Don't Go

This summer we took a trip to Vancouver.  It was amazing to be back, and even better; amazing to share the place I love with my kiddos now that they're all old enough to appreciate it.

What made my heart smile was watching Elise just be a kid. She carries such a heavy burden at times, and it's great when she can put it down and just enjoy the moment.  Like the picture above; shoes off, and running down the beach with the pure joy that children only seem capable of.

About a week ago, we had our final 504 meeting at the elementary level.  To say we have been taken care of and had every need met by our school and district, would be a vast understatement.  At school, we know that she is loved and safe.  During the meeting, we talked a bit about the transition into middle school, and for some reason this picture above came to mind.

To me, middle school is growing up.  It's older kids and mean girls.  It's responsibility and pressure.  Chaos. Too many teachers and too easy to get lost.  It scares me.

The other day, as we were getting ready for a dex change she started to cry.  "Mama," she said, "what will happen to me when I'm older and have to do all this by myself?  What if I can't do it?"

Let me interject that she does a great deal of it on her own as it is; pump changes, carb counting, finger poking and bolusing.  As her dex goes on the back of her arm, that can be a bit tricky.

As we talked and I reminded her how far she has come, the tears slowed and a smile slowly crept back onto her face.  The moment passed, dex was changed, and she ran off to play with her lego.

Because for now, she's still a child, like the one in the photo. Next year will bring what it will. And we will be ready.

School Daze

A while back I asked for advice on some school issues, and I was so thankful to everyone who replied.  Not only were your comments insightful, they left me feeling like I had some focus on the matter.

I finally did call up each school to try and set up an appointment, only the school we are not zoned for (which is the closer school) wouldn't even talk to me unless I called the district first.  Even then, they wouldn't know if they could enroll Elise until 1 week before school started.  Ummmm, no.  That's a deal breaker!

So we set up an appointment for the school we are zoned for, and took Elise.  I was a little wigged out by how secure the school is.  I mean, I understand (and am very saddened by) the need for it. But it makes me a little antsy being locked away from my kid that way.  Is it just me?

Anyway, we met with the nurse and the principal and were so impressed by what we saw.  We spent two hours asking questions, and felt pretty good about their answers.  The nurse is very business-like (but had great rapport with Elise), and is very, very pro-504 plan.  In fact, she said they had a T1 show up last year (he's no longer there) without one and they very quickly sat down with the parents to get one in place.

And the part that has us feeling pretty good about this being the school for Elise?  The nurse's brother is a type 1, who was dx'd at the age of 3.  He now lives with her and she helps care for him.

All through Elise's short schooling career, I feel like everything has just fallen into place; her first pre-school teacher had type 2. Her second teacher (who she also has for her last year of pre-school), has been amazing and does such a great job of taking care of her.  Our pre-school has worked with us to make sure we feel comfortable and Elise is safe.

And now the nurse in her new school has t1 experience.  Really, what more could I want?

I do have a few more questions as I start thinking about Elise's 504:

• For those of you who pod, where do you keep the PDM?
• Is it normal that you cannot just tell the nurse to make a change on the fly? Like cancelling a temp basal that you had started before your child left for school that morning?  It sounded like anything the nurse does (aside from straight-up bolusing, or correcting using the pumps suggestions), has to be approved by the doctor.
• Can you put into the 504 that you have the final say in daily changes and the nurse doesn't have to contact the doctor for those?

If there's anything else you think is important, please let me know. I do plan on looking at sample 504s, but I'd like to know provisions that you guys think are the MOST important.