Saturday, March 26, 2011

From baby to toddler, issues issues

This morning I dug out The Hurricane's old diabetes log books.   We keep everything manually recorded still, though I use the function on the meters to do weekly, fortnightly and monthly 'averages', Im yet to get those baby's onto the pc.  Just feel like Im stuck in a rut.  (I have a chest infection so Im also very sick...blergh...)

Theres a few reasons for flailing around in this quagmire.   (Do you like that one?)   I doubt myself and if I even know what Im doing anymore.    Ive calculated and recalculated his I:C and his correction bolus.  Maybe Im overthinking it all but I feel like Ive lost any instinct I had because its all so changeable right now.

The last 6 months R has technically moved from baby hood into toddler hood.  Looking through his numbers I was surprised to see I had GREAT management skills of his diabetes after his honeymoon period ended and BEFORE he began to walk.  

T h e n  c a m e  t h e  r u n n i n g . . . .  

I dont feel like Ive been able to take a breath.   His insulin needs are changing rapidly - from day to day - in fact from meal to meal.   His appetite is changing, when I could rely on him to eat yogurt, apples, fruit toast....   now we are going through some food refusal.   Food play.    He also is seeing what his big brother and sister are eating and on occassion begs for that.  (Another issue entirely and a battle Im losing.   Im substituting low GI and healthier options, but my carnivorous husband says eating wild rice is like eating branches. Go figure).

So Im going through alot of processes all at once and Im pretty overwhelmed.    I wish it was easy, like giving an aspirin, or applying a bandaid.

Reuben is very active, but it is variable day to day.   Some times this causes afternoon and overnight hypos (its always a delayed reaction to very active days).

Reuben gets bursts of excitement like when we go to music class. This tends to spike his BGL, which I dont treat because it falls later on its own.

We are dealing with alot of food issues, learning to prepare healthy meals, low GI, when to space them , quantities, carb counts of and various other issues like a fussy family of 5.   Even when his plate looks perfect, he will eat the chicken off the plate then refuse to eat anything carbohydrate...(GOOD LORD!).   Hypo city...

Reubs likes to graze on foods when Im not looking (omg I need to lock the fridge, Ive found him in the lounge room, with  raw corn cobs hes pinched, taken them out of the husks, surrounded by the corn silks and munching happily.)  Reuben has a variable almost erratic appetite.  Why>  whynot.   Hes 18months old now.     Hes headstrong and determined.   Reuben will breastfeed some nights all night long and not others.    Because of his tiny tummy he can easily fill up on water (which I wont restrict because its very important for all of us).   Reuben is toilet training and tends to go potty (poo poos) only once a day now, so that means his belly is full and at meal times just doesnt WANT to eat. 
Reuben is getting a stack of big grinding chompers in the back of his jaw and it really bugs him.   This causes food probs, but also HI (pwd and d-mamas know what I mean, that is not a typo) blood sugars.   Then theres the issue with the expensive ketone strips...  

 Reuben sometimes daytime sleeps, sometimes not.

Id be surprised if anyone read this far, its really a rant and a whinge.   I need that alot these days!

I feel like Im going to fall in a heap if his Hba1c is cruddy at the next endocrinologist appointment.  

8 comments:

  1. I don't know you do it! You are a rock star, for sure. I've heard that as kids grow, their levels can be a little erratic. Don't be toooo hard on yourself if his a1c isn't what you expect--you will get there!

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  2. Of course I read it all, Jules. You are doing such a wonderful job with your sweet, active, corn-munching toddler. Your writing paints such a picture of what a charmer Reuben is.

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  3. Oh this brings back such (not-so-great) memories. We went through the same thing with Elise (although didn't have siblings to deal with). I know how hard it is, but remember that it is just a phase, and all you can do is your best. I know... not much help.

    Any Mom to a tiny-D is an uber-rock star and don't worry about that A1C. He is happy, he is thriving, and he is loved.

    Is he on MDI or a pump? What insulin(s) are you using?

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  4. Hi Joanne, we are on MDI - at the moment Levemir and Novo Rapid. We were having constant night hypos and blamed the Lantus...maybe we should give it another go since this combo isnt working out much better and its more injections a day. *sigh*

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  5. AHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Yup. This sounds very familiar!!! To this day I keep a lock on my pantry door, because if she had her way, she'd get in there and graze ALL DAY! Grazing, growing, getting bigger!!!!!

    A couple things...

    #1) It isn't always better to strive for a lower A1c in young children. They have brains that go through a rapid period of development until around age 6 --- every time low blood sugars happen, a few brain cells die. There are no long term studies to show the effect of low blood sugars during early childhood...I've heard it suggested that they could be related to things like ADD/ADHD later in life. That being said, make sure you're very clear with where your endo would like to see his A1c.

    2) Don't worry about the A1c's you see thrown on FB and blogs -- you aren't raising those children -- you are raising THIS child.

    My daughter's A1c was over 8 (8.9 even!) until she was almost 5 years old. I often beat myself up over it, but then I realized that really was doing the best I could according to our awesome endo's advice.

    3) Remember that the unpredictably in eating patterns, food choices, and insulin needs is the name of the game. It doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong! Toddlers don't make sense to most parents -- a toddler with diabetes remains a complete mystery!

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  6. I remember the food game all too well with Andy. It had gotten to the point on MDI that we were practically force feeding him in order to avoid the hypos. That is when we begged the endo to get him on a pump (I know it's not that easy for you in Australia). But like everyone said, don't beat yourself up on the A1c numbers at this age. Andy didn't get under 8.0 (maybe even 9) until we switched to oral drugs. It's a constant roller coaster and you are doing a great job!

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  7. Our problem with grazing from the cupboard is not so much the son with D, it's his older brothers giving him some of theirs while we're out the room. We teach them that sharing is good but they don't realise that sharing their toast & honey in the morning isn't. Difficult lesson for them to learn at their age. And D son isn't going to refuse some lovely sweet, sticky toast!!

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  8. Just read a few of your posts. You are a rockstar indeed! I have a 2 year old and there are many days that I watch him and thank God I don't have to play pancreas for him. It is hard enough with a 7 year old, I can not fathom a baby. You moms with babies that have T1D are amazing!! We all work hard to do what we do for our kids and we really just do what we have to to get by but I still can't imagine her not being able to articulate a low BG or being able to reason with her through shots and site changes. You amaze me!!

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