Has this happened to you? I'm on my way home from work last night and I call the house - "how's Kayla's numbers?" I ask. " Very high today," my wife says. Hmmm, I wonder why. I come in the door, take my daughter into her room and we sit down. I said let's go through your day and figure out what happened. "Did you bolus for breakfast?" She says yes. I said, "show me." Geeez, that's interesting - she forgot! Okay, so that would explain the pre-lunchtime 215 number. "Did you bolus for lunch?" Yes, she said. And did you remember to tell your pump that you were 215? "I forgot." Okay, so according to your meter, you were 285 after school, then what happened? I ate an apple muffin. You're not supposed to eat carbs when your numbers are high. But, did you bolus for that? "Yes." Okay, did you tell your pump you were 285? "I forgot." Okay, so let's test now (6:00pm). Hmmm. . .355. Not so good. Let's give you a shot and get outside and go for a brisk walk (helps the insulin work much, much faster.)
Finally by 8:00pm, we had her numbers in normal range. The point here is that my beautiful, straight-A daughter "just forgot" to bolus for breakfast and "just forgot" to tell her pump her actual numbers, which in turn caused an entire day of high numbers, stomach pains, irritability, an argument with my wife and the inability to focus on school and on homework. I wish kids had the same common sense and wisdom as adults do, but they are just kids. Anyone else want to chime in here??
I am so glad I read your post today! This is our day every day at home. My daughter is 12 (going on 30), and that is her favorite answer when I ask her did you test before eating that? Or did you take your insulin before eating that? Her standard answer is "I forgot" and then I am the bad guy for reminding her! If I had a penny for every argument I have had with her on this I would be rich!! If you find the answer to this problem PLEASE share it with me!
Kathy - I don't have the answer unfortunately. I can't imagine how hard it must be for a 13-year old to have to deal with this every minute of their lives and still have their parents on their backs all the time. Of course we mean well - we're just trying to help them to stay on top of everything to avoid the problems. But, sometimes they really do forget and that's the only explanation. I think the best thing to do is to keep communications open, not try to be argumentative with them, and be sensitive to the times when "things just happen."
On a side note, once my daughter hits 170 or over, the irritability sets in, so I avoid discussing these things with her. I will wait until we are all calm, her numbers are between 90 - 120, and I can sit down quietly and really "talk" with her.
Michael, regarding that irritability with high numbers...wow...tell me about it! My 16yo can be like Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde. The worst part of that...she's no idea she's behaving like that until she's already dooooing it. And then to try to get her to calm down and test her BS is like pulling teeth. We have had some pretty terrible fights...nearly all precipitated by high BSs.
I am SO happy I found this group! My life everyday...I come inside last night and she is eating a hoggie roll! I yell at her, your high will you stop eating....she just laughs and says OH yeah, i forgot...and walks away with it hanging out her mouth....
Okay, I may not be a parent but I am a diabetic, Since I was 3 1/2. What you all say reminds me alot of my self when I was between the ages of 10-14. But I did not really use the "I just forgot" when my mom or dad asked. I would say yes and move on, intell I was 12 going on 13 and lied to my aunt when I was staying with her for some of the summer. I told her I was 141 when really I was 441. She got me there cause I said I was 141 for bresfast. I did not trun my life around till I was 14. I was still staying at my aunt's we want to town one and I was cold and what not but I was in the higher and middle 200's for most of the day. She end up takeing me to the hospital I was sick. And in the higher 300's while I was at the hospital and could not leave. But after that I changed, I would check my self and what not. I would not lie about my numbers most of the time. I A1C want from 8 something to 6.4 in 3 mouths. But my point is that Teens do come around after a while. And it maybe something like what happend too me maybe not but they will come around. I sugget getting them to join Juvenation. After I joined here it helped alot. And there are great people to spount you and your child. There are groups for teens. I hope it gets better for you all. :)