Shiny Happy Valentines 2020

by Erin

Holidays and parties always bring up questions in the type 1 diabetes community online. Do we send candy? What do we do with candy our children receive?

Summer Camp Part 4 : Tuesday

By Erin Schovel Turnham

Tuesday, June 11, 2019

Beach Bums

Mr. Mister and I woke up late. I wanted to try breakfast at a place new to us and he obliged. We made our way to Gypsea Crepes just before they stopped serving breakfast. I loved everything about it!!

Sugar Rush Survivors Playlist

What music moves you? What songs resonate with you?

When you are having a difficult day… or week… or year… with type 1 diabetes, or just with life, what do you listen to that helps you get through?

Leading up to the spring of 2017 I was having a rough time. I felt like a failure, like everything I was doing as a T1D mom and in life was not good enough. It turns out that depression tells a person those kinds of lies.

Sunshine and Shadows

I like to share the positives. The triumphs. The laughs. I like the sunshine and light.

Those things are easy to tell. Easy to share and pass along.

This day earlier in January was a triumph of fun even though we had to treat several lows.

It is important, however, to also share our struggles. That is when I hear from others, “I am so glad to know I am not alone.”

T1D Car Wash

Friday is car wash day. I vacuumed up at least 20 test strips and ALL the raisins. Dealing with a chronic condition like T1D means the highs and lows happen anywhere, anytime. It doesn’t stop for car washes. Thanks to the noise of the water and then the vacuum I couldn’t hear the Dexcom low alert and for some reason it didn’t show up on my watch. Grasshopper said he felt low. Yep. 55 on the meter, 50 on Dexcom.

Blue November Prep

While I am still getting ready for Halloween, I’m also looking forward to our diabetes awareness efforts for November. We participate in Project Blue November by wearing blue on Fridays and posting on social media. Last year I painted a craft pumpkin with the international symbol for diabetes, a blue circle. We collected all of Grasshopper’s used diabetes supplies and empty packets of Annie’s Fruit Snacks in the pumpkin to show all of the supplies and low blood sugar treatments he used.

First of All, It Was October…

Every autumn Bartlett Ranch, a working horse and cattle farm near us, hosts an evening celebrating Alabama farmers. It is always a fun time and sure sign that the endless Alabama summer is finally waning.

We had a great evening at Bartlett Ranch! Arrows were shot, turkey feathers found, and apples were pressed.

Calves, goats, cows, and snakes were admired. Balloons were acquired. Firetrucks were explored. We Sugar Surfed our way through a hotdog (1 gram of carbohydrates), hotdog bun (21g carbs), chips (15g carbs), and Chips Ahoy cookies (15g carbs).

20 Minute Poop Storm

In the space of about 20 minutes on Tuesday evening, the following happened:

• I dosed Grasshopper for a 40 gram weight piece of cinnamon roll for dessert. That is a sliver of a roll, not a whole one. It was a 20 gram carb treat. I sent him to put on his pjs so the insulin could have a little time to work.
• He walked out a few minutes later holding his insulin infusion site… that was supposed to be attached to his body. I tried to hide my instant anxiety. When did it come off? Did it come off before his 24 gram carb dinner? Did he get any insulin for dinner? Did it come off after dinner but before I dosed for the cinnamon roll slice? Did he get any insulin for that???

Dexcom G6

Success! This was Grasshopper’s first time putting on the Dexcom G6. As you can hear Grasshopper say himself, it was a painless process. Thanks Dexcom!

Sweet Friends

This particular purple pouch is a very special pack of Annie’s Bunny Fruit Snacks. In our family we just call them gummies. After a day of low blood sugars at school, I picked up Grasshopper. Nurse L and I had been in contact throughout the day and she had just checked his blood sugar at 58. He had a few of these Annie’s Bunny Fruit Snacks while still in her office and a few minutes later she walked him out to car line.