happy and healthy.

This post is my February entry in the DSMA blog carnival. If you'd like to participate too, you can get all the information at: http://diabetessocmed.com/2011/introducing-the-dsma-blog-carnival/

Valentines Contest!

I figured since February is our D Anniversary month I would offer up a D related product for a giveaway. Up for this contest is the Contour USB Meter The Contour USB meter is one of the newer meters on the market.

Here is a bit more information on the product:

Q: What can I expect when I run GLUCOFACTS® DELUXE from my CONTOUR®USB meter for the first time?

A: CONTOUR® USB utilizes the autoplay feature in Windows to automatically start the GLUCOFACTS® DELUXE software. Click here if your GLUCOFACTS® DELUXE software does not automatically launch.

A: Your CONTOUR® USB meter contains two flash drives, “GLUCOFACTS” and “CONTOUR USB”. The “GLUCOFACTS” drive is reserved for use by GLUCOFACTS® DELUXE. Important: Do not alter or delete the files on the “GLUCOFACTS”drive.

A: GLUCOFACTS® DELUXE works with Java™ software, and will verify your version of Java. If needed, you will be directed to update your Java version. The latest version of Java can be downloaded at http://www.java.com or installed from the JAVA folder on the GLUCOFACTS drive. After updating Java, unplug your meter and reinsert it to re-start GLUCOFACTS® DELUXE .

Auto-Run/Auto-Play

Q: How can I get Bayer’s GLUCOFACTS® DELUXE diabetes management software to auto-play from my CONTOUR™ USB meter?

A: For XP™ users auto-play for this type of software is on by default. If it has been turned off you will need to modify your Group Policy or Registry Settings to enable auto-play. Please obtain IT support to enable auto-play. Changing Group Policy or Registry Settings should not be performed by someone without experience.

A: Vista™ users open the Start menu, choose Control Panel, select AutoPlay. Make sure the “Use AutoPlay for all media and devices” checkbox is selected and verify that the setting for software and games is “Install or run program”.

A: For Mac™ users GLUCOFACTS® DELUXE software must be launched from the computer desktop screen.

A: Windows® 7 users need to navigate to the GLUCOFACTS drive on the CONTOUR® USB meter and double click the “Glucofacts.bat” file to launch the GLUCOFACTS® DELUXE software. In order to provide you with better security and protection, Windows® 7 has changed how it auto starts applications on removable media, like your CONTOUR® USB meter.

Q: Why is it taking so long to launch Bayer’s GLUCOFACTS® DELUXE diabetes management software?

A: The first time Bayer’s CONTOUR® USB meter is inserted into a USB port several programs are loaded in order to use the USB storage. The loading speed varies by computer and could take up to a few minutes. Subsequent insertions should take less time to process.

Q: Can I run the software without using autoplay?

A: CONTOUR® USB utilizes the Auto Play feature in Windows to automatically start the GLUCOFACTS® DELUXE software. If auto play does not automatically start the software the following steps can be followed to manually start the program:
• Navigate to the GLUCOFACTS drive on the CONTOUR® USB meter.
• For Mac Users, locate and double click the “Glucofacts” application to launch the GLUCOFACTS® DELUXE software.
• For Windows Users, locate and double click the “Glucofacts.bat” file to launch the GLUCOFACTS® DELUXE software.

Rules of the Contest:

Leave me a comment before midnight on Thursday, February 10th. Please include your first name. Comments left without a name will be eliminated.
● To earn extra entries (post a separate comment for each):
● Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter. Then, leave me an additional comment.
● Share a link to this contest on Facebook. Then, leave me an additional
comment to let me know.
● Blog about this contest. Then, leave me an additional comment containing
a link to your blog.
● No duplicate comments are allowed. Duplicate comments will be eliminated.
● Winners will be selected via random draw at http://www.random.org/.
● Winners' names will be posted here on this blog on Friday,February 11th.
● After winners' names are posted, winners will have 48 hours to send a message to me at bridgetw2001@gmail.com. If I do not hear from a winner within 48 hours, I will select a new winner.


Good LUCK!

Along Comes February...

February is supposed to be the month of "love". To me every month is a month of love. But this February brings with it a new feeling that I'm not really enjoying. Last year on February 28th, Cliffy was diagnosed with the monster I refer to as "D", Type 1 diabetes. That was the day our lives changed forever. Up until now I have been able to think "this time last year he was D free". But now that our D anniversary date is slowly sneaking up on us, everything becomes more real.

Gone are the care free days of his childhood, when a snack meant a cookie, or a juice box. Now cookies and juice boxes are our "Life savers" to bring up lows from hypoglycemia. We've seen the inside of an ambulance too many times to count this year alone from hypos. And unfortunately we've even rode on a life flight to Children's from a hypo episode where he passed out.

February is bitter sweet for me. As our date gets closer and closer the tears want to start flowing more and more. But in reality crying about what happened and what is our reality now isn't going to solve anything. I instead am trying to think of the positives that this February holds for us. Abby and Clifford are excited about sending out Valentines to their D friends and D siblings. Clifford is over joyed at the thought of handing out Valentines in school for the first time ever this year. The twins turn 4 months old tomorrow, and already are growing bigger daily. Speaking of the twins.... Sometime in the beginning of February of last year is when the twins came to be ( wink wink) so that is another positive to think about as we get through this month in one piece.

As with everything else, I take it one day at a time, but no matter how hard I try time still flies by faster then I would like it to. So here's to February, I will make it through you without too many tears!