Monday, August 26, 2013

Family Vacation!

Hello Everyone! 


Sorry I have been a bit slow to blog again! We have just finished unpacking from our family vacation. We had an amazingly fun time as a family this past week. The only downside of the entire experience was having to return ...

As I have said before, "Reality continues to ruin my life." ;)

I have these last few days to prepare for college - seeing that I start this Friday. All I have left to do is grab a few supplies and I'm pretty sure I'm ready!

We also are finishing the final paperwork on my pump! Hopefully I will get that squared away soon. Official start date for the pump is September 26th!

Here are our Family Pictures for Summer 2013





Monday, August 19, 2013

Dad: Support through Strength

 
Today, my Dad celebrates his 47th Birthday! 

I cannot believe how much Dad has helped me before and with Type One. 

He was there when I found out I was the third Type One ...
 
there to love me, there to comfort me, there to support me.

Without him, our family structure wouldn't hold.
 
Let me expound ...  :)
 
When a low rolls around (which is very common), everyone is running through the house scrambling for sugar, cramming a million carbs down whoever is low's throat!  
 
Everyone ... except Dad.
 
 Dad sets the low Type One down, has them take a deep breath, and give 15 carbs every 15 minutes. Which, by the way, is the correct way to treat a low. 
 
Whether treating lows, or setting infusions for a pump, Dad is constantly there for the Type One Trio and for every family member.
 
He supplies strength to each one of the Type One Trio members. Strength to keep calm, to keep trying, and to keep going!
 
Without Dad we might be able to survive,
 
 but not succeed.

Happy Birthday Dad! 


Monday, August 12, 2013

Perspective changes Priorities

Through multiple encounters with people throughout the summer, I have constantly had to explain what Type One is. Whether it was "... not the same as Type Two." or "living with multiple injections a day..." I have had a hard time finding the "right way" to explain it.
Which put me to thinking ...

Type One has taught my family and I to connect on a different level.

Anybody who experiences hardship in their life, develop a different perspective on life. 
Through an altered perspective, that person's new perspectives change their priorities.

For myself, what used to stump or upset me, now seems fairly minute. Even when it is crazy, expensive, hard, or even painful - life goes on. When your priorities are in order, everything else seems to just fall into place.

Before Type One entered into my family's life, everything was about the here and now. "How to feel accepted by others" ... "How to make sure we were always in a 'comfortable place'" ... Yet, looking back now, I find that as long as we look at how much we have; we don't need anything else.

For my own family, one of those "perspective-changing" books would be "Breakthrough" by Elizabeth Hughes.


After reading this book, our family came to the harsh realization that 90 years ago, we would have buried three of our siblings in less than three years!

Let me expound. :)

Before insulin was discovered, those diagnosed with Type One were able to be put on a strict diet, which allowed them life for only one more year. 

Insulin was discovered in 1922, but was not widely available until 1923. Through this discovery, Type One was no longer a death sentence.

When I think about that, it makes me quiet my own complaints. 

It makes me stop, think, and reevaluate just how "bad" my life really is.

Sure - it hurts. Sure - it'll never go away. Yet, when I look at what Type One used to be, my life isn't all that painful after all!



Saturday, August 10, 2013

Summer Ends . . . College Begins

Type One is throwing me for a spin.

I blame the aftermath of this hectically busy 2013 summer season. 

As of today and yesterday, I have hit the 400's four times .... my Endro's not going to like that.

Also, for some odd reason I feel really low, when I'm actually 250, high again.

As I prepare for college, my four year working streak ended this week. 


I am so thankful that I was able to set aside mastering Type One, and work this summer for Samuel. I would have thought that working for SLS would be hard, I have been surprised at how much it actually helped me. It is kind of like when you don't know how to swim, and somebody throws you into the water . . . you learn, fast. 

That would be a decent synopsis to my summer . . . 

Quick Learning! :)

I will terribly miss all of the guys at SLS, but I know if I don't go now, I never will . . .




Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Counselor @ Camp


This past week was definitely a big step in my world of Type One!

I spent the week counseling 9-12 year old's for Camp's third junior camp. It was not physically depleting, but as for the mental strain ... crazy! 

My week entailed everything from lakefront, soccer games, competitive activities, and few hours of sleep.

Also along with this hectic schedule was a bad case of low every night! On average I consumed 120 carbs, without insulin, to keep myself from "bottoming out". 

The worst was Friday night. 

I had a my friend, Will, over to stay with me. Before drinking some chocolate milk with Will, I decided to test.

220

I'll decided to leave it, and now, I am happy I did. 

We talked for a few hours and got in bed. As lay there, I began to feel really sick and decided to test, just to be safe.

62

I could barely walk.

 By the time I removed the stupid "safety features" off the glucose drinks, I felt like I was well below 50. Following the glucose drink, I ate 10 glucose tabs. After 20 minutes I could finally feel the sugar begin to kick in. I had another counselor watch my campers while Will and I made for the kitchen.

In the end, I had an army of sugar save me from my low. One glucose drink, one bottle of glucose tabs, two cokes, and two chocolate milks.

You would think that was WAY to many carbs, but by morning I came in at 182. A little high, but pretty good considering the circumstances.

All in all, I had an amazing week! Although it was challenging to balance Type One with everything else, I would do it again in a heartbeat!