14 July 2007

Catching up

I have to send out a big thank you to Sheep Rustler from Melbourne who sent us 3 pairs of really cool safety pin earrings last week as a surprise gift - they arrived on the day of the diabetes diagnosis, so were a little ray of sunshine on that pretty awful day.

I wore this pair to the Knit 1 Blog 1 opening last night. Dotter wore the blue safety pin right through her ear (ie without the silver hoop!), and the set with tiny safety pins has been given to Barb at Craft ACT , for Lulu. I hope to get a photo of Lulu sporting her new jewellery soon (not that she deserves such generosity!).

I feel that since everyone has been so loving and kind this past week, and many of you have heard my radio interview (and hence know my real name), I may as well post the occasional photo of myself and Dotter (who already appears in person on her own blog). Sort of a thank you to you, if you will. So here we are the Knit 1 Blog 1 opening last night. I'm wearing my Vintage Hues scarf. Dotter is wearing her beret, and we're standing in front of our displayed works (the black labels were added by me in Photoshop, they're not 'real').

Progress on the Opal Toe-Up Socks - past the second heel, into the home stretch! Am completely converted to the magic loop method now.


Yesterday was really full on. Dotter and I woke pretty exhausted, but had to be back at hospital by 10am, when we had another 2 hours of 'education' sessions with Wendy and the nice doctor. Dotter gave herself her first injection - another hurdle passed. I have to learn how to do them too, erk, as do Hubby, Son, and Boyfriend. They gave us lots of stuff - a great book all about diabetes in children and teens (mainly about Type 1), the 2 insulin injecting pens (one for the slow-release, one for the fast-release), extra syringes in case the pens ever break, a backup blood sugar meter, and heaps more besides. Dotter was given a cool backpack, as well as a Diabetes Bear, which she actually really likes. It has felt patches sewn on to show where insulin injections can be given (thighs, tummy, bum, upper arms).

Then we had to go to Diabetes ACT to upgrade her membership on the National Diabetes Scheme (from Type 2 to Type 1), and buy more supplies - jellybeans, the ultra-fine needles to go onto the insulin pens (they're single use only), a bigger sharps disposal unit, blood ketone test strips, and so on. Then to the Chemist to get the insulin script filled - 5 packs of each of the 2 types of insulin, which have to be stored in the fridge.

At lot of the costs are subsidised by the government (free needles and insulin pens, free glucose meter, inexpensive test strips etc) but Dotter's Health Care Card has just been cancelled (when she turned 16), so the insulin cost us $90 instead of $9.40! I reapplied for a new card weeks ago, and we should be able to get a refund, fingers crossed, once they process our application.

Also got a GlucaGen Hypo Kit (in the bright orange case at the front right in the photo) - it's an emergency syringe of glucagon, in case Dotter is unconscious from low blood sugar, but can't eat, cos she's unconscious..., bit fucking freaked about that item. Haven't been shown how to use it yet, that will come next week, I suppose. Also skin cream for her dry skin (common in diabetics). Came home and collapsed for a while - just so sad and overwhelmed and exhausted by it all. Hubby's been sick in bed all week, too, with the flu and complications of severe CFS/ME, so I've felt like a single mum through all this so far.


So there you are - a small part of what you need to replace the functioning of your pancreas. A lifetime of daily blood tests and injections, of juggling what you eat and your exercise with how much insulin you need, of watching for the physical symptoms of hypos (low sugar) and hypers (high sugar), and adjusting, of looking for complications (nerves, eyes, feet, and more)... Here's hoping for a cure. We supported stem cell research before anyway, but now we REALLY support it.

13 comments:

  1. All that medication and stuff - wow - a lot to get your head around.

    Photo of you at the exhibition is great - the scarf looks so much longer on!

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  2. Lovely display: you and the knitting!!! Glad the whole medical boogelliness is going OK. Here's hoping for a cure really soon, but in the mean time, thank heavens for our medical system!!! I pay $75-$100 for my drugs every month but they actually cost thousands of dollars!!

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  3. Just wanted to say....HUGS ;-) to you both.

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  4. Wow. I,too, have always supported stem cell research (having lost family members to Parkinson's and the like) but it makes it more imperative when it is someone so young who will benefit from the research. Not much longer before we get rid of our current "leader" (and I use the term loosely) and we can push for more research. Good luck to all of you.

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  5. Nice to SEE you guys! The display looks great, too.
    Sounds like you guys have your work cut out for you... good luck with everything.

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  6. Hang in there. Right now it all seems a bit overwhelming, but with time,it'll get easier. And eventually with luck, routine.

    I'm sort of remembering the whole "learn to tie the shoelaces" thing.
    What once seemed an insurmountable challenge becomes an everyday task we could do in the dark.

    Here's hoping you and Dotter find your equilibrium (and free time) restored soon.

    Blessings to you both!

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  7. great photo guys. What a team. I adore those earrings and the scarf.

    The amount of stuff you need is mind blowing!

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  8. Love photo of you and your daughter.

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  9. Such a nice photo! Gosh it was so lovely to meet you both the other night. Your daughter is absolutely beautiful and has such a character. She'll go far, you mark my words.

    It's funny that you are standing in front of my quilting mate Jacqui's shawls as well! She's the guest non-bloggin knitter, like I'm the guest blogging crocheter ;-)

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  10. It does look like a lot of stuff, but it covers pretty much every possibility, so you probalaby won't use half of it. And you and your knitting loook splendid! Awesome earrings!

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  11. Wow, great photo girls! So nice to put a couple of gorgeous faces to blog names.

    Am now very eager to get down to Canberra and view the Exhibition as your "little" lot looks fabulous.

    Dotter, good luck with everything. I support Stem Cell Research too!

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  12. Thinking of you all. My FIL and BIL are both Type 1, both diagnosed in their early twenties. It seems that for quite a while my BIL was in denial, and refused to believe he had a problem, which I can understand. But generally if she's looking after herself (and she's a sensible girl so I know she will) she'll have little need of all the rest of the 'baggage'. Kisses to you both.

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  13. Scarf and socks look wonderful! I'm a newbie to the knitting blogosphere but just wanted to send my thoughts to you. There's stacks of diabetes in my family. My brother's had Type 1 since he was a kid (he's now 33) and Coeliacs disease. Feeding him is a nightmare! Bells knows how to get in touch with me - feel free to if you have anything you were wondering about.

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