Diabetes and his Side Kicks

Donuts

I’ve already launched my tirade about how I hate pizza (http://twotoosweet.blogspot.com/2013/04/my-official-pizza-stance.html).  

I try not to “hate” anything, but I think I must now add Donuts to my Hate List.  I have read every book and Nutrition Label regarding the carbohydrate count of any given donut, and it’s all hogwash.

Diabetes is a formidable foe, and his sidekick, Pizza, make life very difficult at times.  

Formidable Foe, Diabetes, and his Sidekick, Pizza

  As any Type One Diabetic (or parent of a Type One Diabetic) knows, pizza is the arch enemy.  You can dose the insulin for pizza up front, then you have to figure out how much insulin to dose hours later to cover the glucose spike that occurs when the body starts to digest down the fats and proteins.  What works one day fails the next.  I have discovered, in time, that dosing properly for pizza is based on a Calculus equation that takes into consideration the Type of Pizza, Brand of pizza, Amount of pizza consumed, and quite possibly, what color underwear the kid has on.  It doesn’t always make sense.  Plain and simple, pizza makes blood sugars spike hours later, and sometimes it’s difficult to bring down.

Well, apparently, the Evil Villain Diabetes needed another sidekick, so he employed Donuts. Pizza didn't cause enough problems.

We are the Pizza and Donuts Army

 Donuts, quite frankly, may be just as tough if not tougher than Pizza.  As I mentioned, we have looked at the Carb Counts of any given donut and dosed accordingly.  Donuts….they laugh in the face of insulin.  Instead of causing a glucose spike hours later, Donuts cause a spike immediately that lasts ALL DAY.  It seems like no amount or timing of insulin is good enough to bring down this foe! Donuts apparently wear an Insulin Resistance Shield.

We have even gone as far as doubling the insulin, only to be mocked by Diabetes and Donuts.  They sit back, point, and laugh at our efforts.  Extra insulin, extended insulin...it can't touch Donuts!

Your insulin can't touch me!

Fortunately, I have never been a big donut or pizza fan, thus they aren’t served much.  However, I still want my boys to be children and not denied what other kids are allowed.  Thus, from time to time, they have pizza or donuts, especially at Memaw’s house.  We pay the price spending the day trying to add insulin and force fluids to bring the glucoses into normal range.  And, this Mommy wonders and worries what damage is occurring to their little bodies on a microscopic level, thus shortening their lives.  Balancing childhood and medical necessity are a burdensome and exhausting task.  But, I’m stubborn.  I’ll limit the donuts and pizza (abstinence is the best policy, right?), and on those rare occasions they get that treat, I’ll eventually figure it out.  

I conquer you, Donuts!

Mr. Diabetes will have to find another side kick; I’m sure he’s recruiting them now.  And this SuperMom will find a way…

Super Mom will find a way to balance Medicine and Childhood

With all that being said, if you could see how hard a little body has to work to process such things as Pizza and Donuts, I bet you'd have a physical and visceral aversion, too!

Rhonda