More Donations!

My heart can't thank those enough who have donated money to Laila for JDRF, it's amazing the generosity people have provided. More so than the money, the kind words fill my heart with love. Here are 2 more notes I received with donations, each one as special as the last.

Laila, Aunty Brandi is so proud of you! You are going to be the one to make a difference in your life nad most definitely someone else's. Your selflessness is God's light shining through you. Go get that cure!xoxoxo Love always, Aunty Brandi

Dear Laila, Please accept this towards your goal to help Diabetes Research. I pray for you all the time and I am so thrilled to see how well you constantly overcome the challenges you face. Please know you are surrounded by lots of people who love you and think you are AWESOME! Love you sweetie (From Ashley Krupnik)

Thanks to everyone's amazing support, Laila has already DOUBLED her original goal of $50, exceeding her newest goal of $100 for diabetes research!! We have decided to try and double that goal, setting our sights high at $200! In my eyes, Laila can do anything she sets her mind to, this included. Keep the donations coming, every dollar, hug, kind thought and prayer is appreciated.

November

November is Diabetes Awareness Month, and as a mother of a Type 1 diabetic, I hope people take time to educate themselves and spread the word! Every day I pray for a cure, and thank God for the health of my children. 


Laila just recently passed her 1 year anniversary of her diagnosis, and looking back, it seems like it's been a lifetime. We have come so far, yet we have a lifetime ahead of us. Each and every day is a learning experience, trials and tribulations will come and go, but diabetes will always be there. Always.


We have decided to help raise money for JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) since we most likely won't be doing the diabetes walk this year. Laila and I figured a good starting goal would be $50, it's attainable, so she won't be disappointed if we don't meet it, yet it's sizable enough to feel like we truly tried and made an effort to donate. Instead of walking door-to-door, Laila has started dipping pretzels and selling them for $2.00 a dozen, donating half to JDRF and using the other half only to purchase more supplies. The response has already been overwhelming, and I've never been more proud of her! I have opened a paypal account for Laila for those who wish to donate that live out of state, and it has proved to be a great decision. The kind words and support of others are nothing short of amazing, and I can't thank them enough. I must admit, this one is my favorite:


Hi Joli & Laila,
I hope you are both having a fantastic week!


Last night, I saw the post from Joli about your goal of raising $50 for diabetes. I think this is an amazing thing you are doing, Laila. You are a very strong young lady. Diabetes runs in my family and I also had it during my pregnancy. It would mean the world to me if we could find a cure for it. We need more people like you! :)


Always know that you are a very strong gal and that you can do anything you want to do. Keep positive people in your life! And, always have a smile on your face because in the end, everything is going to be okay! You inspire me so I know that you have and will inspire others! :)


I know you wanted to raise $50. I have donated $33 via PayPal so you can reach your goal. GREAT JOB! Every little bit counts and know that you are making a difference! Go Get Em!


Your friend,
Heather :)


I'm pleased to report Laila has already met her initial goal, and has since decided to double her goal to $100!! We will be raising money for the entire month of November and Laila will personally take all of her donations down to the local American Diabetes Association office to give her offering to them. I look forward to being there with her.


Diabetes is not who Laila is, it doesn't define her or her dreams. It will not keep her from doing anything she wants to do, it will not create walls so high she cannot climb, or rivers so deep she cannot cross. With perseverance, anything is possible, and that little girl is full of it. And I couldn't be more proud.

1 month pumping, 1 year diabetic

This month is very important to me, and to our family. It's hard to believe that just one month ago Laila received her Medtronic Insulin Pump in the mail, and one year ago she was diagnosed with diabetes. September is a very emotionally charged month for me, I can only imagine how Laila feels.

One year ago, Laila was thin, frail, and sick as can be. Spending 4 days at the hospital, I had no idea the changes that were in store for our family. Seeing my precious daughter in the pediatric intensive care unit broke my heart, shattered it into a million tiny pieces. I thought for sure life would never go on, it would never be the same, and our family was forever ruined. Her bright smile and perseverance has proven me wrong from day one, and she will never know how thankful and proud I am to have her as my daughter. We have made it this far, and we will continue to thrive, as long as we have each other.

Laila's Endocrinologist, Dr. Touger, has much more faith in me than I do. She has been pressing the pump issue to me for months, and this past month I finally agreed. I'm not sure if I was more nervous for Laila, or for myself. Diabetes is more than a 24/7 job, it consumes your life. Every breath I take, worry burdens my heart. I do more than just care for my daughter, I live through her.

Now that we are officially pumping, we headed in for our quarterly checkup. I am pleased to report Laila's A1C was 8.5, only up .2 since her last visit. I was told this is common when switching brands or insulin, or means of administration. Her average sugars are much lower than before, which is what we're aiming for. When we first started using the pump, finding placement was difficult, but we agreed her arms are best. Today, Dr. Touger pointed out Laila's arms look "full", which means we need to find alternative placement for her sites. We're going to try her stomach again, and the top of her butt. I know she's nervous, but she will be just fine.

I took a few photos of her today, and it's so hard to believe how much she's grown since last year. She's gained well over 10 pounds since her diagnosis, and a few inches, too.

Check out that pump in her back pocket!

She looks so grown up these days!

Waiting at the doctor's office!

Filling out the paperwork.

Milestones in our lives may have changed, but the love has not. We are so lucky to have each other, life wouldn't be the same if we didn't. Laila is incredibly strong, and her strength is admirable. So much at times, I wonder where she gets it. I'm proud to be her mom, I hope she's just as proud to be mine.

We Are Pumping!!

I do realize it has been 3 months since our last post, but a lot has been going on and things tend to get a bit hectic around here. But without further ado, I would like to take this opportunity to announce: "We Are Pumping!!" 


Sweet, sweet Laila finally decided it was time to make the switch. Lucky for her, the hospital was able to fit her in for pump training the week before school started. I'll admit, I may have actually been more nervous about it than she was, and I'm still not convinced it's the best thing for her. The moment I met her pump trainer, Allison, I was completely turned off. Her attitude gave me a sour taste in my mouth and it hasn't changed one bit. After a nearly 2 hour session, I went home with a stack of paperwork, a pump full of saline, and not a clue what to do next. Before I get to carried away, let me just start from the beginning and why I'm still so unsure.


Allison was late to our appointment, grouchy, and in a hurry. After walking me through the entire setup of our new Medtronic Insulin Pump, she took it from me to double check the numbers I entered. I expressed my feelings about the orders she had me enter, they are different than Laila's original orders, and I was concerned her sugars would be much higher than necessary. Allison explained she would have to just try it and if Laila's sugars are high, I would have to send them in, let them be reviewed, and wait for an answer. After learning this may take a week, I was even more disgruntled. When the time came to apply the mio to Laila's skin, Allison made me watch as she tried not once, not twice, but three times to attach the mio to Laila's stomach. After 3 failed attempts, I calmly let her know if she didn't remove her hands, we were leaving. She agreed to place the cannula on Laila's arm. Plenty of tears later, we left and went home to talk about our feelings. In the car ride home, Laila begged me to not take her to see Allison again, but just 3 days later, we had another appointment. 


With saline in the pump, we used it as though it were full of insulin, but continued her shots. Laila was so excited, thrilled with the idea of a more "normal" life- the opportunity to share in birthday parties, the ability to participate in playdates, the freedom that comes with a pump- that during her first week when she vomited and tested positive for Ketones, she was crushed. So was I. I read every website, pamphlet, handbook I could get my hands on, there was no reason it wasn't working. I called the hospital multiple times and Allison scolded me over and over, insisting I wasn't doing it correctly. After answering a series of questions, I finally was able to speak with someone from the Endocrinology staff, not just our pump adviser. Troubleshooting confirmed Laila is just too skinny to apply the pump to her stomach, and we replaced it on her arm. After a few more tries, we found a place that works perfectly.


I am happy to report Laila is doing amazing. When her pump arrived, so did a new meter. Lucky for us, the strips and lancets from her old meter work with the new meter, and it is not synced with her pump. Each time she checks her sugar, it beams it directly to her pump and beeps to let us know if she's out of her acceptable range. The wizard built into her pump is beyond amazing. It keeps track of her active insulin, each dose we give her, her most recent sugar readings and carbohydrate counts. 


Training the school nurse, family, and friends seems to prove to be one of the most difficult parts of this whole ordeal. Everyone learns differently, and explaining the process over and over can get confusing. Laila, however, seems to have it down better than anyone else. Nothing surprising about that statement, she's handing her diabetes very well. 


Though it was a little sketchy at first, I am beginning to believe this is truly the best thing for her. I will never know what she's going through, what her highs and lows feel like, and the pain she feels each time we have to change her site. What I do know is I will stop at nothing to protect her, heal her, and keep her close. 


I apologize for the delay in between posts, and I promise to have Laila posting again really soon. She misses her readers, and her fans.


All our love.

Endo Visit

This is a post straight from the mom of a diabetic. There are days I literally can't take it anymore, and on those days, Laila sure finds ways to push my buttons. Today is one of those days.

I'm not quite sure what got into me when I scheduled today's Endocrinology Appointment at 9:00am. At the time, it must have sounded good. At 7:00am when I was forcing myself into the shower, it didn't sound nearly as fun. The drive to the hospital for her visit is nearly an hour, and that's on a good day with little traffic. I had to get myself, my husband, and three children up, dressed, fed, and out the door by 8:00am? Ha, not going to happen. Lucky for me, I had a friend coming over to drop my middle daughter, Kenadi, off at school. That left 4 of us to wrangle out the door, and by God, somehow, we made it on time.

The drive there was uneventful, but as soon as we set foot inside those doors, the devil's spawn let loose. Every visit is the same, the same staff, the same procedure, the same office...the same attitude problem. During the past week I made mention to Laila she would have to stand on a scale to be weighed, stand against a wall to have her height measured, and let them attach a blood-pressure cuff to her arm to check her vitals. She seemed fine with everything up until it was time to perform, then the flood gates opened to let loose the screams and tears. Embarrassing doesn't even begin to cover it. Having your diabetic child scream like you're removing an appendage when you're checking her sugar-something she does numerous times a day- is a little unsettling. My poor husband literally had to pick her up and stand her on the scale all the while she was screaming.

Once the check-in process was over and we met with the doctor, she snapped back to reality and into her normal sweet self. We discussed a pump, and how desperate she is to try one. It would be such a relief to only have to give her a "poke" once every 3 days, versus the 6-8 times a day she's receiving them now. We agreed to set up an appointment for a week from tomorrow to meet with a nurse and doctor, they intend to really get things moving for her. We don't have a set pump in mind, but they do, and they have chosen one they think will work best with her activities and lifestyle. As we were packing our things to leave, she said the two words every child-and adult-dreads hearing: blood work. Even better, the lab was just around the corner.

I sent my husband with Laila to the lab to get things started while I made our appointments for followup. By the time I made it down there, they finished the urine collection and were about to start the actual blood draw. Let me tell you what, I would have rather sand papered a wild cat's rear end than hold her still for that blood work! She kicked, screamed, cried, and clenched her arms shut so tight it took two of us to hold her down. I can't believe it! I apologized profusely, as any mother would, and walked out with a read face and a hand full of tissue.

I tried explaining to Laila in order to use an insulin pump she's going to have a needle put in her skin, about that size, once every 3 days. She didn't care. I told her she was a big girl, she said she wasn't. I promised her everything under the sun, she told me she didn't want me. She wanted daddy. My heart was broken, but my job was complete. Another trip to the Endo-check.

Swimming!

Sunday afternoon our family ventured down to Tucson. It's only an hour and a half away, but it was a nice change of scenery and a fun little getaway for all of us. I was nervous, to say the least, about traveling with Laila, but I knew we had each other to lean on. We triple checked her supply list and agreed we were more than prepared, and off we went.
Laila was thrilled to find our hotel had a pool, and surprised to see I brought floaties for her to use so she could swim all by herself! We had lunch in the car on the way there, but life with diabetes is forever a guessing game. She typically eats the same things when we have fast food, but there's always a variable in there-what snacks she had earlier in the day will affect how much she eats, her eyes can be bigger than her stomach! I knew exercise would bring her sugar down, but I also knew I couldn't send her to the pool low, so after getting dressed I had her check her sugar. Here's Laila to tell you all about it!

This is just me in my little bikini!
I was going to the pool with my mommy and my little brother.



I was getting my supplies together to check my sugar before I went into the cold water.



I was cleaning my finger so I can poke it. Then I can wipe it and then I can put it on my meter.

I was wiping it and then I squeezed it to put it on my purple meter.

I'm putting my blood on my meter so I can check my sugar before I go into the cold pool.
I check my sugar because if I'm low or high I'll feel shaky.

I'm pouting because my sugar was 59.
I was too low to go to the pool so I had to get some ice in a cup
and then put my apple juice in it and then drink it with a straw.
Then I shared my straw with my sister.

Oh I was in a floaty so I could go swimming!
The water was really deep so I could not try swimming without the floaty.

I was swimming away from my mommy! I had a lot of fun!

After all the swimming I had a good night's sleep. Thank you for reading my blog!

Love,
Laila Bug.

Diabetes Bracelet

When Laila was first diagnosed, the hospital gave her this really obnoxious looking necklace to wear stating "I HAVE DIABETES CHECK MY SUGAR BEFORE TREATING ME". I understand the usefulness of it, however, it was cheap. And tacky. Cheap and tacky don't mesh well with a 5 year old diva, so we had to change that. Lucky for me, she's not such a prima dona that I had to order the expensive bracelet that costs an arm and a leg, though for what it's worth, I'd pay any amount of money. Knowing she has identification on at all times for her diabetes is going to help me rest easier at night and make my days a lot less stressful. Knowing the case of an accident or separation, her diabetes will be identified before anyone treats her or gives her anything to eat or drink is a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. As a mother, I want to protect her from everything, all the time, even if I'm not with her. This is a step in the right direciton, it might not seem like I'm protecting her from much by buying her these little bracelets, but these bracelets could save her life one day.

Laila's package arrived in the mail, and she was very excited to open it! We ordered two colors, pink and purple, her favorites. Even though they're a size small, they're so loose on her slender little arms. Really brings me back to reality sometimes how small and fragile she still is. Fragile, maybe, but beautiful. And mine.


Laila's here to tell you a bit about her new bracelets! She's very excited, she even asked we take a few pictures!

<><> <><> <><>

This is my hot pink bracelet! It says DIABETIC on it. Can you see it?

See me taking a nap? I was really tired because I went to cheer today after lunch.
I had a great lunch. I had McDonalds!

I wear my purple and pink bracelets every single day.
Even at night in bed and in the shower.

See my purple and hot pink bracelets?
My purple one says DIABETIC and my hot pink one says DIABETIC.

These are my bracelets. They tell you that I have diabetes.
These are so you know that you have to check my sugar before you feed me
or give me any medicine.

Thank you for reading my blog!

Love, Laila Bug

Kindergarten Graduation (Where's Laila?)

Everyone knows the classic books, "Where's Waldo?" I think it's time to play, "Where's Laila?" Everyone knows Diabetes is a silent illness, it's hard to pick out of a crowd. Good luck finding the diabetic in this graudation ceremony!

I'm right between a kid in Ms. Duffy's class and Ms. Ibarra's class!

See me smiling? :)

When I was a baby, a baby, a baby...when I was a baby, I went like this:
I went goo this way and goo that way...

Can you find Laila?

Do you see me in my team Ms. McAulay's shirt on Tuesday in these pictures? This was my Kindergarten Graduation! I have been promoted to first grade when school starts again! I had so much fun in Ms. McAulay's class this year and I learned lots of things. I love going to school but I'm happy I get to sleep in now. Do you like to go to school or sleep in like me? That's all I want to say for now.

Love,
Laila Bug

Dancing with Diabetes

Saturday was Laila's very first dance recital! She did a phenomenal job, if I do say so myself. I was nervous about leaving her alone with a backstage mom unfamiliar with diabetes, so I opted to skip the show and stay with her. I'm glad I did, her sugar dropped before their performance down to the 80's, and I was able to feed her a little snack and get her some juice before going on stage.

Laila really enjoyed the recital, and she's excited to share some of the details with you! It's been a long few months, the struggles of diabetes played an important role in our decision of whether or not to enroll her in dance in the first place, but with her determination and independence, she persevered through the highs and lows of the season and came out on top.

This is me and my best friend, Kaytlyn. We are in dance together.

This is me and Kaytlyn watching the bigger girls dance. I liked the pink ones that did tap.

This is a picture of some of the girls in my dance class.
You can't tell I have diabetes, I look just like girls next to me!

Here I am! I was really excited!

I had so much fun in dance this year. I was scared at first that I wouldn't be like the other kids in my class, but no one can see my diabetes. I got to dance on a big stage and everyone watched me and clapped when we were all done. My costume was purple, my favorite color. I love hearing my shoes on the floor when I walk. I am really really excited to take a new dance class when school starts again. I might take tap but I don't know yet what I want to do.

Thank you for reading this!

Love,
Laila

Buca, Baby!

This past weekend, after what seemed like an eternity, my husband and I finally went on a date. Though they're rare, they are possible! My dear friend, Wendy, came over to watch the kids and off we went. We promised ourselves, and each other, we wouldn't spend the evening talking about our kids. This was our time, this was our date, and we knew time was limited. I left specific instructions, I wasn't worried, everyone was prepared. The thought of spending the evening without a child spilling a drink, asking for a bite, touching something on my plate or having to use the bathroom at least once in the middle of dinner was almost overwhelming! I could hardly contain my excitement in the car ride there.

We went to a fabulous dinner at Buca di Beppo, Italian food always seems to hit the spot when you can't agree on a restaurant! We ordered way too much food, and laughed all throughout dinner. We even splurged on drinks and dessert, which is quite unusual for us. We didn't have to measure everything, account for every last morself of food, or plan that far ahead. We took our time and really enjoyed ourselves. It was an amazing time, almost too good to be true. Then he said it. Laila. Diabetes. Insulin. Carbs.

Damn.

We chuckled to ourselves about bringing the kids and letting them have a free-for-all. If you've never been to Buca, it's a family style menu-you order a big bowl of pasta and pass it around the table. Our family loves pasta, so this place is ideal, though we've never taken the kids. The reason behind not sharing this place? The carbohydrates. A typical bowl of pasta is easily 3 units of insulin for Laila, to bring her here we'd have to pump her full of insulin to cover everything she'd be eating, and sometimes, it's not quite as fun as it sounds.

Playing the guessing game is a scary thing when you're dealing with your child. How do you know if you've given them too much, or not enough? You wait. And it's terrifying. You watch the numbers on the meter count backwards from 5 to 1 and hold your breath as the number pops up on the screen. You sigh with relief if it's good, managable even, and cringe if it's out of whack. Whether you deserve a pat on the back for your lucky guess, or a scolding for your wrong answer, it's not a game I choose to participate in often. Diabetes is a way of life, it's a daily learning experience for every one of us. I just wish we weren't learning at Laila's expense.

So, for now, Buca is our little secret. We all need a place to run away to, to forget the struggles of our daily lives, and to be at peace with ourselves, inside and out-right? For now, this will be ours. Thanks, Buca, I knew I could count on you, and not your carbs.

Guest Blogger: Nikki Chavez

Written by the wife of a type 1 diabetic, and straight from the heart, I hope you enjoy what Nikki Chavez has to offer. She's the amazing mother of two, and an inspiration as a wife. Read along as she shares how she manages life with a diabetic husband, and how leaning on God has brought her to the peace she feels today.

Countless prayers “God, please take this diabetes away from me, I don’t want it anymore”…”God please…don’t let this gene have passed to my children”…”God please, I’m tired of poking myself four times a day…”…I hear these from my husband…

Countless comments… “Diabetes sucks”…”Ugh!!!! WHY is my sugar not under control!? I took 20 units to cover my food, this doesn’t make sense”…”ugh…stupid body!”… “ugh…I wish I could eat like a normal person”…”ugh”…”ugh”…”ugh”…

Countless images…my husband taking his insulin shot…”ouch, that one hurt”…bruises on his stomach…watching him wake in the middle of the night…low…shaking, sweating, “out of it”…stumbling to the kitchen for sugar to bring him up…seeing his embarrassment of taking shots in front of others when we are in a social environment…the desire to be “normal” like everyone else…seeing the disappointment in his eyes when the cake comes out and he can’t have any (or chooses not to with reluctance so he doesn't have to take another shot)…but everyone else can…

Countless fears…my fears, his fears…what if he loses a limb…what if he gets low and gets into an accident…what if his uncontrollable anger as a result from high sugar and low sugars turns too ugly…what if he has to go through things with his kidneys, etc…what if he loses his eye sight…what if he becomes disabled…how will that affect him…his attitude…his self worth…his feelings…how will that affect us…me…our kids…our family…our finances, our lives…what if we lose him…would I lay down next to him and die?...How would I explain it to our kids? How would I deal with their sorrow?

Countless educational encounters…how many carbs are in a cup of beans…what?! You mean there is sugar in THAT!?, how many units do I take for ten grams of carbs… I have to take my insulin BEFORE I eat?...what about exercise?...what about a pump…what about good sugar/bad sugar? LEARNING…constantly learning about Diabetes…because we HAVE TO…

Countless trips to the doctor…another co-pay…another lecture…more insulin…

I’m standing on the other side…not knowing exactly what he’s going through, but seeing, and feeling the pain of empathy for him. PRAYING fervently for GOD’S will to be done in this situation…for God to show mercy on him. For God to intervene, for God to heal.

And TRYING to encourage him…take your insulin…you’re doing GREAT…you’ve been keeping very good control over this…God IS going to heal you…God WILL have the Glory out of this…you WILL get better…you WILL NOT lose your eye sight, I WILL love you no matter WHAT happens with your body, health, eyes, limbs, etc…

Trying to take care of him…counting carbs, counting units of insulin, preparing shots, cooking healthy meals, etc…

AND through it all…the pains, the ups, downs, questions, hurts, fears, images, comments, and prayers…we are STILL and WILL praise God…HIS PLAN will prevail…no matter what that is…this is HIS body…we know He has the final say…and HE has purpose for all things…HE turns things around for the good of those who love Him…HE is our provider…HE is our rock…HE is the redeemer…sometimes there’s two sets of footprints and sometimes there’s one…

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yesterday, Laila and I made chocolate chip cookies together! There's something special to be said about baking with your kids, it might be messy, but it sure is fun! Laila's here to update you all on the afternoon we spent together-enjoy her post!

I was eating the chocolate on the rack where you put the warm cookies at.

I was about to eat the cookies! They smelled so good!
I wanted to eat all the cookies!

I was smiling with the cookies. They look so good!
They are called chocolate chip cookies!

Chocolate chip cookies are so good!
I was helping my mommy move the cookies over to the other rack without the white paper.

Peek-a-boo! I was smiling with the cookies next to them.

I was faking it like eating all those cookies on that plate.

Do you like chocolate chip cookies? With milk? I do! I like chocolate chip cookies with milk, do you? I can eat them like everyone else, as long as I have my insulin! I need an extra mosquito bite, but that's okay. My mommy makes the best chocolate chip cookies ever!

Love,
Laila and Mommy

It Happened Again

Yesterday was an amazing family day-Sundays usually are. My sweet husband, he works so much we're lucky to spend one full day together each week. He's constantly rushing off to work, picking up overtime as often as he can. We made a trip out to Sam's Club-one of Laila's favorite things to do-and started off our afternoon. I'm assuming it's the free samples, maybe it's the fact that she gets to walk while the other kids ride in the cart, or it could simply be the family time she enjoys.

After our shopping trips, we almost always grab lunch. Laila gets to pick the place, and this time she picked Applebees! What a treat for all of us! Things were going smoothly, Laila ordered her lunch and in the mean time, we asked the server for a nutrition guide. It's been quite some time since we've been out to a sit down restaurant, the last time we went to dinner and took Laila it wasn't exactly pleasant (read about it here ). The server was super polite and found the guide for me right away. Naturally, the item Laila ordered was new and wasn't yet on the menu, and my trusty Calorie King book didn't have much listed in it either. I had a feeling Laila wouldn't just eat what we ordered for her, but she would help herself to what Dustin and I ordered too.

Laila loves mozzarella sticks, I had a feeling her little sneaky hand would make its way over to Dustin's plate before it made it down on the table, and since he ordered the appetizer sampler, each item needed to be accounted for. I looked it up on the nutrition guide, and it was just one big, fat number. Darn. On our way to the bathroom, I stopped our waitress to ask how many mozzarella sticks came in a regular order, so I could figure out how many carbs to account for if she only ate one. She asked around and the consensus was eight-easy enough. I explained I needed to know the number in the basket because the sampler had less, and I only needed to account for one. Her response? Dieting sure is rough, isn't it?

I smiled and politely let her know it wasn't for me, and I wasn't dieting. But thank you. Laila said it was for her, and I explained she's a diabetic. Again, another ghastly response-Oh no! Are you serious? I'm so sorry! No, I'm not serious. I'm making it up.I enjoy poking my daughter 6+ times a day, I love counting carbohydrates, and the sleepless nights? can't get enough of those either. It really makes me ill, I understand people are uneducated, but please, think about what you're saying before you say it. Your kind words may really be disrespectful, or even hurtful. My only hope is to keep educating, continuing to spread the word, and maybe one day, we won't get the dreadful stares, the not-so-quiet whispers, and the fake condolences. Until then, wish me luck, it's going to be a long, bumpy ride.

On The Rise

Yesterday was quite a day. Laila's "pen" ran out of insulin at school right at lunch time, so she only received part of her dose. Thank goodness she didn't eat everything on her plate, and by snack time her sugar was right at 171, just how I like it. I dropped the new insulin off to the school nurse and went on about my way. Michelle (my first guest blogger!!) picked Laila up from school and kept her for the evening. For some reason, Laila's sugars were creeping higher and higher yesterday, making me a nervous wreck. Our other kids have been under the weather, and when Laila is sick, she's supposed to check every 2 hours. This is what her afternoon looked like.

3:47pm

5:41pm

7:07pm

8:32pm

8:32pm retest

After many failed attempts to bring her sugar down, I finally just gave Laila a correction, and her Lantus and sent her to bed. I promised to check her sugar again in a few hours, and when I did, I could hardly believe my eyes.

11:29pm

 I have never seen a sugar this low before, so I just smiled at her and asked her if she was thirsty. I poured her a cup of juice, and while we were chatting, Dustin arrived home from work. Laila was thrilled to see him, and even more excited to find he brought food! Chicken strips and curly fries made her night! She stayed up and was able to spend some alone time with mommy and daddy, and felt much, much better.

11:48pm

Finally, peace of mind. Off to bed for everyone, and high hopes for a better tomorrow.

Guest Blogger: Michelle Atanasoff

One of my fabulous friends has agreed to write a guest blog post for Laila! This is the first of hopefully many guest blog posts to come! Thank you, Michelle, for sharing this with us! Share your story about how Diabetes has had an impact on your life, or the life of a loved one!

My name is Michelle. I am Kaytlyn’s mommy. Kaytlyn is in the same class as Laila. I only knew of the name “Laila” as Kaytlyn was her “buddy” in school and would take her down to the nurse every day to have her blood sugar checked. Kaytlyn knows that when the big hand is on the 7 it is time to go to the nurse. She watches the clock like a hawk. Since then, they have become “buddies”. Ironically enough, they have the exact same birthday too!

Kaytlyn and Laila
Christmas Party, '10

It was close to Christmas that I met Joli, Laila’s Mommy. We met at their class Christmas party. I think we had met prior to that, but this is my first real recollection. I remember asking if it would be okay for Laila to come over for a play date one day. Joli seemed really happy, only for me to find out that no one had ever asked to have Laila over before. They didn’t want to learn or have to deal with her diabetes, at least that is what I concluded. So I began asking questions. And I started reading. And before long I felt confident enough to have Laila over. I’ll admit, I was nervous, but Laila wasn’t. She is a smart cookie. She knows more about her diabetes than adults give her credit for. We had a great time with Laila. And with a chart, an equation to follow and a calculator, we were good. She even stayed for dinner!

I felt honored when Joli and Dustin asked if I would look after Laila and Kenadi while they took a “much needed” trip to Las Vegas. I had Laila from Sunday night to Thursday night. And we did great. I fed her breakfast, snacks and dinner. Her sugar levels were fine, and to my surprise giving Laila her insulin corrections didn’t bother me at all. Laila even told me that I did a good job!

Laila is such a wonderful, free-spirited, caring, loving, and FUNNY little girl. Her diabetes is only a small part of her. Laila has a joyous personality and zest for life. Diabetes won’t be holding this girl back. I am so glad I took the time to get to know Laila and her diabetes. Diabetes is not something to be afraid of, it is just something to monitor and correct when needed. I hope more people will take the time to learn so she can have the opportunity to continue being a child, and play, and have fun.

I love Laila like she was my own daughter. I am so grateful to have her in Kaytlyn and my life. She has this smile that you can’t help but smile back at. Thank you, Laila for showing me that you are just like any other child. Sometimes it takes a child to remind us that a “label” isn’t a reason to stop treating them like anyone else.

Love you! xoxo

Low Sugars

Today was such a great day, Laila played "hooky" from school and got to enjoy a family day with mommy, daddy, and little sister Kenadi. The 4 of us went to see Disney on Ice: Princess Classics! We had a great time, indulging in everything the place had to offer-hot dogs, snow cones, and popcorn!

Laila's sugar was under control this morning, below 150 right where we like it, so I was confident it would be a good day. Since she was so hungry, we checked her sugar before letting her have a feeding frenzy, only to find it was well over 350! I had a feeling this might happen, when she's excited or nervous, it spikes and creates a false high. I corrected, covered her carbohydrates, and on we went. After the show was over, we checked again. Believe it or not, she was hungry again! I was surprised to find another high sugar, I thought by the afternoon it would have dropped. Again, we corrected, covered carbohydrates, and went on our way.

After arriving home, we were all so exhausted we took a nap, but not until after Laila had a snack, of course! A sugar-free jello, lunch meat, deli cheese, and beef jerkey. When we woke up, she was feeling a bit shakey and sluggish, and she thought she might be low. Boy, was she right!

That is my low sugar. See my juice?

My juice helps me feel so much better.

I'm drinking my juice and watching the movie called Frances.

I finished my juice! And then put it on the table so mommy can put it in the garbage.

That is my empty juice. That is me on the table not feeling good yet.

I feel much better now. When I drink juice I feel much better.

When my sugars are very low, I have a little milkshake or a juice. It helps me feel so much better. It brings up my sugar to a good number. When my sugars are low, I feel shaky and my head hurts sometimes, too. After I drink my juice, I feel much better. I don't feel shaky when I'm perfect. But sometimes when I'm very high, I feel shaky and sometimes have a headache. When I feel this way, I have to check my sugar so we can fix it.

Thank you for reading my blog today! Love, Laila Bug