tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65044562042462390932024-03-12T19:07:14.397-04:00D-Dad - Living with D on so many levels!Brian from "D-Dad - Living with "D" on so many levels"http://www.blogger.com/profile/12627627540203835496noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6504456204246239093.post-6734429036749294702014-03-10T08:33:00.001-04:002014-03-10T08:33:44.973-04:00Anyone have ink?Let's preface this post with something. I was raised in a household where I was threatened within an inch of my life if I got an ear ring. "Ear rings are for girls, are you a girl?" Let me clarify that my parents were not domineering, this was just something they felt very strongly about. You can imagine that if an ear ring was looked on like that, how they felt about tattoos. It just wasn't something that you did. We were good christian folk :-)<br />
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Anyway, when my brother went away to college, things changed a little. My parents eased up and gave me a lot more freedom then he had. Looking back, I realize that it was because all of my friends were from church or the youth christian choir (Maranatha) that I was in. They were still Mom and Dad, just a lighter version.<br />
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At some point, my brother got an ear ring. I remember my Dad talking about ripping it. Mom was always thin lipped saying "Oh I can't believe you got that thing". That was it. The world didn't end. I never got one. I just never had a reason to. So life went on.<br />
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Fast forward many years, and my brother got a tattoo. He is a die hard Steelers fan, and got a tattoo about his favorite team. Ok, thats cool. When Mom and Dad found out, they didn't like it, but they didn't make a huge deal about it. So now, I think I want one.<br />
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However, mine would serve a greater purpose. I have always wanted a black cross on my shoulder. Not sure why. Now, I think I want to incorporate that into a medical alert tattoo on my right forearm. I want to know if any of you have done this. Do you like it? Would you do it again? What do you think?<br />
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Brian from "D-Dad - Living with "D" on so many levels"http://www.blogger.com/profile/12627627540203835496noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6504456204246239093.post-85325060296186615532012-06-13T19:41:00.000-04:002012-06-13T19:41:32.704-04:00"But I want diabetes too!"How do you explain to a 6 year old that diabetes really does suck? He can't see the crappy way his brother feels when he is high or low. He hears us encouraging his brother that pod site changes "don't really hurt that much". What he does see is his brother say "no" to the food everyone else is eating and get something else. He does see his brother get a cup of milk every night right before bed. He does see his brother get banana or applesauce in bed if he is going low. Sometimes we give them both a snack, but it's not good for the 6 year old all the time. Heck, it's not good for the 3 year old, but it is necessary. He knows that diabetes is "yucky". He just doesn't know why. What he knows is that diabetes allows his brother to get sweet tarts or fruit snacks while we are walking around the zoo. He doesn't understand that his brother's body is on a constant state of upheaval. <br />
<a name='more'></a>The other night he actually said that he wished that he had diabetes. He and I had a long talk about that. I asked him what he thought about getting finger pricks 8-10 times a day and pod and Dex site changes? He said that he didn't want that. I told him that of all wishes in the world, Joshua would wish to not have diabetes anymore. He would gladly give up those nighttime snacks. It is hard to explain these things to a 6 year old. He is so thoughtful and sweet. He helps distract Joshua during site changes. He runs to get us if Dex starts buzzing. As I tucked him in that night, he finished the conversation with "ok daddy, instead I wish that there was no more diabetes". Me too buddy, me too.Brian from "D-Dad - Living with "D" on so many levels"http://www.blogger.com/profile/12627627540203835496noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6504456204246239093.post-7963739951182706582012-06-07T13:45:00.000-04:002012-06-07T17:04:06.220-04:00And the crowd goes wild!So we went to the park the other day for some family fresh air. Jackson, our 6 year old non-D child is playing in his first baseball league right now, so we took his equipment to practice. I was all excited because my best friend, who is a baseball umpire, and his wife were visiting. I thought he could help me show Jax some pointers. We threw the ball around for a few minutes and hit a few balls with his bat. Then distraction set in and he was off for a nature walk with mom. I started to pack things up when Joshua, the 3 year old type 1 said "I want to bat". I thought 'oh how cute' and threw the ball to my friend. I went to show Joshua how to stand and hold the bat, but he was already in the right stance. Must have been listening when I was showing his brother. Cool. My buddy throws the first ball and Joshua nails it over his head. <br />
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Whoa! Nice hit, I thought it would take 10 minutes to get his first hit. His older brother is getting better, but has a hard time keeping his eye on the ball. Joshua hit the first 7 in a row. All in all, he hit 20 out of 25 pitches. Now I am not comparing, but that is crazy good for a 3 year old. My friend said that I needed to get him on a team ASAP. In our area, they start at 4. Now, I can get to the worrisome part. If I had to guess, I would tell you that my 6 year old is going to be a performer, and the 3 year old is going to be my athlete. I know how hard diabetes management is now, what if he becomes a hard core athlete? Everything changes. Basals decrease, more carbs are needed, and more chance for dangerous lows. I know that pride will be a big part, but so will fear. Can you say "terrified"?Brian from "D-Dad - Living with "D" on so many levels"http://www.blogger.com/profile/12627627540203835496noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6504456204246239093.post-10823085144039310882012-05-31T16:00:00.000-04:002012-05-31T16:00:03.236-04:00Not like Momma taught me!Type 1 diabetes goes against everything our momma's taught us when we were kids. Yes, we were expected to clean our plates. However, did your mom ever make something else if you wouldn't eat what was for dinner. No! Absolutely not! That was taboo in the circle of Momhood. I know I heard "you will eat your dinner, or you can have that exact plate for breakfast. Then you can have it for lunch." Unfortunately, we don't have that luxury as parents of a type 1 child. When my child refuses to eat what we make, there are consequences. Which is better? Sticking to you principles and testing to find a blood sugar of 41, or giving in to the terrorist and having your "because I said so" lose credibility? <br />
<a name='more'></a>My son hates breakfast. That is a strong statement, but true nonetheless. He will not eat eggs. He's not a fan of waffles. Cereal is like pulling teeth. He likes "Daddy's" pancakes, but I only make them on Saturday. We have tried to make them ahead of time and reheat them, but he won't do that either. Milk, sausage, and sometimes yogurt. That's it! You can't fight it! He has to eat something because it is the start of the day. How do you get around it. I would love to know. I really don't want to be those parents that give my kid hot dogs for breakfast because it is the only thing he will eat. I am hoping it is just a frustrating phase that will be over soon. Holding my breath.Brian from "D-Dad - Living with "D" on so many levels"http://www.blogger.com/profile/12627627540203835496noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6504456204246239093.post-30154069280973890782012-05-31T15:30:00.000-04:002014-03-16T08:56:29.821-04:00The joy of screaming!Screaming is not a fun experience for parents. Babies come out screaming and we spend the next few months doing whatever we can to get them to stop. Screaming children are the bain of most parents existence. Right after his diagnosis at 11 months old, screaming took on a whole new meaning. Sometimes I loved screaming. Like on the days when we had slept through his 3 am check, only too wake up to him screaming. I loved those screams because it meant that my child was still breathing. It meant that I hadn't missed a fatal low in the middle of the night. It meant that even though I had failed in my duty to monitor his diabetes, I had another day to get it right. In that case, I loved the sound of screaming.<br>
<a name="more"></a>Along the same lines, we quickly discovered that screaming was not just screaming with Joshua. If there wasn't a good reason for the screaming, it usually meant that he was high. He wasn't old enough to tell us that he was feeling bad, so he screamed. Sure, there was the occasional time where he would be screaming to scream, but we always tested. I would say that 85% of the time, he was high if he was screaming for no reason. So, I was never that parent who complained about listening to my child cry. That joyful noise saved my hide on more than one occasion. <div><br></div><div>This post was written several years ago. I am trying to rediscover blogging. I couldn't just leave it sitting there with the big old "draft" next toIit. Crazy to think about how much has changed since I wrote this!</div>Brian from "D-Dad - Living with "D" on so many levels"http://www.blogger.com/profile/12627627540203835496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6504456204246239093.post-10827392302044533982012-05-24T11:37:00.001-04:002012-05-25T21:54:16.121-04:00Hypo-drunkness is scary!I had fun in college. My poison of choice was captain Morgan's spiced rum and Pepsi. There were quite a few Friday and Saturday nights (a lot of Thursday's too) spent with a drink in my hand seeing just how stupid I could get. I'm not proud, but I had a good time. Some of the most interesting moments were those that we caught on video. We would watch back a video from the party the night before and cringe. Adult men, well on there way to earning college degrees and being professionals, were acting like brainless morons. It was common to see someone talking on the video making no sense at all. We would laugh at that point because, at that point we were all ok. It's really disturbing though, the effect that being "drunk" has on your ability to function. It is just as disturbing to see similar effects from a 3 year old. <br />
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Joshua is a bright kid. I know that I am biased as his father, but 12 years as an educator in the schools, I know bright when I see it. He is very well spoken, and can have a conversation with the best of them. He is counting pretty high, and has an excellent vocabulary. This makes it even harder on us when he is experiencing "hypo-drunkenness". The other night, right before bed time, we noticed that he was acting strange. We tested him, and held our breath at the 59 that was staring at us with arrows down on Dex. We gave him appropriate carbs, then geared up to wait. He started talking about ducks following a pirate who was looking for a hidden treasure of race cars. He then proceeded to sing a song about how much he loves milk. This was cute because we were on top of the low, but reflecting on it later, it was scary. No wonder we hear stories of people being treated like drunk drivers when they hare having a hypoglycemic event. That terrifies me for him. How many times will a teacher think he is being silly when he is actually low. I know how he gets, and it isn't easy for me to know the difference. Have I mentioned how much I hate diabetes?Brian from "D-Dad - Living with "D" on so many levels"http://www.blogger.com/profile/12627627540203835496noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6504456204246239093.post-4197261118045598262012-05-20T00:55:00.001-04:002012-05-20T00:55:26.268-04:00D-Blog week post 7 - My D heroToday's post is about our diabetic hero. I didn't have to think long about mine. My hero has never been in the news, or made a million dollars. He has never saved a bus full of orphans from falling off a cliff. He is my hero because he changed how I thought about diabetes. He stands 3 feet tall and is the bravest guy I know. My 3 year old Joshua. He has had thousands of shots, numerous hi's and lows, and some rough experiences. He rarely complains. He loves with his entire heart. He has gotten used to the multiple devices he has to wear on a daily basis. He knows that he is different. He knows that food is not just food for him. He knows the difference between "Joshua I need you to eat this" and "Joshua, I NEED you to eat this". He knows when he is low and usually says "I want to eat"! He can eat a banana in his sleep. He is a rockstar and so well behaved. He is an inspiration and is the reason I will be at every JDRF event that I can be. They have to find a cure for him. He is amazing, and is my little boy. Brian from "D-Dad - Living with "D" on so many levels"http://www.blogger.com/profile/12627627540203835496noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6504456204246239093.post-55384035244922689962012-05-18T15:38:00.002-04:002012-05-25T21:54:47.892-04:00D-blog day 5 - What they should know!What do I want people to know about diabetes. There are so many things that I wish people understood about type 1 diabetes. There is one that stands out. There is a quote that spells it out. "There are only two things people with type 1 can't eat. Poison, and cookies.....that have been made with poison." We can put anything into our mouths that we want to. We cover it with insulin. My 3 year old can eat anything that's your 3 year old can. In fact, he needs those carbs to grow. He can have cupcakes if he wants. Apple juice did not cause his diabetes. I can eat ice cream when I feel like it. No, I shouldn't eat it all the time, but neither should you! So, mind your business and don't tell me about nutrition. Otherwise, I will spend 30 minutes educating you about diabetes. I will use small words and speak slowly to make sure that you understand. You still won't get it, but I will have tried.Brian from "D-Dad - Living with "D" on so many levels"http://www.blogger.com/profile/12627627540203835496noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6504456204246239093.post-45606720191893075912012-05-17T00:58:00.002-04:002012-05-18T13:25:32.127-04:00D-blog day 4 post - My miracle deviceMy miracle device
It would be normal for a diabetic, or parent of a diabetic to want the invention of a new device for the treatment of diabetes. They would want a constant glucose monitor that would seamlessly communicate with an insulin pump in real time. They would want that CGM to be accurate to within +\- 5 points (I'm reasonable, right). This glorious unit would be the size of a small bandaid, so that it would not cause undo attention. The sensors involved would only need to be replaced every six months, but would not be susceptible to infection. That is what most people would want. Me? I want a new microscopic transmitter that looks like Donald Trump and is directly injected into the pancreas. Its only function would be to tell the pancreas to do its job or it will be fired. That what I want!Brian from "D-Dad - Living with "D" on so many levels"http://www.blogger.com/profile/12627627540203835496noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6504456204246239093.post-58834853908071833152012-05-16T00:11:00.003-04:002012-05-25T21:55:22.586-04:00D-blog Day 3 - What needs work?Do it because it's good for you! I hated to read when I was a child. I grew up in the 80's, so I was in love with the tv. My Mom tried everything to get me interested in reading. Finally, when I was in the fifth grade I entered into a bet with my parents. The deal was that I had to go an entire year without watching tv and in return I would get $500. That was a lot of money to an 11 year old. The first month was hard, but then Mom started taking me to the library every week. Boredom vanished and I discovered a love for reading that has never disappeared. It is hard to realize that something that is good for you can have such benefits. <br />
<a name='more'></a>Likewise, I did not grow up an athlete. I was the kid on the field entertaining the crowd instead of playing soccer. I hated working out. I grew to tolerate it as an adult, but I still didn't like it, so I didn't do it often. After I was diagnosed with type 1, I came to a startling realization. I could drop my blood sugar by between 50-100 points with an intense hour workout. I know that it is good for me, but I fall off the wagon so easily. I have all of the typical excuses. I am just so tired; I want to spend time with my family; not today, I will go tomorrow. I know that it is something I should be doing. I know it will greatly improve my health. I know that it is the right example to set for my kids. Lets see if I can get up and go in the morning!Brian from "D-Dad - Living with "D" on so many levels"http://www.blogger.com/profile/12627627540203835496noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6504456204246239093.post-58994364999167339292012-05-15T14:08:00.001-04:002012-05-15T14:11:31.323-04:00D-blog week 2012: Post 2I came across a post that said that this was Diabetes blog week. A different topic every day. I posted yesterday, but I am going to try their topics for the rest of the week. Today is: What I rock?
I rock the role (hehe) of being an ambassador for type 1 diabetes. Wherever I am found, it is very likely that I am having a conversation somehow related to diabetes. Case in point. I went to a work conference last week when someone noticed me testing right before lunch. I answered a few questions and the next thing I know, I had rattled on for 30 minutes on counting carbs and the benefits of pumping. Now, I was at a meeting for therapy managers who work with a geriatric population, so they were somewhat interested in diabetes. I have had conversations in restaurants, grocery stores and the gym. What is funny is that when I was first diagnosed at 26 years old, I never wanted to talk about it. I didn't want anyone to know that I was diabetic. In fact, I didn't act like I had diabetes at all. I became a champion of diabetes education a little over two years ago. That was when my then 11 month old son was diagnosed. We almost lost him, and that was more than enough of a wake up call to change my view on diabetes. Now I am pumping and doing everything I can to put diabetes in its place. I have type 1 and I rock diabetes on a daily basis!Brian from "D-Dad - Living with "D" on so many levels"http://www.blogger.com/profile/12627627540203835496noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6504456204246239093.post-60816113292719082912012-05-14T13:23:00.000-04:002012-05-25T21:56:20.596-04:00What can you do in your sleep?What can you do in your sleep? You are always hearing the random case of sleep walking in your sleep. There are always the crazy stories about someone doing something ridiculous and blaming it on sleep walking. Then there are the people that talk in their sleep. That is just asking for trouble. I have had conversations with my wife while she was sleeping. Full blown conversations that she doesn't remember in the morning. (I promise that she told me she wanted me to skip work and play golf that day :) Anyway, these are all intriguing talents, but there is one that is more impressive. The act of eating in your sleep. <br />
<a name='more'></a>Now, let me qualify this with the fact that I am a speech pathologist who works with patients with swallowing issues. It is generally frowned upon to try and feed a patient that is sleeping. However, when my three year old pops a 65 at 3:00 am, it is a scary thing. The insane part is that he really will eat in his sleep. If we put a banana in his hand, muscle memory takes over and he eats it. His eyes stay shut, and he is snoozing again as soon as he is done. I know that this will probably not continue, but for now, it is nice. Not just for us, but for him. Anyone who has had to wake a child up in the middle of the night knows that the next day is usually miserable. We want to avoid that if we can. He has never choked, so it seems to be ok. Banana is a safe consistency. I would be more worried if it was a liquid, or something hard to chew. For now we will let him continue to sleep-eat. Now if there was just a safe way to sleep-feed him.Brian from "D-Dad - Living with "D" on so many levels"http://www.blogger.com/profile/12627627540203835496noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6504456204246239093.post-14517653284210300952012-05-12T13:08:00.001-04:002012-05-14T19:26:17.407-04:00Swing Low, Sweet...Nope. Nothing sweet about lows!Ok, lows are not my friend. Joshua has been consistently low for more than a week. Last weekend at his brother's baseball game, Joshua was in the 50's. Shannon gave home about 150 carbs and he still didn't go over 100. We struggled with it all night. With a little help from a friend, we decided to do a zero temp basal for 3 hours. We checked him at 3:00 am and he was a respectable 179 with arrows up on Dex. So we resumed his normal basal thinking all was good. At wake up, he was 62. This has been a struggle all week long. Shannon took him to his normal endo appointment and the doc said she thought he probably had some sort of intestinal virus. A week later, he is low again today. Are some batches of insulin stronger? Is he cured :) I just wish diabetes would pick a script and stick to it!Brian from "D-Dad - Living with "D" on so many levels"http://www.blogger.com/profile/12627627540203835496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6504456204246239093.post-5793870081100902592011-10-10T13:52:00.000-04:002011-10-10T13:52:08.032-04:00So much to say!Well, it has obviously been a while since my last post. A good deal of stuff has happened since then. I took a new job that uprooted us from our home and support system. It is a great job (and I've already been promoted), but it was hard to leave. The newest bit of information is that I started on the Omnipod pump system. I started mine about two weeks after my two year old started. Oh boy am I going to have some stories about that. It has been great so far though. The first real post I am working on has to do with the BG of 28 that I saw last week. That was scary. Hope to get consistent on here again. I have missed the outlet.Brian from "D-Dad - Living with "D" on so many levels"http://www.blogger.com/profile/12627627540203835496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6504456204246239093.post-68671981470219904022011-05-24T22:09:00.000-04:002011-05-24T22:09:20.498-04:00Request for seven things about meSo, Shannon posted on her blog seven things about herself in reply to a nomination she received. Then she asked me to do the same. I guess I put it off because I didn't figure that anyone would really want to know about me. However, she asked and is something that I can do for her. So read if you like, or skip it if you are so inclined. Up to you.<br />
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1. I have never lived anywhere other than the state of Virginia. The state of confusion doesn't count (although I have dual residency). I grew up in Spotsylvania outside of Fredericksburg. I went to school at Longwood College in Farmville, which coincidentally is where I met Shannon. Right after school I moved to Front Royal for my first year of working in the schools. I have lived in Chesapeake ever since.<br />
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2. Peter Pan is my hero. I am a kid at heart. I love to play video games. I really enjoy playing airsoft with my nephews and brother in law. It is a great release for me. I believe in magic. No really, it's out there. We just don't look closely enough :)<br />
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3. I have always wanted to be a writer. I have written several children's books which are housed safely in my journal. I have an ongoing book of poetry, which at last check had about 60-70 poems in it. I have started numerous novels before getting caught up on everyday life and not working on them again. One day i will sit down and write one of the many stories in my head. Even if it's just for me.<br />
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4. I am a speech pathologist working as a specialist with a school devision which caters almost predominantly to children with autism. Years ago i would have told you that this was the last place I would want to work. It just wasn't an interest for me. I was fortunate to be forced, through lack of options, to take a job here. I have never looked back. I love the kids that I get to work with. I feel like i am making a difference. Now i spend more time shaping the clinicians i have on my team, but i like sharing that knowledge as well.<br />
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5. I have two very strange obsessions. I collect man bags and pens. I call these obsessions because they really don't make sense. Unique and beautiful pens have always been a weakness. I especially love hand turned, wooden pens. It's hard to explain. The bag issue is just as strange. I use multiple bags on a daily basis out of necessity. I have to be able to carry my laptop, paperwork, and all therapy materials to all of the schools i go to. So whenever i see a bag in the store, i am always thinking of ways i can use it, and why it is better than the bags i already own. It's a sickness. I know.<br />
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6. I have a not so secret desire to go back to school to get my Ph.D. I have known for years that it was something that I wanted to do. In grad school i led a study group for several of our classmates. They were always saying that I was able to explain concepts in a way that made sense. More often than not, information wasn't understood until I re-explained it. That was a big compliment for me, and I thought from that point on that I would loke to teach at the college level.<br />
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7. I have wanted to be many things in my lifetime. The list is long but includes a firefighter, FBI agent, lawyer, doctor, actor, writer, teacher, college professor, Military officer, lifeguard, and pilot to name a few. The one thing that i have known I wanted to be for many years that actually stuck was a Father. My boys are incredible. It helps that they have an incredible Mother. To look at them and imaging all of the accomplishments that they will have in their lifetime is wonderful. I love racing cars and serving as a mountain to climb on. I love teaching them about sports, and animals, and art. It is a scary thought that Shannon and I are shaping them into the men that they will become, but i know that I will be so proud of them. No matter what.<br />
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So there are some facts about me. Take from it what you will. I like being me :)Brian from "D-Dad - Living with "D" on so many levels"http://www.blogger.com/profile/12627627540203835496noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6504456204246239093.post-13186552103377331372011-04-25T09:17:00.001-04:002011-04-25T09:18:48.323-04:00Awesome Easter Bunny!The Easter Bunny is awesome! At our house, the Easter Bunny's name is Shannon. I know that you are all already aware that my wife is awesome. Sunday, she surpassed even herself. She has been shopping for months for the boys Easter baskets, because we didn't want to over do the candy. They got little action figures, cars, bubbles, and several other things. In the center of the table was a bowl full of candy. Then there was the note from the Easter Bunny which read, "I know how hard counting carbs can be, so I left the bags for you." Talk about laying groundwork for the future. The boys had an amazing morning. I made pancakes and the we all enjoyed church. Simple pleasures, right. I just wanted to note how amazing our "bunny"visit was this year!Brian from "D-Dad - Living with "D" on so many levels"http://www.blogger.com/profile/12627627540203835496noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6504456204246239093.post-59506409130287525452011-03-02T12:02:00.000-05:002011-03-02T12:02:46.658-05:00Out of the mouth of babes...Do you know the show "Kids say the darnedest things"? That is a true statement if there ever were one. My boys are totally adorable. This post though, is about my Non-D 5 year old, Jackson. Now, let me preface this post with the fact that Jackson is "all boy". He loves to play rough, race his cars, and run around like crazy. All in all, he is such a sweet little guy, and I was reminded of that last night.<br />
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We were getting ready for bed, and Jackson had a dreaded case of the hiccups. Shannon and I tried getting him to take deep breaths, and take sips of water, but nothing was working. Suddenly Shannon gave him a "boo" and it startled him, but the hiccups were still there. He asked why she did that and Shannon told him that sometimes a little scare would frighten the hiccups away.<br />
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Now the cute part. My very smart 5 year old sat there and thought for a second. Then he turned around, waited for me to look at him, and then shouted "boo" at me. I looked at him funny, and he responded "Daddy I thought I could scare yours and Joshua's Diabetes away." All I could do was smile. He may be a typical five year old in a lot of ways, but in my eyes, he is exceptional!Brian from "D-Dad - Living with "D" on so many levels"http://www.blogger.com/profile/12627627540203835496noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6504456204246239093.post-8066558834946642392011-02-08T13:51:00.001-05:002011-02-08T13:52:31.216-05:00A Poem for that horrible dayI wrote this shortly after coming home from the hospital with Joshua, after a long stay in the PICU:<br />
<br />
Your skin so pale<br />
like gray fallen snow<br />
with fear and concern all around<br />
your eyes stayed closed<br />
and your body so limp<br />
in stillness you made not a sound<br />
<br />
The doctors all wondered<br />
what it could be<br />
"He's so young, he must just be ill"<br />
time went so slow<br />
all more confused<br />
you lay on the table so still<br />
<br />
A sudden alarm<br />
your sugars too high<br />
how do we help you come back<br />
the IV's won't go in<br />
your body's too dry<br />
the doctors came in like a pack<br />
<br />
They moved us upstairs<br />
the PICU was ready<br />
the nurses, their best of the best<br />
eyes flutter open<br />
fear and relief side by side<br />
more blood needed for each new test<br />
<br />
Our fear more intense<br />
tears hit the floor<br />
to see you with tubes in your arm<br />
we worried and prayed<br />
we failed at our role<br />
to keep you safe from all harm<br />
<br />
The numbers so high<br />
started to fall<br />
as we let out the greatest of sighs<br />
you woke up and half smiled<br />
and played with your toes<br />
as our hopes continued to rise<br />
<br />
We moved yet again<br />
the nurses concerned<br />
with numbers and math we must learn<br />
your flirtation came back<br />
with a smile on your face<br />
so happy for a joyous return<br />
<br />
The tubes all came out<br />
they let us go home<br />
we worried just how we would know<br />
with faith, love, and books<br />
we began our new path<br />
of keeping you safe while you growBrian from "D-Dad - Living with "D" on so many levels"http://www.blogger.com/profile/12627627540203835496noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6504456204246239093.post-69347341893721386132011-01-29T09:59:00.001-05:002011-02-07T16:00:41.505-05:00Can't the bank hand out fruit to kids...not lollipops?So I went through the bank drive through yesterday to make a deposit. I had both boys with me in the car, and we were jamming to some kid friendly music. I saw the teller getting my envelop ready, and watched her pick up two lollipops. I got annoyed. I don't know why though. When i was a kid, i loved getting lollipops from the bank. What am i supposed to say? "I'm sorry. We try and avoid simple sugars, like letting sugar syrup harden in a mold that my children can then suck on. Do you happen to have some grapes, or maybe an apple instead?" In the end, I took them, said thank you, and put them away for later. I saved them for big brother and gave Joshua something that I could carb count when we stopped. It just sucks that we have to play these chess games every moment of every day. I guess it still frustrates me a good amount because I only get these experiences on a limited basis. Unfortunately I am usually at work during the better part of the day. When the boys and I are out, just the guys, these things really make me appreciate all of the work and stress that Shannon has to deal with on a daily basis. D-Moms have to be some of the strongest people in the world. If the aren't, they fake it really well!Brian from "D-Dad - Living with "D" on so many levels"http://www.blogger.com/profile/12627627540203835496noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6504456204246239093.post-86093394265038793862011-01-19T12:57:00.001-05:002011-01-19T12:59:39.412-05:00The boomerang should stay in AustraliaWhen I was a kid, I loved the thought of playing with a boomerang. I had seen them in several shows and just thought they were the coolest thing ever. Then, I went to the museum of natural history on a field trip, and you will never believe what the were selling in the gift shop. For a mere several dollars, I bought my very own boomerang. We were inside so there was no way to try it out, but I was so excited. We went to a park to eat lunch after leaving the museum, and I knew I would get my chance. While everyone else scouted out the best places to sit for lunch, my best friend and I went in search for an open area to try my new toy. Now let me first say that I knew how boomerangs were supposed to work, I had seen them on tv after all. So, I guess it shouldn't have been a surprise at what happened after I threw it. I expected it to come back. I just expected to catch it with my hands and not my head. I immediately gave it to my friend and decided I didn't like boomerangs.<br />
<br />
Guess what? Now as an adult, I like boomerangs even less. Though instead of the wooden ones hitting me in the head, it is the blood sugar boomerangs hitting me in my meter. If I have a bowl of ice cream at night and cover it accordingly, why does the body decide it must come racing back to ground zero at light speed. I can feel the boomerang coming as it zeros in. My lips get super cold and tingly. Shannon says I get this weird look in my eyes and I start acting like I've had a few Captain and diet's. The same thing happens with Joshua, my youngest. Isn't diabetes hard enough without crazy variables? Just a rant that I thought I would throw out to the choir :)Brian from "D-Dad - Living with "D" on so many levels"http://www.blogger.com/profile/12627627540203835496noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6504456204246239093.post-69935964563256104592011-01-11T13:45:00.000-05:002011-01-11T13:45:20.325-05:00Tired of lows!?!?Why is there no middle ground? Does it have to be black or white, right or wrong, sweet or sour? High or low! That is the problem. Joshua is either soaring up in the 300's or plummeting overnight. He did it again last night, and we were out of bananas. That may not seem like that big of a deal, but trust me, it is. This kid will eat a banana in his sleep. He won't take juice or milk overnight, it's not worth his time. Let me tell you though, he will sit there, keep his eyes closed, and take some banana! When we have bananas that is. I don't know if any of you know this, but diabetes sucks! :) As for me, it's been crazy too. I have added a little bit of increased exercise lately, and my numbers are in the basement. I was in the 40's three different times yesterday. I haven't changed my eating habits. All I did was start playing Just Dance on the Wii a little bit. Really? Just when I think I might be getting a handle on things, it swings the other way. There is no getting a handle on diabetes. There is only tolerating and troubleshooting it! Arrrgh!Brian from "D-Dad - Living with "D" on so many levels"http://www.blogger.com/profile/12627627540203835496noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6504456204246239093.post-46224669148381687632010-11-15T22:40:00.002-05:002010-11-16T15:28:35.363-05:00Why do I fight it!So, I was eating some delicious whole wheat pasta that my beautiful wife made tonight, and I was craving some bread. This started because I knew that my wife had picked up an awesome loaf of cheddar bread the other day. As I took my first bite, Joshua reached out and sweetly said "Da Da". My immediate reaction was "no baby, not for Joshua". Then I felt guilty, followed bu annoyed. Why is it not for him? He should get to eat bread to. It's not good for me either. I shouldn't eat it...but I do. I love it. It is one of my weaknesses. I had an internal struggle as to whether or not I should give him a piece. He was eating his dinner well, so I looked at the carbs on the bag, cut a piece off and gave it to him. In the end, he took a small bite, spit it out, and politely gave it back to me. All that stress, for nothing :)Brian from "D-Dad - Living with "D" on so many levels"http://www.blogger.com/profile/12627627540203835496noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6504456204246239093.post-82193093110401342532010-10-07T09:00:00.000-04:002010-10-07T09:00:25.092-04:00Tired!A no D post huh? OK.....I am tired. I used to be an EMT with a the Virginia Beach Rescue Squad and I pulled 12 hour over night shifts every Wednesday and still went to work the next day. I have been tired before. Do you want to know the difference. I can't catch up now. They say that you can't catch up on sleep. They say that if you miss sleep for a long period of time, a long sleep period will make things worse. I think they are lying. I think that if I could sleep for 16 hours of uninterrupted, un-worrisome sleep, I would be great. <br />
<br />
I fell asleep reading a book to my four year old the other night. How is that fair to him. He deserves to have his Dad be there 100% and alert! The other day, I dozed off sitting in a parking lot on my way to my next school. I wonder why I am so tired all the time. Well, whatever it is, I don't want to talk about it today. I am taking the day off from being tired. I see mad amounts of coffee in my future. Brian from "D-Dad - Living with "D" on so many levels"http://www.blogger.com/profile/12627627540203835496noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6504456204246239093.post-41676625130161414202010-09-29T08:30:00.000-04:002010-09-29T08:30:21.517-04:00Overnight lows suck!Ok, really. He is 19 months old. When he sleeps, we let him sleep. Thats how all parents feel about babies. If they are asleep they are happy, and more importantly, not crying. So you never wake a sleeping baby, right? So why does his body choose 3:45 am to drop to 104 in a falling pattern. Doctors orders dictate that we treat anything under 150 overnight. I gave some icing hoping to not wake him up all the way. Internet surfing at 4:00 in the morning was surreal as I waited the 15 minutes for carbs to kick in. At 4:15 he was only 120. In the end, I consulted Shannon, who decided to rock him with a bit of juice. He woke up at a respectable 206 later this morning. Exhausted, unhappy with D, but at work none the less. Tonight will be better, I know it.Brian from "D-Dad - Living with "D" on so many levels"http://www.blogger.com/profile/12627627540203835496noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6504456204246239093.post-17870486144124559252010-09-26T22:27:00.001-04:002010-09-26T22:32:16.439-04:00Fishing with the boys!I had a great day today. We have my Sister-in-law's wedding next month, and my wife and Mother-in-law used today to find THE Mother of the bride dress. Anyway, I decided not to let being "Shannon-less" scare us into staying in the house. The boys and I went to church, and actually made it only 5 minutes late. We came home, got our naps in (I wish I had gotten one), and then got ready for our afternoon outing.<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Jackson has been wanting to go fishing forever. I finally downloaded an app for my Ipod touch, and he goes fishing on that whenever I let him. To encourage this more, my parents got him a starter fishing rod set for his birthday in March. I have been promising to take him ever since. There was never a good time. Busy life, bad weather, or random laziness always seemed to get in the way. Dagone it, we were going today!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I decided to take the stroller with us so that Joshua couldn't wander off, plus it was a good base where he could feed the geese. We got to the park, got Jackson's rod all set up, and the impatience began. Jackson couldn't understand why he didn't catch a fish every time he threw it in. He always did on the Ipod :) I let him tinker away, while I got Joshua ready to feed the geese. I had taken some old hamburger buns with us, so I ripped them up and put pieces in his stroller tray. I threw a couple out so that the geese would come over, and he was having a ball. Then of course I look up and Joshua is eating the "enriched flour", white bread, hamburger buns himself. In any other situation, with any other child, that would be cute. Not so much. Luckily he had only put the one piece in, and he spit it out when I ran over to him. He gave me this look like, "What, it was just a little piece. Geez Dad!" </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh136NZ3A8eOJdysEhTYLfY7hFUnsU16afEiFP4x_v4oiUvEUUxjdzgaI3APCOV2rc4yZwjhWWBg2VTFMAEgzIlkTelTkr_YHcaJ_ZamnpWWwYMRjb88eJugxUimu1kSeg3Nu4ZYgQ7wSGZ/s1600/First+fishing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh136NZ3A8eOJdysEhTYLfY7hFUnsU16afEiFP4x_v4oiUvEUUxjdzgaI3APCOV2rc4yZwjhWWBg2VTFMAEgzIlkTelTkr_YHcaJ_ZamnpWWwYMRjb88eJugxUimu1kSeg3Nu4ZYgQ7wSGZ/s320/First+fishing.jpg" width="320" /></a> <img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0u6UuXNzSQ8WtEuddkMBz9ygcuWSHsYunxJeltOIir2Vm4R76rwQBpZfSw6DoFs7sVcI9w-FaBB7vpkdkCzNM6tr0MGmpxOeXHMzcvzUatkH0IXWPN1kRbiLkEOn06A8yRwtKRW36Wu0/s320/Feeding+geese.jpg" width="320" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEjGqS6ECEcWQTtEYyrx-2oTxKxwLbZzwHR08-O6DbhIDxCtJsQjT6l6w77_TaHmCTm-gmqUSGitqSOFqRv4MvZWak5waoUjGFBWcp9pE5tRG3EcnjSsD88F6MW3PMELLfSFr9mVbtDrAc/s1600/First+fish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEjGqS6ECEcWQTtEYyrx-2oTxKxwLbZzwHR08-O6DbhIDxCtJsQjT6l6w77_TaHmCTm-gmqUSGitqSOFqRv4MvZWak5waoUjGFBWcp9pE5tRG3EcnjSsD88F6MW3PMELLfSFr9mVbtDrAc/s320/First+fish.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Long story short, we had a great boys day out. Jackson caught his first fish right before we left. Joshua had a great time feeding and yelling at the geese. Shannon had a great day out with her Mom, and I didn't have a coronary caused by "enriched flour", white bread, hamburger buns. Lets call it a win, shall we?</div>Brian from "D-Dad - Living with "D" on so many levels"http://www.blogger.com/profile/12627627540203835496noreply@blogger.com4