Tag Archives: waking up

06Aug / 2012

Belly Fail

To thank you for inviting us to your beach house, the people of my country ceremonially scatter the entryway with used test strips and dog poo bags (unused). Try to think of them as rose petals, or leis.

2AM check new site: 419.

C’est impossible! Belly site legendary effective insulin entry. Dutiful Bigfoot inject correction syringe. (Arm.) 3u—fuzzy math. ISF 100 or 80? I am so tired. I think I need a calculator for this. It’s so sad that I’m too tired to remember there’s one on my phone. Either way maybe OK. (419-240=179. 419-300=119. Uhhhhh. OK?)

Obvsly, this not medical advice. 400+ require test ketones. Did not. No speck of this medical. Pretty much wish, kiss, wink sub in for science this night.

Begin prepare change site. Arm poke wake Bubs little bit. Belly site still on, but unplug.

BUBS: Hey! There’s a site stuck on my tummy. What’s that doing there?

BIGFOOT: Oh, that’s just the old one. You’re high so I’m changing your site. Sorry I woke you. I guess the old one got stuck there. That’s funny (It could be true. Pretty much true)

BUBS: Aw, I thought I finally got a site on there, but it’s just the sticker?

BFOOT: (…)

BUBS: (points finger straight over head and speaks very forcefully) TELL JACKY TO PUT IT IN THE PEACH TREE

BFOOT: (…) Are you asleep?

BUBS: (normal voice) I wish you’d done the new site in my belly while I was sleeping. Then I’d get ten dollars!

BF: Okay, well, maybe the next time you need a new site, The Belly Fairy will come to visit and leave ten dollars under your pillow

BUBS: Or how about a small Lego set? Like a $13 set

BF: That’ll be up to the Fairy

BUBS: Or one of those Star Wars planet ball sets? They’re $10

BF: Do you even like those?

BUBS: (Shrugs. Falls back to sleep)

I made this guide to insertion angles for reference. Courage!

Subterfuge: got away with whole pie! Dishonesty pay off. Not only Bubs suggest with own brain/mouth same plan Evil Bigfoot hatch w/o permission, also create new imaginary gift-giving character: Belly Fairy. Could also visit for belly button piercing, appendectomy, late-term circumcision, PRN.

Peel off “old site” that “got stuck” tummy. Examine for defect. Forensic study reveal this site fail because Bigfoot too timid w kachunker angle: cannula skim along skin surface. Not penetrate. Dang.

When try again, need bolder angle.

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20Jun / 2012

White Noise. Cheesy Bracelet for Awesome Nurse

For those who did not study art, the faces to the left are sleeping parents.
The face on the right is politely requesting assistance.

Love puppy, love Pacman, love chocolate covered almond, but most of all Bigfoot love white noise. Bubs too. So happy have fan in window tonight, prepare for dreadful forecast of hotness. (Hot enough to be a great blood sugar!) (Flap elbows, say badump-ch.)

Isn’t the fan just so refreshing and relaxing? And I love the sound it makes.

Me too. But wait. If white noise make harder hear Portuguese Water Hound family across street (no problem, really it fine. Really charming) barking in wee hours, also make harder hear Bubs small-voice, polite emergency requests, “I think I’m low. Excuse me? Hello? I feel low.” Maybe teach Bubs use buzzer? Ridiculous set up baby monitor system–house so small. Maybe jingle bell?

The one I got is not this one, but it pretty much looks like this.

Meanwhile, Bigfoot scramble brain find way thank school nurse. Last day of school Thursday. Decide write heartfelt letter of thanks, accompany with bracelet Bigfoot personally find cheesy but everyone else seem like. Kind minimalist charm bracelet made from pliable metal. Each bracelet come with pre-determined meaning printed right on card. (Examples:  GRACE, PATIENCE, FORTITUDE, or LUCK, LOVE, PASSION or RENEWAL, HEALTH, STRENGTH or LUCK, RENEWAL, WASHINGTON, DC or RENEWAL, BIRTHSTONE, ASTROLOGICAL SIGN.) For nurse choose bracelet with COMPASSION, WISDOM, SOMETHING ELSE THAT DIDN’T TOTALLY FIT OUR SITUATION BUT WASN’T TOO GLARINGLY WRONG. Selection this bracelet make Bigfoot cry in car tiny bit. This nurse so good. So kind. Competent. Never show off or try seem know something not know. This quality so rare in non-diabetes medical people dealing with diabetes.

Like Billy Collins Lanyard Poem:

She gave me life and milk from her breasts, kept my child alive
and I gave her a lanyard. cheesy bracelet
She nursed me him in many a sick room, her office
lifted spoons of medicine to my lips, injected him with insulin
laid cold face-cloths on my forehead, put glucose tabs in his mouth
and then led me out into the airy light and sent me an email about it each day

and taught me to walk and swim, mix glucagon and inject it into a lemon
and I, in turn, presented her with a lanyard. cheesy bracelet
Here are thousands of meals blood glucose measurements, she said,
and here is clothing and a good education the sound of my awesome boots clicking down the hallway to your classroom to check on you
And here is your lanyard cheesy bracelet, I replied,
which I made with a little help from a counselor. purchased at the bookstore

Here is a breathing body and a beating heart,
strong legs, bones and teeth,
and two clear eyes to read the world, she whispered,
and here, I said, is the lanyard cheesy bracelet I made at campgot at the bookstore
And here, I wish to say to her now,
is a smaller gift—not the worn truth

that you can never repay your mother school nurse,
but the rueful admission that when she took
the two-tone lanyard bracelet from my hand,
I was as sure as a boy parent could be
that this useless, worthless thing I wove bought
out of boredom desperation would be enough to make us even.

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30May / 2012

Obtuse Liver

The liver is a housemate who ever so proudly bakes disgusting cookies with burned raisins and a “shucks, don’t mention it” attitude and leaves the kitchen a mess. At 12AM, 2AM, and 3:30AM.

Pancreas out of equation, most obtuse organ in body = Bigfoot nominate liver.

For science, believe liver always release sugar but release extra sugar in growing child. Of course Bubs growing. Nine years old. But why grow increasing rate intensity each week? Every week, increase basal insulin overnight attempt balance liver sugar. Liver seem think this mean need more, more, more release sugar. Liver say here you go, here’s that more sugar you asked for. You’re welcome.

Almost whole unit/hour basal insulin 9PM-3AM now. Regardless  >200 12AM, correction, >200 2AM, correction, >200 3:30AM, mini-correction. Infuriatingly close 200 (167) 6:30AM.

Middle of night when Bigfoot turn get up check sugar, iPhone play irritating guitar riff. When Bigfoot Spouse turn get up check sugar, iPhone other side bed play irritating cricket chirp.

Guitar riff. Guitar riff. Guitar riff.

BIGFOOT SPOUSE: What’s that?

BIGFOOT: Blood sugar

BSPOUSE: You ok? Can you get up?

BFOOT: No. I want you to do it

BSPOUSE: Gets up from bed. Audible tinkling. Returns to bed.

BFOOT: What was it?

BSPOUSE: What?

BFOOT: The blood sugar

BSPOUSE: I don’t know, babe

BFOOT: You have to do the blood sugar check

BSPOUSE: Hmm?

BFOOT: You must have done a correction at midnight because my alarm went off but I really don’t feel like I can stand up

BSPOUSE: Okay. (Gets up from bed. Audible beeps and clicks.) Two-sixteen

BFOOT: Rrrrrrrr. I’ll get up to recheck at 3:30

The next morning…

BSPOUSE: (Burbling with ebullient energy) I made the tea! I scalded the pot! For some reason, I think I was up at two o’clock this morning!

BFOOT: You were checking blood sugar

BSPOUSE: Oh, shit! I forgot to do it!

BFOOT: No, you didn’t. At first you thought you were just getting up to pee, but then I heard you check him and you told me a number

BSPOUSE: I did?

One bird says, “Can you go get the worms today?” and the other bird says “What?”

Seem impossible sleepyhead parent not kill child with push wrong button. So far, so good.

Last week Meri describe related syndrome: M.C.A.F. Not notice alarm. Bigfoot typically notice alarm, but not feel inspired stand up. Instead push spouse out of bed with feet and/or guilt trip. Then stay awake anyway, read Nell Freudenberger until time for next check. So tired in morning try buy peaches, beer, clean floor, wrap present, eat yogurt, write copy, drive car, walk dog, fix calendar, move clothes to dryer, put away groceries all at same time. Not so synergy. Interesting for dog though: taken for walk Target parking lot.

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06Sep / 2011

Much ado no biggie

Making funny faces

Third and fifth grade happen today. Everyone come home happy. “I like my teacher!” and “FinLAY is pronounced Fin-LEE and he’s really nice and he’s in my desk cluster.” Etc. Pick up at two schools in small car with sopping rainbow-color golf umbrella this afternoon for emergency visit to orthodontist. Jack get bracket bumpers in colors of Patriot’s team jersey: red, navy, silver. Look like black and red to Bigfoot, glad not try to guess theme.

does not

Bubs’s school nurse very beautiful, blonde, tall, tan, spiky extreme high heel shoe, look like not care much about soul but know how handle fragile person with intuitive precision never achieved by people who train for this skill. She have what Dr. Phil McGraw or Geneen Roth practice for empathy-based television show. Plus medical knowledge. School nurse demonstrate this same kernel of sincerity/knowledge during louse infestation 2009.

cause diabetes

BFOOT: How was school?

BUBS: Good.

BFOOT: Was it annoying having diabetes at school?

BUBS: Nahhh.

BFOOT: Did anyone ask you about it?

BUBS: Nope.

BFOOT: Isn’t Mrs. Silva such a nice teacher?

BUBS: Yeah, she’s super nice.

It evident, upon reflection, Bigfoot not master art of conversation—too many leading question. Anyway, at beginning of day Bigfoot predict day filled with tears. Instead have day filled with salty almonds and Star Wars Battlefront game and pasta and broccoli and rain.

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24Aug / 2011

Where Kashi Go

Frozen Chicken Scraps Kong: zero carbs

Bubs fine. Nice blood sugar. He never over 150 today, his lowest is 72. That a low, but it not so low. This feel some kind of achievement.

Bigfoot unable sleep for long time now. It terrible for stay positive. Mid afternoon Bigfoot eat avocado-kinawa salad, still hungry, eat yogurt, feel sick to stomach. It not hunger Bigfoot feel, it tired feeling Bigfoot mistake think hunger. No food bring Bigfoot back to full awake. Require sleep.

Endocrinologist say no need test Bubs at 2AM now. She say he be fine in night. He have correct Lantus dose. Bigfoot not so sure. What if have exciting, happy dream? What if sweaty nightmare? Blood glucose not drop in such case? How this differ from exercise situation, physiologically?

Bigfoot send email own physician, ask if OK take leftover Ativan as sleep aid. She say sure, as long as only handful of times, “Or, if you prefer, I could prescribe Ambien.” Bigfoot write back, “Yes, please. Ambien.” Not mention have been trying Ativan as sleep aid and it not work. Bigfoot not want move top position list “Warning: Narcotics Abusers/Possible Drug Salespersons” physician hang by fax machine communicate with CVS pharmacy HQ. (Bigfoot have large supply Ativan left over from old times when such hardships as “having to go on a cruise” qualify as unbearable stress.)

After drug exchange, Bigfoot still tired. Try eat Kashi Go Lean cereal with vanilla almond milk as energizer. That stupid. Kashi Go Lean #1 at enhance slug feeling. Try 2nd small bowl. Slug galore.

Other diabetes problem very small, not serious, not expensive, but give Bigfoot experience of not trust insurance company. BCBSRI say we using lancet and test strip supply too quickly. It true BCBSRI provide generous amount, enough for 10x daily blood test. Bigfoot explain need use many blood test strip and lancet for learning, check often, also make multiple error because new to scene. Meanwhile, school nurse need have large supply on hand for smooth function office space. Endocrinology nurse say she call Blue Cross, many hours pass. Care to place bet on result?

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22Aug / 2011

I would quit

I can not imagine B. going to school for real in one week. We don’t even wake up until 8:30, twenty minutes after the Pledge of Allegiance begins each morning.

The school nurse at X school in Barrington reported to a parent that she intended to keep the diabetic child “a little high” in order to avoid lows. Because she’d rather avoid the danger/urgency of a low than contribute to the child’s long-term health by avoiding a high. I hate this. Our school’s nurse will be better. If I were a school nurse and a diabetic child came into my care, I would just quit my job.

Daily Scoop’s scooper said a small consists of three ounces of ice cream. No. It was at least ten ounces. It was chocolate ice cream streaked with globs of peanut butter cookie dough. That’s a stupid afternoon snack.

Here are things I did like today: I had coffee with a good friend in the morning; the boys played in the YMCA pool for 75 minutes with a yellow water polo ball and didn’t fight at all and looked so healthy and strong; also I liked the green beans and tempeh I made for dinner. Fried in coconut oil and had a brown rice syrupy sauce.

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Bigfoot say other thing

Bigfoot sure this not right placement Pinterest button

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