Kristelle was diagnosed when she was 12 months old. I feel overwhelmed at times. When her sugars are all over the place, I blame myself. Is this normal when you just find out? And does it get any easier!
Hi Kristellesmommy. My son, Brandan was diagnosed at 12 months, 2 weeks old. He'll be 4 in June. Of course you're overwhelmed, who wouldn't be? Some things will get easier. Soon you'll be in your new routine and checking her sugar ans giving her insulin will be second nature, a "normal" part of the day. The biggest challenge I faced was learning the difference between toddler behavior and symptoms. A fit can be just a fit or it can be a result of high or low BG. My best advice for the beginning is to check her BG often. You will eventually learn the signs that she has low BG, you'll probaly just be able to look at her at times and know. We've been doing this for almost 3 years now and I'm not going to lie, sometimes I still blame myself when his sugar is high or low. Just keep in mind that the insulin isn't the only factor that effects BG. There will be a lot of dose changes because she will be growing and changing a lot. Hormones effect BG a great deal. Some highs and lows just happen. I have miscalculated carbs, I have corrected at times I shouldn't have, I have rounded insulin doses up or down the wrong way. Yes, I make mistakes, but we're all human here. All we can do is the best we can do.
You mentioned in your bio that you can't wait 'til she's old enough for the pump. There technically isn't an age limit. I've heard of one as young as 9 months old on the pump. It's a personal choice. It's a matter of when you, your daughter and her diabetes care team are ready to take that step. Brandan's nurses wanted us to try when he was only 2, but I wasn't ready yet. We're only about to start pumping this month.
I'll always be here for you if you have questions or just want to talk.
It sounds like you are doing everything just the way you are suppose to. Please don't blame yourself when her numbers are all over the place. I use to do the same thing and i had to (and still have to) remind myself that i'm a mom NOT a pancreas!! No matter how perfect you think you are doing things those little bodies will do what they want when they want. So don't beat yourself up over those highs, just accept them, correct them and keep it moving. Not to mention she is a growing little girl, so as she changes her diabetes is going to change. What didn't bother her one week may bother her the next. It sounds so over whelming, trust me i know, but it will get better. You sound like me when you say you just do what you have to do to keep your princess alive!! I've said that hundreds of times and its so true!! I know its hard, but stay focused on the positives!! Stay focused on what you have not what you don't have! Stay focused on the joys and not the pains!!...and most of all Make Diabetes A Part of Your Life, NOT You a Part of Diabetes!! You control it, it DOESN'T control you!!...That beautiful little girl is going to grow up and grow up healthy!! Your dreams for her aren't gone, they are just altered a little bit! She will still be everything you always thought your child would be.... Look at her, she is still the same beautiful little girl she was before diabetes. There are SO many things worse our children could be dealing with... Everytime i take my daughter to a check up and we go to the Chilrens Hospital and we see all those little "heros" with cancer, in wheelchairs, missing arms or legs, burns and so many other issues my daughter is like wow mommy i guess i really can't complain about having diabetes!! She made me so proud the first time she said that!! Our children can manage what is wrong with them!! I know any of those other children would have given anything to change places with my daughter. To just only have diabetes!!...Just stay focused on the present and the future!! You can't change the past! You deal with it, you accept it, you learn from it and you use it as a teaching tool!!....
I am here in Virginia as well. We are no more than an hour away from each other. I'm here if you need ANYTHING!!. I've walked you path and i know just about every tear that has fallen from your eyes!! Its HARD, its FUSTERATING, its A EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER, but know YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!! We are all here to help you!...Like my bio said, my daughter was diagnosed in december, her A1c was OVER 14 (so just that fact she is alive with no internal damages is a miracle in itself!) but, she went for her 5 month check up April 1st and her A1c believe it or not was a perfect 7!!! In 5 months she went from the brink of death to a perfect number.....Just keep your faith!! No matter how hard you feel it may get, just keep your faith!!!