Zane's Diabetes Life - Celebrated on World Diabetes Day

November is usually known as "Mo-vember" or Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, but did you also know its Diabetes Awareness Month?  Of course I believe that cancer is a very scary disease that needs a lot of awareness and needs a cure just like any other disease...but I wish the media supported Diabetes Awareness Month as much as it does the cancer awareness.  The media likes to clump Type 1 and Type 2 together or not specify which they are referring too in their stories/information...let me tell you THEY ARE NOT THE SAME.  Its not just "Diabetes" its Type 1 or its Type 2 - they are very different, they have very different consequences and care required for the person who has the disease.

Educate yourself on the differences if you do nothing else today...

 Zane is the one with the bum pancreas; he's the one who has to endure all of the finger pokes and receive all of the insulin and feel the highs and lows - but he isn't the only one in this house who suffers - our whole family does.  Josh and I have to be on our toes every minute of every day; making sure we have all of the supplies we need every time we leave the house; always reading Zane's emotions - is he crying because he's low?; is he angry because he's high? or is he just a 6 year old having an emotional day?; we weigh almost every gram of food that goes into his mouth; we make sure he receives the correct dose of insulin for everything he eats; we make sure there are always adequate supplies in the house; we change his insulin pump at least every 3 days; we change his continuous glucose monitor sensor at least every 7 days; we worry every single day; we pray to God that when we go into wake him up in the morning that he didn't pass away from an undetected low blood sugar overnight; we quarantine him if possible when anyone in the family has a stomach flu because what we are over with in 24 hours can send him to the hospital in minutes and/or even become fatal; we are in constant contact with his school nurse to make sure he's staying within range and safe at school; Landon is pushed aside more times than not because we need to take care of an emergent need for Zane; Landon is able to run and grab Zane's meter when asked; Landon gets jealous when Zane is having juice or smarties to bring up a low (we usually give him some too); Landon will never know his brother without Type 1; Zane will never remember life without Type 1.

Zane's the strongest person in my life - he has had to endure so much in his short life, but he is stronger because of it - we are all stronger because of it.  I would love for him to have a full functioning pancreas - but if that meant not having him as my son, then no thank you.  I wouldn't trade this kid for the world.

Since today is World Diabetes Day (and is every November 14th in case you're wondering) I wanted to give you a little glimpse into Zane's life; into our life with Diabetes.

Zane's blood sugar meter and control for his pump - it is just one of his life lines and a constant companion.

Zane checks his blood sugar a MINIMUM of 10 times a day every.single.day.

Zane's blood sugar should be between 80-150 at all times.
It is very hard work to keep blood sugar within range - everything effects it -
Eating, exercise, adrenaline, emotions, stress, growing - everything.

His meter also sends a signal to his pump with how much insulin to give him
based off his current blood sugar and/or how many carbs he will be eating.  Before
going on the pump last year, Zane would have a MINIMUM of 5 shots every.single.day.

Just a little glimpse of the supplies we need to have on hand to keep him alive and healthy.

Without insulin we would've buried our son over 2 years ago.

Our supplies for "on the go".

He will have to wear a medical ID bracelet or necklace 24/7 for the rest of his life.

Never good to see double arrows down on his CGM before bed - double arrows down means
his blood sugar is falling very fast - without the CGM we may have missed this.

Just a handful of his blood sugar checks from today -
they wouldn't all fit on one screen.  Notice the first one was at 2:15 a.m.

This may be the most important thing you learn today.

If you drove anywhere around downtown Seattle tonight and saw the Space Needle, Pacific Science Center, Century Link Field or many other landmarks lit up in blue today - you may have thought it was for the Seahawks - but it wasn't!  It was nice to see so many 'famous to our city' places lit up for World Diabetes Awareness Day.

Huge thank you to everyone who dressed in blue today for Zane and every other person living with Diabetes (any Diabetes).

Potty Pirate

Guess who's throwing the towel in on diapers?

He's doing really well - not picking up on it quite as fast as his big brother did - but all in all he's doing great!  Can't believe my baby is big enough to do this.  There isn't much left of him being a baby once the diapers are gone - makes me sad and happy all at the same time.  BUT I'll sure be happy to save some money on daycare once he's completely potty trained!!

Sleepover

Zane had his first non-family sleepover this last Saturday since his diagnosis almost 3 years ago. His friend Zach invited him over and Zane looked forward to the day for weeks! This sleepover was easy for me to say yes to since I know Zach's mom pretty well and both she AND Zach have Type 1 as well, so knew they could handle it!!

He had a great time, but was very happy to be home the next day...I have a feeling it'll be awhile before he goes overnight to a friends house again...he really likes being home and in his own bed!!

Rash Craziness

Zane had two bumps on one of his legs that kind of looked like bug bites. These bumps started to really bother him and started to get really gross...so I took him to the dr. 

They had no clue, but cultured them (negative) but did say they looked infected so prescribed an antibiotic. Since he's allergic to penicillin, he had to be given a different one he'd never had before. We started the antibiotic that night. About 3 or so days later he had developed a very itchy rash all over his body (literally neck to feet) and was miserable. 

Back to the doctor (not our regular dr or the dr who saw him for other bumps) we went last Thurs. 

 

This doctor was perplexed as well, but thought it might be scabies, ugh. So we have to cover Zane in a special cream that night from head to toe and it was so painful for him, he just cried in pain :(. Next morning he wakes up with rash now spread to his face. It's very uncommon for scabies to spread to face. I talked to the dr on Friday and explain spreading and he agrees, probably not scabies. I suggest maybe it's the antibiotic, he agrees and has us stop. The rash is getting better slooooowly, but less itchy by far, so other than being covered in dots, he is a lot less miserable. 

Another antibiotic added to the list of allergies, ugh. Hoping this all disappears soon, poor kid needs a break!

Field Trip!

Zane's class went on their first field trip last week. They went to the an art studio in Issaquah to get their craft on!  Zane was most excited for the ride on the school bus! There are only a small number of parent volunteers allowed on their field trips, but {thankfully}, since Zane may need special attention while away from school for his Diabetes, Josh or I are always allowed to go on their trips if we want too! Sometimes having Diabetes works in our favor! I was happy to join in on the fun this time. 

They made a Picasso inspired canvas painting and a clay bust! He can't wait to bring them home (currently being packaged up at studio, then will be delivered to school for take home)!

{Friday}

Man, I've needed this day to come like no other week...

Thankful for Friends

I am a wordy person - and this post is proof of that!

I'm not going to post something everyday that I'm thankful for for the month of November...I'm thankful for everything and can't spell them all out every day - but this weekend I was overcome with gratitude for a person who I seem to becoming better friends with every day.  I have known this person since college and we've stayed in touch here and there via blogs, facebook etc, but lately have even "hung out" some outside of the virtual world we are used to hanging out in!  This person knows who they are, I am not going to call them out.  But I wanted to share a little something as to why I am so thankful for them right now...

When Zane was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes almost 3 years ago (good God time flies) - its weird what the first thoughts that went through my head after the initial shock wore off were.  Some of these thoughts were: what happens when he goes to college and wants to drink? (mind you, he was 3 at dx, but I'm no idiot and I know what happens in college and knew that he'd grow up and go and want to partake in the college experiences).  I also had (and stll do) visions of breaking into his dorm room and checking his blood sugar in the middle of the night.  I also wondered what happens when he is invited to a sleep over? and another thought was what happens when he's old enough to be invited to birthday parties that are drop-off parties?.  And with these last 2 thoughts - I even wondered WOULD he be invited to drop-off parties and/or sleep overs or would he be left out because of his Diabetes? Since he was only 3 at diagnosis, these things were very far off from reality, but still things I knew we'd most likely have to deal with at some time.

I received a text this weekend from this friend and it said: "I just sent you an evite for (insert her child's name) birthday party. Its a drop off party, but we can talk.  (Insert her child's name) wont care if you stay, but I don't want Zane to feel bad.  I know you do what you can to not let D effect others, but I want to do what I can.  Its ok to have friends go out of their way to make things go smoothly, so tell me what you'd like to do and we'll do it.  I heart Zane and I'm glad our boys have fun together."

I know that this friend was being just that...a friend, but what they didn't know is that that text brought tears to my eyes.  This friend has no experience with Diabetes and even very little experience with Zane in general - but the fact that they didn't hesistate at all in inviting Zane AND asking what we can do to make it happen is something that I know not all of my friends or friends of Zane will/would do.

I talked to Zane the next morning and told him about this party and told him that no parents were allowed, except the birthday boys' parents - his first response was "that's cool"!  I asked him what he thought we could do about his Diabetes at the party and he said that he'd just ask how many carbs were in the food and if they didn't know, he wouldn't eat it and would just bring it home with him!  I informed him that he WOULD be able to eat it and wouldn't go hungry and that I'd work with the mom on his food stuff and we'd make it work one way or another.  He gave a few more suggestions and then went about his day.  He doesn't let D keep him from anything and I will do all I can to make sure it doesn't as well.

I'm very proud of Zane and his ability to grasp so much about his care at such a young age and be so mature about it.  I'm proud of him for not letting it stop him from anything - he doesn't even think twice about it.  I'm proud to call him my son.

But, I'm also proud of my friend - she didn't think twice (at least I don't think so, ha) about including Zane on her child's birthday invite - she didn't try to talk her son out of inviting Zane because it would be too much work/trouble for her or me - she didn't tell me, that even though its a drop-off party that I would need to stay if Zane attended.  Instead, she told me that we would talk and make it work and she'd learn/do whatever she needed to do to make sure Zane could come and have fun like the other boys.

For this and more, I am thankful for this friend - you know who you are - so thank you very much.

PS - Zane also has his first non-family sleep over since diagnosis coming up this weekend!  Granted the boy who's house he's going to also has Type 1 and the mom does too - but still its a big step for me to allow someone besides family watch/keep guard over him for 24 hours.