Full of Pride and Tears

Just last night, as I was getting Cale's Lantus injection ready, he says to me "Mommy, you know, once you have diabetes for as long as I have, it's not a big deal.  So I have to count carbs and get a lot of shots, so what." 

I wanted to cry!!!  I was not only upset because he even had to think things like that in his less than 9 years of life, but I was so proud of him for accepting what life has dealt to him!  I hope he keeps up with the positive attitude!!

Then, as Ryan's was putting together his "T" Sound Sack for school (he has to find something that starts with the letter "T", put it in the bag and draw a picture of it and write out the word) Cale noticed that he was putting the picture of the tornado that touched down here in January of 2008 into his sack and said "I have seen and have been through a lot since I was born!"  He's right.  He has had stitches, broken his arm which required two surgeries, was diagnosed with diabetes, witnessed a tornado touch down within a mile of our house, a recent earthquake (yes in Illinois!!!) and that is only what I can think of off the top of my head!  Hopefully the rest will be for the better!!!

Totally jinxing myself

As soon as I type this, EVERYTHING will change.  No doubt about it.  Cale has actually been doing better off of the pump than he was for the last couple of months that he was using it.  The allergy thing really sucked the "fun" out of using the pump.  It bothered him to no end and it consumed his daily thoughts.  Seriously!!  We had his parent/teacher conference on Thursday night and we realized that he hadn't been down to see the nurse, outside of morning check and lunch time, for over a month!!!  There, I've done it now.  He will be down there all day tomorrow!!!

His numbers have been incredibly within range (a few highs and lows sprinkled in).  Once again, I have done it.  He will sky rocket over night or drop way low!!!!  He seems so much happier, too!  We have discussed going back on the pump and he flat out said "NO".  I said maybe when he gets a little older.  He agreed and even agreed to "try" a pod again really soon to see how it affects his skin.  I think I am in the minority when I say that giving the daily shots isn't that big of a deal.  Granted, hitting a couple of buttons was fantastic (I miss the sound of the insulin "pumping" in) but going back to the old fashion way, isn't that horrible.  We are even using syringes, not the pens.  I have a knack for drawing up 1/4 units with my naked little eye!!!!  Pens only let you give by the half unit.

Cale has even started drawing up is own insulin.  He still won't get close to giving himself a shot, but I did indicate on his camp application that that was one of my goals for him at camp.  Wait and see.  Wait and see.

So that's the latest on the pump front. He isn't using it.  Anyone know someone who is willing to buy 3 boxes of pods????  Seriously.  The company sent out his order way before they were supposed to (not very thrilled about that considering the one time I needed them sooner was like going through Congress and this time, when they are not needed, they are shipped almost 3 weeks early!  Money grows on trees right??), so now I have an abundance of pods and no one to wear them!!  I guess I could do e-bay?!

I am here!!!

Ok...so I have been MIA for about 9 days!  It's crazy what day to day life does to a person and their time!!  Here's what's been going on here (sorry if it sounds like rambling!!!):

• Happy Belated Birthday Ashlee!!!!  I am so sorry I missed it!!  Guess where my head has been?  Hope you had a great one!!

• I was busy planning a Valentine's Day party for 22 kindergartners.  CRAZY!!!!  I thought I had a great idea for a game that would get some of their energy out.  Well it worked - kinda!!!  I cut out 22 hearts and put them all over the floor of the classroom.  I then started some music (Taylor Swift to be exact - although one of the little girls did request Lady Gaga!!!) and had them dance.  Once the music stopped they needed to get on a heart.  If there wasn't a heart, they were out.  Take away a heart, start the music and repeat.  Basically musical chairs with dancing.  Well, the boys decided that "You Belong With Me" was the perfect song for a mosh pit!!!!  Seriously!!!!!  There were a few injuries.  Thankfully the next AND LAST class party is at the end of the year and we will be able to go outside!!

• News on Cale and his Omnipod....he is still not on it.  I did hear through the grapevine, a.k.a. our fantastic school nurse, that he told her that he doesn't want to go back on it - ever.  He is really enjoying not feeling it on his skin.  He loves that he doesn't have to worry about where it is on his body and if it will get caught on anything.  He likes that he eats, gets the shot and then no more worries until next time.  His numbers have been really good so far!!  (I know, I just totally jinxed myself!)  He has a high here and there, but over all, pretty good.  We are planning on at least trying one pod here very soon with the new barriors that I found to see if they work with the allergy.  Who knows, he may just have to wait until he is a little older to try the pump again.

• Cale has been registered for ADA summer camp!!!  So exciting!!!  All I need is to get the paperwork to the doctor and he is all registered.  Now we look for a reasonable hotel nearby and we are set.  We really want to stay at the same one as last year, but the prices are just too high right now for the rooms. I check them every other day to see if they have been lowered.  Not yet!  Oh yeah....and we need to keep a look out for the scholarships!  Let's hope he wins another one again this year!!!!!

• Ryan just finished this session of hockey lessons.  He did really good!!  He got an "Awesome! Keep it up!" for the T-push with skating, a "Good job" You're getting better!" for Gliding and also for Stopping (he isn't just falling down anymore, he is actually pointing his toes in and stopping!).  The recommendation for being promoted to the next class level was "Think about moving up".  However, we thought about it and have decided that he is going to do this class again next session.  The next class up focuses on stick and puck handling and we think a little more skating focus is needed first.

• Cale is still doing basketball.  He really likes it and is still doing pretty good!  I just got an email from the lady that used to head up our support group for diabetes and one of the high schools around here (along with the Chicago Bulls) is offering a basketball camp for children with diabetes.  Normally, the closest camp for this is in either Lisle or Chicago which are both at least 75 miles away (ONE WAY!!!!).  And it is FREE!!!  Pretty cool.  I cannot wait to get the info on it.  Cale is excited!!  I think it is really great that there is so much out there for chidren with Type 1 Diabetes that help to show them that there is nothing wrong with them and to help them focus on being, for lack of a better term, "normal".

• Pat has been working at least 3 days a week (last week was 5!!!!) and he is still teaching a couple of nights a week.  The last few Saturdays, he was the student.  He's been keeping pretty busy and losing A LOT of sleep.  Up at 4 am and not home until after 10 pm can take a toll on a guy!  Next week, there is no school for him - teaching or learning.  Hopefully he will get another full work week in!!! 

• Pat took the boys out snowmobiling out in the fields in Wonder Lake yesterday.  They had so much fun.  He took out his snowmobile as well as both of the little ones for the boys.  Ryan's kept dying (we weren't surprised - it was too warm for it) so the boys had to take turns on Cale's.  At one point, Pat let them drive his and he was left standing without a sled.  Kinda wish I would have gone with to see them ride, but then again, the silence was golden!!!

• The boys are off of school on the 15th AND the 19th!!  What to do, what to do!!  We will go swimming at the YMCA tomorrow, if they behave!!!

• Ryan's 6th birthday party has been planned for Saturday, February 27th.  He has invited 7 boys from his class.  It is being held at the ice rink where he takes hockey lessons.  There is a huge PlayWorld (think McDonald's play area only way bigger and way cleaner!!!!) and party rooms.  The boys will play for an hour in  the PlayWorld, then pizza, cake and presents in the party room for another hour and then the last hour is ice skating.  I guess I had better get out on the ice and get a little practice in before the party.  So far, the two boys that are I know are coming have never skated!!  YIKES!!!

• There was some sad news at my parents house this week.  Their dog, Sparky, went into kidney failure.  Unfortunately, there really wasn't anything that could be done and they had to make the difficult and unfortunate decision to let him go.  Sparky was a yellow lab that they adopted 6 years ago, when he was 4 years old, from a Lab Rescue Organization.  He had some allergy issues and my parents took such good care of him!  He had the best 6 years with them.  Sure, he could be a pain with just wanting attention.  He loved everyone and wanted them to love him.  He could also clear a room with one little puff of air.  However, now we will really see if it was him or just my Dad blaming it on him!!!!  The boys took it pretty hard when I broke it to them.  They seem fine now, but I do still get questioned here and there about why, where, how...

Ok, I hate to end it on a sad note, but I really didn't want to start out sad.  To all the family down South and out West, I promise to keep up with this and hopefully make the posts a little more interesting than this one was.  It really looks like an outline or homework.  Oh well....

AND

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!

Happy Birthday Kevin!!!

We hope you have a great one!!