Random, totally and unashamedly random.

This blog and its weary writer will be on a fortnights rest!@!

Two week vacation here as my son has a mid semester vacation from school (woohooo).  (can you say p a j a m a s   all day?)   Its not that I plan to be totally slack, (oh who am i kidding..yes I will be SLACK!)

 We will see how hes been doing with his first written report card in 18 months of schooling, pick that up this arv!

What do we have planned?  Ive put in new fruit trees, so lots of monitoring the garden, dehydrating some goodies, sourcing some items for our foray into poultry raising and designing a 'chook pen', and an adventure into home brewing. lol.   Lots of new ideas and frugal fun...(amazing how much fun my kids had with home made play dough and some self designed beyblades (found a spinning top idea on you tube and hubby got to work, kids loved making their own battle bowls!)

Its the eve of our virtual 5km contribution, (see the link to Reyna from Beta Buddies' sisters blog, Mommys a runner, who have teamed up to organise this wonderful event to raise money for JDRF-  diabetes research).  I  have to map out our best route and rope the rest of the fam into doing this with me, will post details when Im back. Good luck walkers and runners!   Thanks for organising this event  - OUR TYPE 1's NEED A CURE.

Blood Ketone Strips

If you truly look - every cloud has a silver lining. 

Ive nursed one child with an earache, one with a chest infection, the other (Reuben) with some mystery virus.
I think I was delerious after not sleeping 3 days straight.   He had crazy temperatures that spiked then subsided, and myriad other symptoms.   Result?  Crazy crazy blood sugars.   Ketones up to 2.7, BGLs in the 20's.

4 units of Novorapid to clear them... Now thats scary for us.    Freaking because seeing Reubs in DKA is all too fresh in our minds.  

Good news, Reuben is feeling somewhat better.   The earache is on the mend.  Chest infection less troublesome.

Even better news?    The blood ketone strips, essential to managing a child with diabetes...

HALF PRICE.

Apparently Abbot sell them onto Diabetes Australia more cheaply and therefore they can sell us with a saving.   So a box of 10 strips for $20 (2 bucks a strip, out of 10 which we can easily use in one night), is now under $10! for 10 strips.

Im happy for this little win.

I look forward to catching up with your blogs after I have a decent rest!

Happy Tuesday everyone.

Type 1 in the news - misleading

Today Im nursing 3 sick kids - again.    I get  a text message from an excited husband regarding this type 1 nasal spray.   

Quickly I googled the story - the opening headline is - 'Diabetes sufferers get a shot in the nose with new vaccine'.


The story can be read here -

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/breaking-news/diabetes-sufferers-get-a-shot-in-the-nose-with-new-vaccine/story-e6freonf-1226074677993


A NASAL spray vaccine for type 1 diabetes could be available in two years, providing hope to thousands of sufferers.   (This is the line I take issue with.)

I read on to see that it is infact a preventative trial of the nasal spray, and there isnt hope being provided to anyone already suffering with the chronic illness.

I subsequently emailed them -

Greetings,

My 8 month old son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.   I fail to see how this vaccine provides any hope to him or anyone currently 'suffering' from the chronic illness.   This vaccine  is a preventative for those who 'may or may not' develop diabetes in the future - ?  .  Even with antibodies that show someone may be susceptible, theres no way of knowing if they would infact go on to develop type 1 diabetes.  I feel the story is misleading and its important to differentiate between bodies of research and trials that work on either - Prevention

Cure Therapies

or Treatment of the disease 

OR prevention and treatment of complications associated with the disease.

Do you get sick of reading misleading stories about type 1?

My non-D kids - Josephine

Recently weve been thinking about how our family is forever changed, the other kids possibly for the better.

More accepting and compassionate than they might be otherwise.

I watched as my older son took the hand of a disabled child and helped him on the slide at a playground.  My eyes literally teared up. 

My daughter tore around the place with a girl with burns down her arm.   We noticed the differences.   My kids seemed oblivious and it made me love them all the more.

They help me plenty with Reuben and just accept diabetes in alot of ways, it makes me accept it alot more readily than if I didnt have them and their wonderful personalities around.    My kids truly are a blessing.   Reuben is so lucky to have them. 

 

Josephine is my middle child.   She is 3 years old, and sister to two brothers.    One older, who is almost 7,  and one younger, almost 2.   She is a sweet, vibrant girl.   Headstrong and comedic.   She often takes an interest in Reuebns diabetes and his supplies and tests.  Heres her take on living with a type 1.   (Thankyou to this awesome blog , where she interviewed her 15 year old son about HER diabetes, have a read and see what he said.!)

What do you think Diabetes is Jo?

When you're sick.

Who has been sick?

Reuben.

I know a boy from on top of a tall mountain.   He is a boy on a bus, he had diabetes.   I know Jason, he goes to ABC kindy and has diabetes. He lives far away.   (Vivid imagination).

What does it mean for Reuben to have diabetes?

Hes just sick.   His mouth is sick and he coughs , its yucky.

Why do we give him needles?

Thats for when hes sick.   Theres drips inside.

When mummy pricks him and you see blood, whats that?

You test him with the meter.

What do I do once I see the numbers?

Give him formula.  Or sugar.

Do you think Reuben is normal?

Uh huh. Im normal too.

Do you love your brother?

Sometimes I dont like him.

Why?

Cos I have to run away from him.  Cos I dont like him, or play games with him.

Sometimes I do play games.

Does that mean you love Reuben?

Yep. Uh huh. Sometimes.

Do you think Mummy and Daddy are worried alot about Reuben and his diabetes?

Yep.

How can you tell?

He has to get medicine.  You test all the time.  You yell alot.

We go hospital with him.

Does Mummy love you?

Yep.  Sometimes you yell when im being naughty.

You know mummy loves you to the moon and back.   And youre a good big sister to Reuben?

Uh huh.