Questions
6/27/14
For anyone who thinks managing Diabetes just means taking a
shot with meals, let me introduce you to the abundance of questions that run
through my mind at any given moment.
These questions are on top of all the questions we ask ourselves for
parenting in general.
Any given Diabetes scenario is plagued with tons of
questions to help us make the best management decision. I'm sure my D-parent friends can add even more?
High Sugars:
Why is he high?
When did he eat last?
What did he eat last?
Is his pump site ok?
Where is his pump site?
When was his site last changed?
Does he have Ketones?
Did I correctly dose the insulin?
Is the insulin expired?
How long ago was his last insulin dose?
Does he need more insulin?
Could I or should I have timed it differently?
How much correction do I need to give him? (Followed
by complex mathematical formula)
Did I give him enough correction?
Why didn’t the last dose of correction work?
Do I need to adjust the ratio for this meal? Correction? Basal?
Should I just give him an extra shot of insulin to bring it
down?
Is he getting sick?
Am I responsible for destroying his body?
And, the ever so
critical “What day is this?”
Low Sugars:
Why is he low?
When did he eat last?
Did he finish his meal?
What did he eat last?
Has he been exercising?
Did I overdose his insulin?
How much insulin is still “on board” and acting?
Could I or should I have timed it differently? Given less?
What was his sugar to start with?
How best should I treat this to rapidly bring it up and keep
it up?
Is his basal rate too high?
Deciding
question: “What color are his underwear?”
Hemoglobin A1C
results:
What did I do wrong?
What can I do better?
What needs to change?
Does he need more insulin?
When?
Is he growing? Not
eating right?
What diet and exercise plans can I refine?
Am I destroying his body?
Am I failing at my job?
Always pressing: “Will
there ever be a cure?”
Pump Site Changes:
How many days has he had the current pump in place?
Where were the last two sites he used?
Are any of the sites bruised? Rashy?
Lumpy?
Which potential site looks the healthiest?
Are our skin barrier/protection measures working to minimize
rash?
Can I convince him to try a new site?
When will he be due for another pump site change?
How much insulin should I fill it with (in order to minimize
waste) considering upcoming activities and days of expected use?
Has he been putting lotion on his sites like I told him?
What’s his current glucose level?
How much insulin do I need to start him with on the new pump
(to minimize post-pump-change highs)?
Did the pump function properly and is the cannula in place? (This
is very tricky with crappy eyes)
Did I squeeze hard enough to minimize his pain?
Is he really hurting or just lashing out at me and making me
feel guilty because he’s tired of all of this pain?
Oh-so-Important: “Did I hold my mouth right?”
At Each and Every
Meal:
What’s his current sugar level?
How many carbs do I anticipate he’ll eat?
How much insulin does he need for pre-meal bolus?
How many carbs did he actually eat?
How many carbs are in ____
?
Did he finish all the food I dosed him for or does he need
more insulin?
How many fat grams did he eat?
How much protein did he eat?
Was it enough protein to keep his glucose stable?
Do I need to add insulin later for high fat/protein meal?
How much insulin do I need to add more his fat/protein
content?
How active will he be after this meal?
Will he need a snack later?
Is he listening to me and learning as I process and explain
all of this?
Don’t forget: “What’s the price of tea in China?”
Nightly:
Does Diabetes want to play fair tonight?
How much sleep will I get tonight?
What’s his sugar?
What pattern do I anticipate his sugar will follow overnight?
(Considering how the glucoses have been all day? What he ate last? When he ate last? How long
do we plan to sleep in the morning?)
What time do I need to interrupt my sleep to recheck him?
How many times do I need to interrupt my sleep to recheck
him?
Tie Breaker: “Did Mr. Diabetes hear me curse his name or
brag today?”
Am I being a good enough pancreas? Am I being a good enough Mommy?
Needless to say, my head is swimming the majority of the time, and I'm exhausted.
Needless to say, my head is swimming the majority of the time, and I'm exhausted.
See. It’s not so
simple. Every day. Every Meal. Hundreds
of questions and decisions.
Support us for a cure today! JDRF One Walk, The AA Team
Rhonda
