Thursday, May 17, 2012

Diabetic Supplies Bag

I love to sew and I have an absurd amount of fabric. I figured I'd experiment with a diabetic supplies bag for the diaper bag, since I have a ton of free time ;). I like the little kit that the blood glucose meter came in but since putting a rubber safety cover on it, it doesn't fit easily and drives me crazy. I wanted to be able to fit all the supplies I normally carry in the diaper bag pockets into the diabetic bag so that I can easily switch to a book bag or another bag if Marian is going someplace without me. We're going away this weekend so I guess I'll try it out and see what needs tweaking or if I just need to go back to the old blood glucose meter bag. I will say this one is much cuter!


BG Meter Bag

My new version.  Room for extra batteries, insulin pen with extra insulin, snacks, and pump supplies.

All rolled up
I'll check back next week to give an update on whether or not this works and some directions on how to make your own.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

B is for Boat

Fun little project for a rainy day to review the letter B (and work on fine motor skills and shapes...its the teacher in me).

Such concentration


Sofia decorating the "b"

Marian's finished project
Materials: macaroni, glue, marker, crayons, and large paper
1. Draw a picture in permanent marker
2.  color the picture
3.  Put glue on various shapes to be lined with macaroni.  Marian wanted to add lines to her original triangle.

Original idea from Art Projects 1 from A Beka Book Art Series.  As a note I have NOT looked at this series, someone just gave the book to me when I was teaching art a few years ago.  I use adapted projects for the girls sometimes. 

Monday, May 14, 2012

So Excited!

Last Thursday I had a wonderful blessing.  I went to the introduction for the Bible Study Fellowship for next fall.  Oh, I'm so excited!  I wish I would have done the study this spring, but I was so nervous about leaving Marian I just couldn't do it.  God knew I'd need some help leaving her in a larger class and not just with friends so he provided a lovely lady named Ms. Clemens.  She is the assistant children's program director and she has type 1 diabetes!  She called me last Tuesday before the introduction class to go over Marian's needs and tell me the carbohydrate counts of the snack. 

I was blessed by the welcoming attitude of everyone I met and how they reacted to joyfully looking out for Marian.  That would have made my day if that was it, but then the lecture was so encouraging!  It was based on 1 Peter 3-5.  The teacher went over submission in suffering, refinement in suffering, leadership for suffering and service.  The topic was suffering!  A topic that Mark and I have spent a lot of time talking about in the last 6 months.  I was so refreshed after this 45 minutes, but then I went back to pick up the girls and they were so excited.  Marian talked for two days about all she did in her new "class."  I am so grateful for a place that I can look forward to digging into the Word, but also for a place that the girls are learning and growing in the Word as well.

Thank you to the ladies that were so welcoming at BSF and for my friends that are already involved and encouraged me to join!

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

One Week Down

Week One is complete!  It's had both highs and lows. 
Highs:
  • Less low blood sugars
  • No more injections! (except when Mom forgets to bolus after dinner and after we removed her infusion set for a change)
  • Giving insulin at night without even waking her
  • Being able to give a snack in the car without pulling over, taking her out of the seat, getting an injection ready, giving it, then rebuckling her. 
  • Lots of information and record keeping thanks to Diasend
Lows:
  • Infusion set changes- these are not fun!  I didn't realize they would be way worse than giving injections, thank God they are only every 3 days!  I have hope that they will get better with time. 
  • Still don't really understand how to read Diasend so we have the information but not really the ability to understand it. :P
  • Changing our way of thinking about insulin, feel like I'm walking blind. 
  • More highs than we like to see, although we're told it will take a while to figure out basal levels.