Whether you’ve been in the diabetic parenting game for a long time or whether you’re a new member of our exclusive club, please, don’t be like me.
When your kid tells you he feels low, freakin’ test him!
Don’t be like me. Don’t say "we’ll be home from the pool in five minutes and we’ll test you then." Don’t delay. Don’t become complacent just because he says he feels low ALL THE TIME and is rarely right.
"Whoa!" Charlie said, looking at the meter. "This is lower than the time I passed out at the food store."
I got spooked at the sight of it. The 27 was like an intruder staring at me through the window.
Though he was clearly operating on fumes, it didn’t stop Charlie from reminding me that he did say he felt low in the parking lot.
"I know. You were right, Charlie. I should have tested you."
I gave Charlie two juice boxes and then tore through the cabinets and the refrigerator, looking for something with the highest possible glycemic index that I could find.
"Charlie! Eat this!" I said, handing him a slice of white bread.
I just don’t get diabetes. Almost seven years of it and I still don’t get it. He eats a blue-raspberry Italian ice loaded with sugar and he’s disconnected from insulin for more than two hours while at the pool, yet he drops to 27. The heat and the Sun? Maybe. Letting him have the Italian ice was a struggle to begin with because I thought it would make him very high.
"Fine," I said at the snack bar. "But I don’t know what this is going to do to your blood sugar."
I watch nervously as he munches on the white bread.
"Eat a little faster."
"How long has it been?"
"Slow down. I don’t want you to choke."
"Has it been five minutes yet?"
"Maybe a minute," Charlie mumbles with a wad of bread in his cheek.
I want to reach in and pull up his blood sugar like it’s an anchor. Lift him up and steer him far away from danger. I despise this disease.
For once, I just want clear sailing.
I'm not a parent of, but am the grown-up version of the kinds of things Charlie goes through. Now 58, I was 4 when diagnosed--yeah, about 1956. Things were a lot different then. I really feel for what you go through. Nearly cry every time I read one of your posts. I sometimes wish my parents would have been more like you. Sometimes I think you are not letting him care for himself enough. But all in all, you're doing the best you can, just as my parents did.
How many times have I experienced lows for some unknown reason. I suppose it is just part of the disease. Most of the time I am unaware of going low--hypoglycemic unawareness. Seems when I drop so low it takes forever to go up--45 to 60 minutes, sometimes more. Sometimes it seems that all the carbs I ate that day all of a sudden show up--HIGH! It's a messed up, impossible disease. You seem to do such a good job with Charlie. Don't give up. Stay diligent, and, yeah, you'll probably make many more mistakes but your love for Charlie will always be correct. Richard
Swimming in a pool is our nemesis.
Not a full blown day at the beach with skim boards, boogie boards, temperatures of 90+, no- the pool.
For a lousy 45 minute swimming lesson Harry better have a starting BG of >150, turn off the basal and eat 45g of carbs or we are toast.
7 hours of downhill skiing on triple black diamond trails with temperatures hovering at 17- not a problem. Nope it is the dang pool.
Sorry to hear Charlie was so low, hope he is feeling awesome again!
Hey Richard. Thanks. We're trying. I appreciate the kind words and the support. cee: That's just crazy. Stupid, mysterious disease! Not sure if it's pool for us. Sugars vary. I think we're just in the midst of a low period. Thanks!