Tuesday, September 6, 2011

The day the beta cells died

Three years ago today, Elise was diagnosed with diabetes.

The call to take her to the hospital came in the middle of her birthday party.

She was 12 months old.

So how did Elise's pancreas celebrate? I think by completely quitting on us. The amount of insulin we have given her over the last few days is incredible.

We gave her TWO shots in the middle of the night. That is unprecedented.

We used full strength to correct her. Also unprecedented.

She spent most of the night in the 400s, only dipping into the mid 200s after a 1/2 unit of full strength.

Today was also her first day of school. She felt awful. She bawled when we left her. She was high the entire morning.

Today I hate diabetes just as much as I did 3 years ago.


This picture was taken right before Elise's diagnosis. As I searched through the pictures from that time period, I was hard-pressed to find one in which she was smiling.

22 comments:

  1. Poor baby - what a way to start her first day. ((hugs))

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  2. Ugh. I know how that is... Today was my first day and the Dex was just up and down the whole day... :(

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  3. Totally crummy, not fair, really sucky.
    Hope she has a better bg day tomorrow.
    Hope you get some sleep tonight...

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  4. Poor Elise - I'm sending many hugs your way!!!!

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  5. Yep, I hate it, too. Hope you start to see better numbers soon! Hope she feels better and her second day of school is better than her first!

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  6. It doesn't ever really get easy, does it? But it does get less hard. Think of how far you've come in three years, and remember that you'll get through this rough d-patch too. I'm sending over good thoughts!!

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  7. I can totally say that no , it does not get easier . Im 50 and have had type 1 since I was 16 . There is hope , there is always hope . Poor elise that stinks to start your first day that way . Poor baby I hope she has a good first day the rest of it anyways .

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  8. This is so hard to remember, life before D. I do know you are a terrific mom. Hugs my friend.

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  9. I so sorry dear friend! I hate that diabetes picks the stupidest days to bite us in the ass!

    Love you!

    Tomorrow will be better, I just know it!!

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  10. Joanne, I'm sorry. I know you seriously hate diabetes right now. We all do...

    BUT we have insulin! When she's high, you can fix that! (Though you will be exhausted!)

    But thank the Lord that we have insulin! Precious Elise is alive today because of that wonderful blessing!!

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  11. poor girl! I hope she was able to enjoy her first day and BG's came down to a good number for ya. Also HUGS to you Jo for being such a fabulous Mom and kicking some D-bum for the past three years! You all should be VERY proud of yourselves!!

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  12. Poor kid! Hope she feels better soon. Crappy way to have to start school and incredibly bad timing for D to present itself on her first birthday. Using full-strength insulin only means she is growing; second shot due to an aggressive growth spurt I'm guessing. You are doing a great job because she looks happy in her pix now. It boggles my mind how you have to learn how to handle the diluted insulin. Seems so complicated. Those correction factors and the amount each gram raises blood sugars in those tiny babes. Has to get easier, the older she gets, at least the diabetes math part of it. The extreme growth spurts are another matter, Dex used to desert us during erratic spikes, just showing us ???. But you will develop a strategy for these times with experience; you will see what works for your child. Not always; but most times.

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  13. aww...she' still stinkin' adorable! There must be something in the air with these 400's and wham-o insulin needs, but then ours have been followed later in the day with horrid lows that take FOREVER to come up.

    I hope the rest of her school week goes superbly and she shares her silly smiles with all those around her :) Have a great day jo!

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  14. Poor kid - and what a look in that picture. Our son was dxed not much older, and he has the same look in his eyes in pictures from that time - no smiles. Hope the nights get better!

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  15. I'm hating on the big "D" over here too. Hoping that her day got better...sending many warm hugs and kisses your way.

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  16. I want to scoop her up and kiss on her cheeks until she chuckles . . . too bad she is all grown up, now!

    Prayers of solace for you today, my sweet.

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  17. oh man, look at her sweet little face. pre-dx pics are hard to look at sometimes. sorry you've had some rough overnights lately, but i'm glad her BG finally came down. phew!

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  18. total suckage!
    and that face...so glad she's found her smile because it's truly amazing!!

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  19. No way...not at her first birthday party :( Hating diabetes with you these 3 years later.

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  20. You have a beautiful daughter. I hate that kids have to deal with diabetes so young. I was 22 when I was diagnosed and that was early enough!

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