Insanity 2

Last week, I complained a bit about how in the diabetes world, A + B does not always = C.  Mysterious things happen for what appears to be no apparent reason.  Sometimes in retrospect, we can look back and realize the cause: an impending illness or growth spurt.  Sometimes we'll never know.

We're forced address these issues with whatever information is at hand, even if it is insufficient.

Today, for example, my daughter called at lunchtime (still 10:17 a.m.).  Her blood sugar was 97, but she said she felt like she was dropping.  I suggested she eat first and bolus later, subtracting a few carbs when the time came.  Forty minutes later she called back.  She still felt low so tested before bolusing. She had eaten 51 grams of carbohydrate and now had a blood sugar of 81.

What did I think she should do?

I had no idea what she should do.  Yet I had to come up with a plan for her so she could move on to her social studies quiz. 

Once again, I was faced with solving a medically critical math and logic problem while missing a significant amount of critical information.  My tactic was to err on the side of caution. I heard clearly in my daughter's voice that she felt low and that it was unsettling.  I also reasoned that she could test and correct a resulting high blood sugar before it became astronomical, but that a low blood sugar during the variety of tests and quizzes scheduled for the afternoon would be more problematic.

"Bolus half the carbs. Check in 20 minutes to make sure you're coming up. Or sooner if you feel worse."

It turned out o.k. In 20 minutes she was headed up. She was 180 at 2, and 144 when she got home.

I guess I did the right thing.  I just don't know how.  And I don't know why I had to do it in the first place.