Back to School
For the first time, diabetes wasn't a big back to school issue here.
All of the forms from the endocrinologist were filled out, signed and turned in to the nurse in June.
There were no treatment or equipment changes over the summer to educate the school staff about.
We packed up the bag of supplies and checked it twice.
It's been our tradition to drop off the supplies a day or two before school starts. This visit has always included at least a quick check-in with the nurse and until 6th grade with teachers as well. We go over any changes from the previous year and answer any questions.
This year we had only one free morning during the two days when staff were in the building for meetings and setting up. We learned the nurse might not be available when we arrived. She was not. We left the well-labeled bag in the office. We missed saying 'hello' and exchanging pleasantries about the summer. Otherwise we had no concerns about not meeting face to face.
The nurse has not yet needed to call home.
Reports are good about lunch. She's sitting with friends of her choice, and she's finishing in time to go outside with everyone else.
There have been no classroom-related diabetes concerns.
This appears to be a non-story until it's put in perspective.
Seven years ago this same girl started Kindergarten. The preparation was extensive. We spent hours in the nurse's office reviewing every detail of the care she needed. We met with every teacher who would come in contact with my daughter. The nurse, my daughter and I took turns quelling each other's anxieties. My daughter was tiny and needed help with every aspect of her care. She needed staff to watch for signs of low blood sugars, and to make sure she was eating all of her food, and that she wasn't accepting food from others. The other elementary school years were progressively easier, but we still had an annual meeting with the primary teacher and the nurse.
Two years ago we spent time settling in to the middle school. There was a new nurse. My daughter encountered a minimum of seven teachers every day. There was a new lunchroom to navigate and a new schedule to adapt to. It took time and energy develop a good diabetes routine and a good working relationship with the new set of staff. Last year was certainly simpler, but a few things had changed and we spent a little time in the health office making sure we were on the same page.
It's amazing to look back and realize how much my daughter has learned to do for herself in the past seven years. She needs significantly less hands-on help from the school nurse or her teachers. It's reassuring to see how our hard work building relationships with and communicating with the schools has paid off. We have a thorough 504 plan, an excellent nurse, and a staff who has been well-educated by that nurse.
We don't know what next year will bring; and I'm sure the high school transition will bring its own collection of tasks and challenges. Right now, I'm just going to be grateful that this year's start was easy.
Wordless Wednesday: Fridge Edition
I noticed today this mystery label carefully magneted to the refrigerator. It's been there for months I'm sure.
Weird
All day: confusion.
Check: 115. Dexi: 250.
Check: 287. Dexi: 140.
Lots of 'Recheck...that doesn't make sense.'
And 'Really...that's what it says.'
All day.
It probably didn't help that we left Dexi home for an errand outing. Or that we went to the pool. She finds that very confusing. Always.
Yet from dawn to dusk, nobody could agree.
Beditme was the most bewildering.
Check: 270. Dexi: 240. We thought there had finally been a meeting of the minds. A small correction was given and some reading began.
Fifteen minutes later, Dexi asked for more blood.
Check: 138. Dexi: still 240. I thought we were in for a long night for sure.
But by 10, the anticipated low had not occurred and did not occur all night. Dexi and the meter had kissed and made up. Today, they were all in synch...like they'd been together forever.
Technology is great. We really love it and are grateful for all the help it gives us in managing diabetes every day. But please visit www.stripsafely.com. Sometimes things to awry. They shouldn't.
Dexi's Vacation
Dexi survived the first few salt water laden days of our vacation. Initially, we were checking and reinforcing tape regularly. They we got sidetracked by swimming and beach walking. As we prepared for the outdoor shower after a long beach day, she was discovered to be slightly dislodged. A delicate operation to attempt to resuscitate her failed and she was removed.
Our deal when we first started the Dexcom was that breaks were o.k. The request was to take one at this point, so we did. I must say there were plusses.
It was hard enough to remember the meter kit every time we left the cottage. The constant transferring of the meter and other necessities between my purse, a small string bag and the beach bag was challenge enough. The Dexcom receiver would have been just one more thing to track down - or forget.
While the alarming is, of course, helpful to alert us to high blood sugars, there were a few frozen treats and fried seafood meals I'm glad Dexi never became aware of. We didn't ignore the highs - we tested and corrected regularly. But there's at least one night I'm sure Dexi would have ended up sleeping in the car so she didn't keep us up all night.
Wearing the sensor in the ocean makes me just a smidge nervous. No- it's never fallen completely off, and I don't expect it will. But were it to do so, I'm certain we'd never see it again. It would turn into a mysterious item for someone's beachcombing bucket some day.
I think my daughter was happy to have her belly free. It felt nice to swim and boogie board and dig around in the sand without a protrusion. Also, nobody was looking at it or asking questions about it. The tankinis cover it when she's standing still, but it becomes exposed with movement, and certainly when the bathing suit ruffles float up in the water. The pump site is invisible under her suit, and when she's walking or playing, she wears terry cloth shorts with big pockets to put the pump in. She's willing to answer questions - but a vacation from doing so is nice too.
Dexi's back up and running, and alarming, and being forgotten when we go to the library. We missed her information, and are finding her graphs helpful as we transition from an active vacation to a quiet week at home. There was no objection to starting her up again, and my daughter's glad to have her around on days like today when she's at the pool with a friend.
But the break wasn't bad.
None. Nada. Nil.
Half of a basement closet is dedicated to diabetes supplies. The usual suspects are there, unpacked from the three month supply boxes which arrive on our doorstep: pump supplies, dexcom sets, lancets, and strips. There's a large collection of manuals to diabetes devices and booklets given to us by various diabetes care providers. This is where we keep our collection of spare lancets, meters, tapes, and samples of stuff we are reluctant to throw out.
Until recently I have been the primary user of the closet. Supplies were put in and taken out only by me. Times are changing for the better, with a kid who is happily taking on a little more independence with a few things diabetes. One task she's taken on has been replenishing the supplies in her room, including lancets and test strips.
Here's where the cautionary part of the tale begins:
Happy that she was regularly ferrying the test strips from the basement, I neglected to keep up with the inventory. So yesterday as I started to pack the diabetes box for vacation I made an alarming discovery. There were no boxes of test strips in the closet. None. Nada. Nil.
We weren't OUT out. There were two vials in her room and some other partial vials in spare meters. I immediately ordered more and am extremely hopeful the box will arrive on our doorstep before we travel. If it does not, it's possible to purchase them over the counter. Just incredibly expensive.
A two part solution has been put into place to address this issue. I've put a note on my calendar and a reminder in my phone to reorder at the next possible interval. I can no longer rely on noticing the supply is running low before I make that call. Secondly, while attempting to support the responsibility and helpfulness of my daughter's new role as the designated strip fetcher, I've emphasized the importance of also being the designated strip inventory-er.
I'm ordinarily a bit of a supply hoarder. I feel much more comfortable with stuff stashed away, 'just in case.' In my mind, this 'just in case' has meant an insurance mix-up, a financial glitch, or a job transition. Now I know - it could come in handy for something as simple as packing for vacation.
Dexi's Wordless Wednesday
Helpful Hint:
The Dexcom ceases to be useful if you pack it in your mother's purse instead of your own before leaving for the day.
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