COVID-19 Day by Day Symptoms Parent, Child and Teen with Type One Diabetes

Updated 9:00 am on December 14, 2020 

Teen with type one diabetes finally has manageable blood sugars. Took five days for them not to be insanely high. Day 2, 3, 6, and 7 were my worst days. Day 7 for my husband and teen daughter were also horrible.  Hubby is positive. Two teen son's negative. More below.

I'm hoping my story can help others with what to expect day by day with Coronavirus symptoms.  I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice. Just my story sharing my kids and my COVID-19 symptoms. I'm sure you are wondering if I adhered to the three 'W's'. YES! I truly believed if I did my part and everyone did theirs that I could spare myself and my family from the virus. That's another story. 

December 3rd, nothing so far has been fun about contracting the virus. My body feels weird where I'm just uncomfortable. I have a fever that comes and goes and a headache. As you read, you'll learn other symptoms that developed and how we all are progressing. Hopefully, my day by day coronavirus symptoms accounts can help someone prepare a little for this virus. Although, I've had friends that have had totally different symptoms which could be due to age, body makeup, and other things. But whatever it is, the more everyone can share, the more each of us can be better prepared. 

Day 1: December 2, 2020 - Night before I tested positive for having coronavirus. 

That evening I had a runny nose, been sneezing and my eyes were watery.  But I live with allergies, so these symptoms are normal for me.  I had energy all day and felt good.  I went to bed at 9:30 pm as I was tired. 

Day 2: December 3, 2020 - MOM only with COVID

3:00 am - I tossed and turned for over an hour in bed as I was so hot. I actually thought perhaps this was what everyone was talking about for perimenopause. Boy was I wrong. 

4:30 am - I finally became so uncomfortably hot that I decided to check my temperature - three times in fact - 100.5, 101, and 100.5. UGH! So many thoughts ran through my mind. How in the world could I have a fever. I don't do anything but work from home. I thought maybe I was just exhausted from working and being overwhelmed with the holiday stress. But then another thought entered my mind, Could I have a coronavirus? I had a really bad headache and my body felt strange. Not wanting to take any chances, I grabbed my pillow and headed to my office to be far away from my kids and husband until I knew for sure.

7:00 am I scheduled a 9:40 am appointment at Atrium Urgent Care to get tested for coronavirus. I called so many places. Almost all were booked up for days. Luckily I found a place that still had a rapid test available. 

9:40 am - I checked in and they took me to a room within the urgent care facility. The healthcare practitioner checked my temperature and oxygen levels. Both were normal. They then did a COVID rapid test. In less than 15 minutes the doctor came in and said it was positive. I was numb and in denial. They discharged me with papers and shared that I would get a text from them, which they stressed should join so they could monitor me. I actually walked out and then walked back in, waving down the doctor. She came over and I asked if it could be a false positive. She said no and that I was positive. So many things go through your mind when you test positive for coronavirus. The first is "How?" Seriously, I have been anally adhering to the three 'W's' bitching daily at my husband to be as careful as I was. The second was "Will my kids be spared?" The third was "This has to be a mistake."

My husband and I went into quarantine mode. I moved 100% into our bedroom where I've been since. That day I didn't feel great. I did work, but not energetically. Usually, work will take me away from my worries.  Being diagnosed with coronavirus, trumped all my thoughts. From 11:00 am - 4:00 pm, I had a fever of 100.5 - 101. It stayed at that number even with Tylenol.

4:00 PM - My fever shifted to a low-grade fever about 99.5 - 100.5. 

I was able to eat and drink all day. In fact, I was soooo hungry all day. I even had a glass of wine before falling asleep at 9:30 pm.  

Day 3: December 4, 2020 - MOM only with COVID

7:00 am - Denial Phase. I woke up feeling good. Not great, but good enough that I thought having coronavirus may not be as hard as I think. I had the sniffles (runny nose, sneezing, and really watery eyes). I took allergy medicine thinking that was the cause.  Then I reached out to friends sharing that I think my test was a false positive. I felt way too good to have coronavirus. My symptoms just didn't seem really bad. Well, that feeling and thought only lasted a couple hours. By10:45 am, I started to feel weird again.

10:45 am - I felt like crap! My temperature shot up without warning to 102. I was tired, hot and just felt lousy. I took two Tylenol and started to think, maybe I do have coronavirus. But the doubt still existed in me. Being the stubborn triple-A personality, I worked even with a fever.

4:00 pm the fever broke where it went from 102/103 to 99.5 - 100.5. For the rest of the night, my temperature was between 99.1 and 100.5.  I didn't feel great but I felt a lot better than I did earlier in the afternoon, so I caught up on work emails. My body felt hot and like I had taken too much Benadryl. 

The strangest thing is that I was able to eat and drink all day. 

Most of the day my body felt hot and like I had taken too much Benadryl. My chest has felt a little tight. Almost like a piece of food is lodged under my rib cage. Nothing severe. Just a little tightness.

Day 4: December 5, 2020 - MOM and 9-Year-old TWEEN with COVID

8:30 am - Yep once again the Denial Phase struck. I woke up with a very very low fever and I felt really good. I had a slight headache. And those darn allergy symptoms were still lingering around. But my denial and hope were crushed; by 11:00 am I was burning up with a fever of 102/103. I took Tylenol and for the next five hours napped.

4:30 pm - I learned that my 9-year-old daughter had a fever. My 16-year-old daughter found her in her bedroom sleeping and checked her temperature. It was 101. My heart sank when I learned. 

5:30 pm - I moved my 9-year old into my quarantined bedroom. She had a fever of 103, a headache and was fatigued. All signs that she had COVID. 

All night long she had a fever that was between 102 - 104. I woke up every four hours to give her acetaminophen and liquids. I didn't have my husband take care of her, trying to prevent him from catching the virus. 

Day 5: December 6, 2020 - MOM, 9 year old TWEEN and now TEEN with COVID

8:20 am - My 9-year-old daughter's fever went from 103 to 100.5! But she wasn't hungry. She just laid on her bed, looking frail. I did force her to eat and drink a little. 

8:30 am - Heartattack time! My 16-year-old daughter who has type one diabetes yelled from her bedroom that she has a fever or 99.8. I know that's not high, but that is the first sign that she may have coronavirus too. My heart sank. She was the one that I had been working so hard at protecting for the past eight-plus months and I really feel like I failed. 

I'm scared. Yes, I am scared. No one knows how coronavirus will affect someone with type one diabetes. Prayers. I'm asking for prayers.

My 16-year-old daughter - So far blood sugars have been great even with the fever. Here is what she shared with me:

• She felt weird when she went to bed. (Just like me!)
• She mentioned her throat was sore. 
• When she woke up, she said she tossed and turned all night. 
• Her symptoms:  Fever (99.8), sore throat, and headache.

9:30 am - My 9-year old tested positive for coronavirus. Fever and headache have been her symptoms. 

10:00 am - My 16 year old got a COVID rapid test. Shockingly it came back negative, so now we need to wait for the PCR results. There is no doubt that this is a false negative as she has all the signs. Her oxygen level was normal, but she had a temperature of over 99, a headache, and a sore throat. She also keeps telling me she just doesn't feel well and she feels weird. 

11:00 am - My 16-year-old came and joined my 9-year-old and me in our quarantined room. 

12:00 pm - All of us have low fevers. We ate lunch. My 9-year-old is eating snacks which makes me happy. I was nervous when she wouldn't eat in the morning.  

1:10 pm - We all took a nap till 2:30 pm. Well, we all needed a nap. Our bodies just needed to rest.

5:00 pm - We felt hottish and weird again. All of us couldn't get comfortable. We took Tylenol and our temperature has lingered around 99.5 - 100.5.

Since around noon, all three of us have been hungry! We've eaten all our meals and snacks. Our favorite snack is ice cream. It just feels so good on the throat. 

I've been blowing my nose and sneezing daily.  My eyes have been so watery too. 

5:30 pm - dinner. Husband made steak, potatoes, and salad. We all cleaned our plates. And my 9 years old even had a snickers ice cream after. 

7:00 pm - It's not late, but I'm getting tired. I just checked temperatures.

• Mom (me) has a fever of 99.8 - 100.5. I checked three times. My throat is feeling funny. I can't tell if it's sore or if it's just because of the nasal drip. My chest also has had a little pressure feeling. 
• Teen (16-year-old) no fever. Temp of 97.6 and 98.5
• Tween (9-year-old) fever of 99.6 - 100.5.

My Tween seems to have a lot of energy when her fever goes down or breaks. She becomes her normal self, chasing the cat in the room and talking up a storm. 

9:10 pm - We all took Tylenol and headed to bed.

Day 6: December 7, 2020

6:50 am - woke up feeling pretty good. My body felt like it was dead weight and my blood needed to circulate to get it moving. Everything about my body feels heavy. 

7:10 am Checked fevers three times in a row.

• Mom - low fever of 99.1 - 100.5
• Teen - fever of 99.5 - 100.5
• Tween - fever of 100 - 102

7:30 am We all ate. So far coronavirus hasn't impacted our ability to eat. 

7:50 pm My tween missed her morning call with her virtual class. She said she needed to rest just a little more. Even though she has a low-grade fever, it seems to really zap her (actually all of us) energy. 

Both my teen and tween plan on participating in some school today. And I'm going to work. Just need one more cup of 'Dunkin'!

12:00 pm - No fever for my teen and tween. I had a slight fever of 100. My headache is back. And I just can't get comfortable temperature-wise. I swear I change the thermostat from heat to AC almost every 20 minutes. 

3:30 pm - I'm tired again, but continuing working. I just need to do something and keep my mind off of coronavirus. My teen has a headache and is really tired. Tween is feeling 'fine' which is what she just told me but she does have a low-grade fever. 

5:00 pm - Husband just called to let me know he hasn't been feeling well. He has aches, pains and chills. He said they started last night but he didn't think much of it. (I'M SWEARING LEFT AND RIGHT, RIGHT NOW AND MORE!!!). UGH! Seriously...  I'm a pissed off wife as I have two teen boys who still have no symptoms and I've asked everyone if they have any symptoms to let all of us know immediately. 

5:30 pm - Teen napped. I tried to nap at 5:30 pm but just couldn't do it. Tween couldn't nap too. Instead, she played with our exotic short-haired cat although I kept begging her to sleep. 

6:00 pm - Ate dinner. 

6:15 pm - Changed Teens inset. 

7:00 pm - Teens' blood glucose is going up fast. We believe it's an inset that failed so I changed it again and then gave her a shot of insulin.

7:30 pm - Teens blood glucose is still high so had her take a shower which normally helps bring her blood glucose down. It didn't this time. She was still high after the shower and hours later. This is so stressful. 

8:00 pm, Teen's blood glucose is still way too high. I thought maybe it was another bad inset so I changed it again.  It's so hard to think a virus or fever could cause her blood glucose to be so out of control. But it is and it's beyond frustrating that we can't easily fix it! We upped her basal 25% to bring it down, yet it still isn't coming down. On a normal day, 25% increase in insulin basal rate would make her crash.  That's an insane amount of insulin to give on top of her normal amount. 

9:50 pm - Tween finally fell asleep. We all feel like we have a form of insomnia. I just can't sleep. So I'm working and catching up on reading.

12:00 midnight - Finally heading to bed. Teen blood glucose just wouldn't come down even having her basal upped 30 percent more for hours now. It has stayed over 300 for almost 6 hours. And my teen stayed up with me. Both of us have insomnia and we feel like crap. My mind says to sleep, but nothing is sleeping. Hating this!

Day 7: December 8, 2020

8:00 am - Day 3 for Teen (my type one). She woke up with a fever of 102. Hating this! I had a really hard time sleeping last night. Our bodies were so hot, yet my temperature was a low-grade fever, but I still felt awful. I'm going to work as it keeps me busy.

My teen boys and husband are getting tested today. This is just a very sad time for us. 

6:00 pm - Teen slept most of the day as her blood glucose was high and she had a fever. We had to up her basal 15 - 30% at times. She didn't do any school work as she felt horrible and the fever just wiped her out.  Tween seems to be doing good. She has a lot of energy and is full of smiles. Me, well, my chest is starting to hurt. It feels warm inside and there is a little pain. I have a fever that kicks in once a day it seems. I'm able to work, which gives me peace of mind. I do get tired faster. The doctor said that's normal and to rest when I need to. 

8:00 pm - This just sucks! It has been hell trying to get my type one's blood glucose lower so she feels better. We have been able to prevent it from going over 300 but the longer it's high the more we need to be concerned about ketones.  She's checking her ketones 3 times a day and also if her blood glucose is high for over an hour. So far no ketones. The stress is just enormous right now. 

Day 8: December 9, 2020

5:30 am - Teen woke up with a fever at 5:30 am. Her Tandem t-slim insulin pump alarms woke me up as her blood glucose was going up over 200. We upped her basal 20% and gave her two Tylenol. I let her go back to sleep while I monitored her. By 6:30 am, her blood glucose was 195. Much better.

7:00 am - Teens blood glucose is 162.  We're still working on trying to get it below 150. I had a slight fever and my chest still feels tight. It feels like bad indigestion right under my ribs. My 9-year-old Tween seems to be doing well. 

8:00 am - Tween and Teen are going to try to do some school today. 

11:20 am - Teens' blood glucose still high. She's upping basal 15% so it stays more manageable. 

3:00 pm - Teen is taking a nap. She gets really tired by this time. I'm not feeling great. Tired and looking forward to begin able to take a nap once the Webinar that I'm chairing is done. 

5:45 pm - Teen woke up. No fever and blood glucose is staying around 110 - 130 with the Tandem Tslim. Tween gets a little tired. Both are taking it slow with school so they don't burn out.

9:50 pm - Just learned my husband tested positive. He's in shock as he had a false negative COVID Rapid test the day before. 

Day 9: December 10, 2020 - Husband Positive; Twin 16-year-old son and 17-year-old son Negative.

Around 2:00 am, I got a text alert with my Twin 16-year-old son's coronavirus PCR results. I logged into Novant's MyChart and checked immediately. He's negative! How? I'm not sure because he and his twin sister are always around each other.  I have to call for my 17-year-old son's results. (Praying!)

7:30 am - Teen's blood glucose has been fantastic all night. She's 109 right now. I'm head to toe excited! Praying again that she's over the rough part and is on the mend. 

1:00 pm - Teen boys are negative! So far it's been a pretty good day for me. I'm feeling so much better. I have a lot more energy. My teen daughter had a low-grade fever around noon. She took a really long nap in the afternoon. Tween is back to her normal energic kid-self. 

9:00 pm - Husband is bored. He said he doesn't have a fever, but has cramps in his legs and back and is achy.

Day 10: December 11, 2020 - Lost ability to taste and smell

8:20 am Husband said he had bad stomach cramps last night and then mentioned maybe he needs to work out. Hmm... I have to say, working out hasn't crossed my mind yet since my symptoms started with coronavirus.  I shared with him that maybe he should rest and let his body fight the virus without overworking it. It's not easy not doing anything. From experience, my daughters and I soon learned that when we did too much we ended up sicker the next day where we were more tired and our fever came back. 

10:14 am - We can't smell or taste anything! It really is mind-boggling and such a weird experience. So, we realized it after I gave my Tween a bottle of lotion that I never liked the smell of. She immediately put some in her hands and smelled it. With a puzzled look, she turned to me and said, "I don't smell anything." My Teen took it and smelled the lotion out of the container and couldn't smell anything either.  I thought they were joking, so I smelled it and nothing. No scent at all. I then squirted some on my hands and still couldn't smell it. It has Eucalyptus in it. It's such a strong scented lotion and none of us could smell it. Still wondering if this was for real, I took the can of Lysol and sprayed it. We couldn't smell it. It was like clean air. If our dog farts, we won't smell it! Seriously, is that healthy? UGH!

2:30 pm - my Teen hasn't felt good all day. Whenever her blood glucose goes over 200 she feel horrible and is so snappy. We scheduled a virtual appointment with her Pediatrician because her chest really hurts and she's worried. I guess we all are worried. My chest has hurt for days now too. 

3:50 pm - We had a virtual doctor's appointment! My Tween feels a little better as the doctor said the chest hurting is a common symptom. She shared that our chest is inflamed and we need to take it slow. She also recommended sleeping on your stomach. My Teen has been doing that and it does seem to provide some relief. I'm finding when I eat, my chest hurts more. However, I feel more comfortable sleeping on my back at times. 

8:00 pm - My Teen's blood glucose crashed. It went down to 59. Gave her sugar and monitored. Within 20 minutes it started to come up. She's feeling a lot better now that her blood glucose is above 90.

10:00 pm - Headed to bed. We still get tired early and my Tween has an AP Lang Rhetorical essay makeup exam tomorrow.

Day 11, December 12, 2020

10:00 am - I'm out of quarantine! I'm still wearing a mask and sanitizing everything I touch in the house just in case. But mentally I know I have freedom. It's been such a long grueling experience stuck in my bedroom for 10 days. The only symptoms I still have are not being able to smell and my chest has a little uncomfortableness to it. It feels like a bronchial infection. My sense of taste has gone a little.  It's really weird. Sometimes I can taste salt and other times I can't. It's like it comes and goes.  Same thing with my sense of smell.  I can smell Tea Tree essential oil a little, but can't smell peppermint or lavender at all. Here are some other things I've noticed and are bizarrely funny:

• I can't smell, but when I spray Lysol and I get too close my eyes water up as if it's still affected by the Lysol. 
• I actually folded dirty laundry thinking it was clean. It smelled soooo good! My daughter shared that the clothes I just folded were dirty. How in the world am I going to be able to tell if something smells bad or rotten? 
• This morning I woke up and my 9-year-olds face was centimeters from mine. Her morning breath is usually nasty. But not now. It smells like fresh air.

10:30 am - My husband said he still doesn't feel great. He mentioned he tossed and turned again all night and just could get comfortable.

2:00 pm - Girls and I seem to be on the mend! No fever. No headache. No sore throat. I do still have chest pain. And we all still can't smell. The funny thing is we can taste a little bit. I can taste lime. It's not as strong. I literally can suck on it and not have any reaction. 

7:00 pm - Husband's lower back (around the kidney area) and right behind his right knee still bothers him. The hardest thing about getting COVID-19 is there isn't any consistency with symptoms.

Day 12, December 13, 2020 - I'm out of quarantine!

8:30 am - Girls and I are back! We feel great! Well... maybe not great, but we feel like we are alive again.  Going from feeling like you are dieing to having energy and no headache and no sore throat, you feel like a new person. We still can't smell, but we have so much more energy and feel more alive. My chest still hurts. Madison said hers doesn't' any longer. She seems to be doing so much better. She really had me worried. 

9:00 am - I talked to my mom. She, my dad, and my 95-year-old grandmother aren't sure they are going to travel from Florida to spend Christmas with us this year. I'm pretty bummed, but understand. Last year they weren't able to come either. My grandmother had slipped on black ice going to get the mail in New Hampshire. (My entire family is from NH - I'm born and raised). For the past couple of years, my parents have divided their time between NH and Florida. When they head to Florida, they stop by (we're in North Carolina) to see us. They didn't do it in October. I was the one who told them no because I was nervous about being able to keep them and my family safe from COVID. :-( 

10:00 am - Hubby just texted. He's still having a rough night sleeping. His lower back still hurts and he has some pain still behind his right knee. 

7:00 pm - I spent most of the day decorating and cooking for everyone in the house. Having holiday decorations up makes things a little brighter. 

8:00 pm - Hubby took Motrin. He shared his back and behind the knee pain feels a lot better. 

10:00 pm - So I was relaxing when my 17-year-old shouted to me saying he could smell something strange in the house.  I shot up out of bed nervous there was a fire or a gas lead. But when I tried smelling, I couldn't smell a thing. I pride myself on having an above-average sense of smell. But at this moment I couldn't smell anything. He, my twin son, and I walked the house checking everything... outlets, gas. Nothing seemed out of the norm so we all headed for bed. I prayed when I finally put my head down. How in the world would I be able to protect my kids if I couldn't smell danger? This entire experience just sucked and I don't wish it on anyone. 

Day 13, December 14, 2020 - Work and School today

7:00 am - My 9 year old has her sense of smell and taste back.  My teen daughter and I still can't smell.  I have so much more energy. But I'm snappy. It's like I'm on steroids. I don't know if this is part of coronavirus or just me mentally exhausted from everything we've had to deal with over the past 10-12 days. I am snappy and could use a vacation, which I know won't come soon enough. 

Type 1 Diabetes Medical Alert Bracelets Product Review

Type 1 Diabetes Medical Alert Bracelet

Since my 10 year old daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, we're always on the lookout for products that can make her life easier and safer. The Type 1 Diabetes Medical Alert Bracelet by Living the Dream Goods is a product that can alert a stranger to her disease in case of an emergency. It is made of silicone and is easy to take on and off without help. It also won't discolor your skin. What I loved about it is that it's light weight, easy to travel with, and bright! The words written on it are visible and easy to read. One side reads ALERT Type 1 Diabetes and if your rotate it the other side reads Insulin Dependent.

My 10 year old daughter wore it for a day and found that it caused a lot more attention to her type 1 disease than she wanted. Her friends continuously asked her about it after noticing the bracelet. As such, she has preferred not to wear it unless she is doing an activity that is of greater risk for her safety such as swimming or white water rafting.  She's more likely to experience hypoglycemia (blood sugar low) with these types of activities. 

Overall, we found the Type 1 Diabetes Medical Alert Bracelet to be useful, especially for traveling and vacations. We loved that it's durable, waterproof, and colorful! We've lost a couple expensive medical bracelets on trips. This package includes four, so you have a back-up if you lose one. Highly recommend if planning a vacation where you don't need the extra worry of losing or misplacing a medical alert bracelet.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Preparing My 10 Year Old Daughter with Type 1 Diabetes to Manage her Disease Independently

We did it! My 10 year old daughter, Madison, who has type one diabetes went to the movies, the park and out for pizza without anyone educated or trained (just prepped) in her disease for the very first time! And I learned a lot from this experience.

First, I learned that Madison needs to understand that when she eats, it takes about 2 hours before her blood glucose will start to go down. Of course there are exceptions to this rule such as she is running around. Typically when a child with type 1 diabetes eats, their blood glucose will go up and peak about 2 hours later and then start to go down and stabilize.

Yesterday, Madison called me after the movie to let me know that her blood glucose was 323. She had eaten lunch at Noon. Then she ate candy at 1:30 pm with a blood glucose of 256. Her blood glucose still hadn't peaked from lunch. So eating more sugar with a higher blood glucose will make her blood sugar go up higher. The 323 was expected. I told her give it an hour and her blood sugar will start to go down. She felt a lot better after she called me.

Second, I should have educated her friend's dad on who to call for an emergency such as 911 and me! I think it's also important to be aware of the Glucagon pen. It's like an Epipen and used if a person with type one diabetes experiences hypoglycemia and passes out.

The following is how my husband and I are preparing our daughter to become more independent. This is a life threatening disease and it isn't easy for us to let her go out an entire day without us.  For me to feel comfortable, I need to know that she is responsible enough to take care of a disease that has life threatening results if not managed properly.

• Prepare her medical / diabetes bag. In Madison's bag, we always have the following:
• Meter including finger pricker and test strips
• CGM (if she's not wearing it)
• Two 4 oz juices
• Container of Ritz peanut butter crackers
• Wipes to clean her fingers for an accurate testing
• Glucagon pen (for emergencies)
• Ketone strips
• Parents and doctors (endocrinologist) numbers
• and sometimes Glucose tablets. These don't work as fast for Madison, so we hardly use them.
• Check her blood glucose using a finger pricker, test strips and meter
• Administer insulin using a wireless meter, her pump and/or shots. We've just required Madison to know how to administer insulin using her pump because that is all she uses.
• Understand what to do (and how it feels) if their blood glucose is low (hypoglycemia). Every child is different, but when Madison is low - below 80 - she needs a 4 oz juice and a few peanut butter crackers. 
• Know what to do (and how it feels) if their blood sugar is too high (hyperglycemia). 
• Be able to test for ketones using ketone strips.
• Know that when their blood sugar is too high they shouldn't be eating carbs. They can still eat non-carbs (cheese, meat, celery, cucumbers, pickles). Once their blood sugar goes down to a good number (we like 180), they can have a carb again.
• Have a phone readily available. We let Madison borrow her brother's phone so she didn't have to keep asking her friend's dad. She texted me a few times and then called three times. It gave her peace of mind that I was there if she needed me. When we spoke, I had her answer her own questions versus me giving her the answers.

I would love to hear other ideas or suggestions for how to continue helping my daughter become more independent!

Other posts:

• Overprotective Mom Did It! My Type 1 Diabetes Girl Is Out At The Movies Without Me
• Managing Your Child's Type 1 Diabetes During Sports Tournament
• Diabetes - Differences Between Type 1 and Type 2 (Sept, 2013)Back to School Type 1 Diabetes Survival Tips for Parents (Aug, 2013)

Overprotective Mom Did It! My Type 1 Diabetes Girl Is Out At The Movies Without Me

My Girl With Type 1 Diabetes

I'm sitting at my computer nervously waiting for one text or call from Madison (my 10 year old daughter with type 1 diabetes) to let me know she's okay. I finally let her go to the movies and then out for pizza without me or her dad being there. It actually isn't that we need to be there. I always felt better if someone who was trained or well educated in her disease should be with her. Today, she's out without anyone who has been trained, and a dad who has only been briefly prepped on her complex and deadly disease.

Since she was diagnosed (November 4, 2011), my husband and I have attended every birthday party, athletic game, and school event she has been invited to. We have allowed her to go over friends houses without us, but with pretty strict rules to follow such as calling me when she was going to eat so I could confirm her carb count to insulin dosage, since the parent wasn't as well educated in that area. It just gave me peace of mind having her call me.

Waiting for My Sweetie to Come Home

But today, Madison is at the movies (Big Hero 6) and out for pizza with her friend and her friends family without me, and without having to call me. And YES, I AM WORRYING! Well...I actually am experiencing conflicting emotions right now. There is a part of me that is hoping she doesn't call or text me and she handles every high and low, every blood glucose check, and everything else with managing her disease on her own. This would be such a great accomplishment for her, giving her more freedom! But then there is a part of me that worries, that wants to know she's okay. AND I AM WORRIED.  I guess that's what comes with parenting and parenting a child who is living with this disease.

The movie started at 1:10 pm. It's now 1:35 pm and she hasn't needed to contact me, which is fantastic! But I hate wondering.

I do kind of feel bad. Madison asked if she could have popcorn, which I told her she couldn't. Popcorn is hard to measure and estimate an accurate carb count. As such I told her no. If she measured the popcorn wrong, she could experience hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia. I was trying to prevent her from experiencing either right now. When her blood glucose is high, It comes with so many downsides like headaches, stomach aches, and not being able to focus. Even though she won't be eating popcorn, I did pack her two snack sized candy bars, a lollipop, and a mint. All that she knows the exact carb count for.

And for her lows, she has three juices (to treat her lows) and peanut butter crackers (to stabilize her blood sugar). I also borrowed my son's cell phone so she would able to contact me herself and not have to constantly ask her friends dad, if she did need to reach me.

I can't wait till she comes home to hear how the movie was and how everything went. This is a day I will always remember because it's the day where I felt comfortable enough that she could take care of her type 1 disease on her own without an educated adult nearby. It also is a day where she felt confident enough to do it without her dad or I there.

Society Devaluing Children With Type One Diabetes

It's almost been three years since my daughter Madison was diagnosed with type one diabetes. I knew there was going to be challenges in her life, especially with managing her blood glucose levels. But I never imagined the lack of support and understanding by some in society.  This past summer, several people made comments like, "Maybe it's better if she's not in AIG (Academically or Intellectually Gifted Program). This way it is easier;" (easier on who? no matter if she's in AIG or not, her life will never be simply easy) or "If she were my daughter, I wouldn't put her under so much stress by having her in AIG," (first, she wants to be in AIG. second, stress is part of life and she needs to learn to deal with it no matter what age she is.) "Perhaps she should play recreational soccer, instead of competitive soccer because it's less stressful and it's more flexible." (not sure what world this guy lives in, but athletic games and tournaments will always entail some form of stress. and as she gets older, she is going to have to compete for jobs etc.)

I was blown away by their words, specifically the word easier. What about overcoming all odds? What about helping her reach her potential? What about looking at her true ability and being an advocate to help her succeed?

On top of it, this is what she wants and she is willing to deal with the stress that comes with succeeding and achieving her dreams.

Children with type one diabetes should be given the opportunity to succeed and perform their best at whatever they do. If they are smart enough to be in AIG's then create an environment that allows them to do so. If they are talented enough to play competitive soccer, help them make it happen. Especially if that is what they want.

I've never once thought that Madison couldn't do anything she put her mind to, even with having type one diabetes. Yes, it's not going to be as easy as someone who doesn't have her disease. But if she puts her mind to it, I truly believe she and any person living with type one diabetes can accomplish anything they put their mind too. They shouldn't be left out of success, even if it comes with more stress or they have to face competition.

Children with type one diabetes shouldn't be pushed to live an easier, less competitive life. They should be pushed and motivated to be the best at whatever they chose to do. And society should support them in the process.

Please share your stories of where someone suggested that you and / or your child take the easy road.

Isabella babysits Baxter

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Never a Normal Breakfast For My Daughter Who Has Type 1 Diabetes

This morning Madison asked me if she could have a Nutrigrain bar for breakfast. Her baby sister wanted one, why not her? I took a deep breath, dreading having to have this conversation and said, "That's a lot of carbs (24 to be exact) that most likely won't fill your belly." She frowned and then said, "Yea, your right." I've found Nutrigrain bars to be a great snack, but not to be very filling for a kid for breakfast, unless you eat two to three of them.

Every day Madison wakes up acting and being a normal kid. But as soon as she walks down the stairs for breakfast everything changes. See, she can't walk down the stairs without her blood glucose meter in hand and also her CGM (continuous glucose monitor). If she does, she can't eat until she gets it.

Before every meal and, every snack, Madison needs to check her blood glucose level. And if it's less than 225, she can have a kid-friendly 75 carb breakfast like pancakes and waffles and cereal. We've found that if she eats more than 75 carbs at a meal, she ends up getting a really bad headache, and even sometimes a stomach ache. If it's between 225 and 250, she can only have 50 carbs. And if it's over 250, she gets about 10 carbs and the rest has to be carb free.

My goal is to help Madison be as healthy as she can be and to live a long and healthy life. When her blood glucose is over 250 and she eats more than 10 carbs, her blood glucose shoots over 300. This to me is very unhealthy.

I'm very open to Madison on why she can't eat certain foods at certain times. She gets it. But not without a depressed face, which breaks my heart.

So this morning, with a blood glucose of 192, instead of a Nutrigrain bar, she had a bowl of cereal with milk and some blueberries added (55 carbs) and a side of strawberries and blueberries (15 carbs) = 70 carb breakfast.

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ASTROLOGY NEWS: Responsibility, Discipline and Leadership Are Key When Saturn and Uranus Change Direction in July 2014

Saturn teaches us our life lessons. It's the planet of karma. It is all about taking responsibility, being discipline and working hard for what you want to achieve. On July 21, 2014, Saturn goes direct in the sign of Scorpio. Scorpio is all about power, extremes and intensity. With Saturn in the sign of Scorpio, you will see people trying to achieve their goals against all odds, including countries who are fighting for their identity and survival.

Within days of Saturn going direct, Uranus goes retrograde on July 23rd in the sign of Aries. Uranus is all about the unexpected and unpredictable. Aries are leaders and are the first one's to start things. But they may be the last to finish.

Truthfully, these two planets changing direction so close to each other in such power hungry signs makes me a bit nervous. The Middle East is still volatile. Questions still unknown about who will become the leader. These two planets can trigger ego's to want it all at the cost of everything. And the United States needs to determine what responsibility it has to its people as things get very heated up in other areas of the world.

In addition, major electrical storms (including tornado's) and an earthquake could result. Change is inevitable. But with Uranus in the picture, not all change will be predictable.

On a personal level, start that project you've been wanting to start. It's also a time to keep an eye out for opportunities and go after the job you've been wanting. Make sure as you are making your choices, it's not for selfish reasons. Taking advantage of other people will leave you learning another major lesson.

In summary:

• Saturn will affect people's status, career and home. When it changes direction, it opens up opportunities for a move, a marriage, and a new job.
• Uranus brings unexpected news. It's the planet of technology and infrastructure. Advances can be made, as well as new discoveries. Every time Uranus changes direction, I pray that JDRF finds a cure for my daughters type 1 diabetes disease.
• It's a great time to start new projects.
• If you are experiencing any health concerns, especially around your stress-level, anxiety and heart, you may want to slow down. Take deep breaths and remember that each and every one of us can only do so much.
• Power struggles can result. Use self-control and stop before you say something that you will regret. 
• Positive leadership is key. And knowing when and how to lead is most important. 
• Major weather patterns - earthquake, electrical storm and even severe tornado's could result. 
• Tame the ego inside of you that craves power at the cost of everything and everyone. This will end up your greatest learning lesson if you don't.

Lastly, as an entrepreneur and a mom, I would love for you to check out my children's books! Thank you so much for your support and I hope I've helped you in some way too!

www.melissaproductions.com 

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Dexcom G4 CGM for Type 1 Diabetes Review

I love the Dexcom G4 CGM! But I also am not the one with type 1 diabetes, or the one wearing it. It's my 9 year old daughter who is testing it and we've had some not so great moments with it. But the pros are outweighing the cons.


My daughters Dexcom is pink.

Madison was diagnosed 2 1/2 years ago with type 1 diabetes. Within 8 weeks we had her on an insulin pump, which made our lives easier (not great, but easier), with managing her type 1 diabetes. Last summer, I started to suggest that she try a continuous glucose monitor (CGM). She wasn't excited for several reasons:

1. It's another attachment. My daughter is an insulin pump user, which requires an inset to be attached to her body so insulin can flow from the insulin pump into her body. The CGM sensor attaches to your body and then wirelessly sends your blood sugar readings to a device that interprets and shows them in graph format.
2. With the Dexcom G4 CGM, you have another device to be responsible for. And they are pretty pricey to replace!

The reason I was pushing her to try it was because she started to experience loss of hypoglycemia sensitivity. She wasn't feeling her lows. A month ago, after having quite a few blood sugar lows of 60 and then one at 41 where she didn't feel the lows very well, she decided to give the Dexcom G4 Pediatric CGM a try.

Why we chose Dexcom G4 CGM:
I chose the Dexcom because it was a smaller and a less bulky attachment compared to the Medtronic CGM. It also had a separate receiver, allowing my husband and I to quickly see Madison's blood sugar readings. And from the reviews I had read, it was more accurate.

It arrived in three boxes. One box was the receiver. Another was the transmitter. And the third was four sensors.

 

Our positive and not so positive experience the first week:

• The CGM sensor/transmitter attachment was a lot bigger and bulkier on my daughter than it was on the adult we saw it on. 
   
  
• Having another attachment really was a downer for my daughter and I. She already had her insulin inset attached to her. This one took up so much space on her belly and made me sad that her baby skin was being pricked again.
   
  
• First day blood sugar readings weren't accurate at all. I learned why. The CGM is reading bodily fluids and not blood sugar. As such, we have to teach it that what it reads for a bodily fluid number equals the blood sugar reading. It really is cool. In fact, on day two, the results were amazingly accurate and have been since.
• On day two, my daughters sensor came off. We had it attached to an area just above her butt. It wasn't the best location, because I had attached it right where the top of her pants was. When she went to the bathroom, her pants got hooked on the sensor and ripped half of it off. The company replaced the sensor for us, which we were so happy about!
• The 2nd sensor lasted us seven days! I loved it! But my daughter didn't.
• First, why I loved it. It gave me accurate readings of her blood sugar, allowing me to prepare for her highs and lows. It also allowed us to not prick her fingers so much.
• She loved the fact that it gave her more accurate blood sugar readings, but hated that she had another attachment. The spot on her belly bothered her. It got in the way when she was sitting and felt awkward. We also had to put another piece of adhesive on it to make sure it didn't come off this time. She said it really itched. When we took off the CGM sensor on day seven, she had a rash that looked like it was irritated.
• It ended without allowing a grace period. I was so pissed! So, on day seven, the CGM sensor had reached it's life at 8:15 am - 45 minutes before we had to head to an all day fastpitch tournament. Later, I found out that it does give you an advance warning, which must have happened when we were all sleeping. Going back to 8:15 am.  I heard this beep coming from the CGM and then saw an image that looked like a red light / stop light. I pressed the button and it turned off. I was so pissed. We were heading out of the house to a softball tournament and the stupid thing ended. I called Dexcom. 45 minutes later they called me back. By that time, I had already changed my daughters sensor. Not without tears though. She shed a few tears because she needs a little more time than a few minutes to plan for stuff like this. She hates needles. She hates doing this. And removing the sensor attachment and putting another one one just wasn't something she was excited to do. But she did it at 8:55 am. Then we had to wait two hours before we got a blood sugar reading. Timing sucked. Exactly when her game started, the CGM receiver beeped asking us to enter two blood sugar readings. Thank heavens she was 5th at bat. We hurried and pricked her finger twice and then entered the blood sugar readings. From that moment on, the CGM was such a benefit. It gave us the most accurate blood sugar readings and we didn't have to prick her fingers during the tournament, except for lunch.

So, we are still in the testing period. As a mom, I love it because I don't have to prick her fingers as much and when she is running around, I get a quick snapshot if her blood sugar is starting to go down. But as a mom, I also hate it, because it covers a large part of her belly and she has to lug around a device so she can get a glimpse of her blood sugar results. She said this sensor attachment doesn't bother her as much. We put it higher so it doesn't interfere with her insulin pump fanny pack type bag. She also likes knowing her blood sugar more often.

My Type 1 Daughter Treated Herself For Wrong Blood Sugar

This morning, as I was getting the kids ready for school, I noticed I hadn't filled out Madison's type 1 diabetes sheet that lists her blood sugar for breakfast, total carbs she ate, and the carb count for her snack and lunch. I nonchalantly asked her what her blood sugar was. She told me 156. As I was writing the number on the sheet, she then told me that she might have changed it on her meter and given herself insulin for a blood sugar of 212. My eyes basically popped out of my head.

I really thought Madison was joking, but then I checked her meter and she did treat herself for a blood sugar of 212. All I thought was, when the heck is this disease going to become less stressful?

I actually left her as is and didn't give her anything to eat because I wasn't sure of the numbers. Even though Madison said she increased her blood sugar reading on the meter to 212, I wasn't 100% sure she really did. It just didn't seem realistic that she would have done that. Yet, she was so sure that she did. And there was no history or log that I could find within the meter that showed otherwise.

Instead, I emailed her teacher and the nurse to give them a heads up on what had happened and to watch her. If she would have given herself too much insulin, her blood sugar would have been lower than normal in the morning. It's 12:30 pm, and I guess everything must be fine because no emergency texts have come my way.

The more freedom I give my nine year old daughter to check her blood sugar and give herself insulin, the more I realize how easy it is to make mistakes using her current meter and insulin pump. She can easily change her blood sugar reading result. She can easily change her settings without a parents approval or password. She can easily give herself more insulin or less insulin. And she can easily prime the insulin pump, which could kill her.

I'm disappointed in the lack of safety protocols on my daughters insulin pump. Mistakes like this shouldn't easily happen. I know the technology has significantly advanced, since the 50's. But as a mom, wanting to give her daughter more freedom and control in managing her blood sugar, her current meter and pump doesn't give me the confidence that she will be safe.

Madison presently uses the Animas One Ping. I love it because of it's wireless ability. You can bolus your child wireless using the meter. It's heaven, especially when you are out in public. You don't have to pull out her insulin pump to give her insulin. Instead, you do it straight from the meter. But there are downsides like the meter not communicating with the insulin pump and only partial insulin delivery goes.

I'm sure every meter and insulin pump has it's positive and negatives. I'd love to hear your experiences with your meter and insulin pump. Right now we're looking into the Dexcom G4 CGM (continuous glucose monitor) and Medtronic.

How To Manage Your Child's Type 1 Diabetes During A Basketball Tournament

We won! My nine year old daughter's U10 Girls Basketball Team won their tournament! They are the Charlotte Mecklenburg champions! And my daughter made two amazing baskets, which looked easy during the game, but truthfully hadn't been easy during the season because of her type 1 diabetes.

 

 

Figuring out her best blood sugar level for each of my daughter's sports hasn't been easy. For softball her blood sugar level seemed to work well in the low 200's. Soccer the same. And, I actually thought it was also a perfect number for basketball. But yesterday's basketball championship game proved me wrong.

Every game this basketball season, Madison's blood sugar has stayed steady in the low 200's. Usually around 211 - 226. And we worked hard to get it to that level by making sure she didn't eat certain foods such as pizza, meatball sub, pasta, rice, or a bagel before a game. Those foods keep her blood sugar high for a longer period of time, where she has a harder time focusing and concentrating.

During the game's, Madison appeared fine, blocking shots and trying to make shots. Every so often she would have a delayed response or a puzzled look on her face. I wondered if it was due to her blood sugar (type 1 diabetes) or her not understanding the play. But after yesterday's game, where her blood sugar was 126 at the start of the game, I'm starting to think her puzzled looks and inability to think quick on the basketball court had to do with her blood sugar being too high for this sport.

Madison was like a totally new basketball player on the court yesterday. She was leaping out of no where for the ball. She took shots and even got two in. I was so proud of her, yet so disappointed in myself that she played the entire basketball season with a blood sugar that was too high for her to really perform at her best. My husband and I have kept it higher, fearing it would drop fast and then she'd crash. I hate seeing her shake and her face turn pale when her blood sugar is low. It's scary for her and me. So keeping it higher is a much more comfortable zone for us. At least, I thought. But now I know differently.

Fastpitch U10 softball tryouts are this weekend. And I'm coaching, which gives me the opportunity to be hands on with her type 1 diabetes and do some trial and error. I'm going to try to keep her blood sugar around 130 - 150 for all games. I know that won't be possible all the time; especially because she always seems to go through growth spurts during the spring season and the heat causes her blood sugar to increase, forcing me to make lots of changes to her insulin levels. But I'm not giving up! And I hope every parent who has a child with type 1 diabetes doesn't give up too!

We as parents of children living with type 1 diabetes have a responsibility to teach your child how to eat properly and manage their disease so they can perform at their best academically, intellectually, and athletically now and continue into their adult age.

What I learned:

• Don't feed the disease.
• High carb foods like pizza, fried rice, pasta, and a bagel keep my daughters blood sugar high too long, causing her to not be able to perform at her best in school and sports.
• A blood sugar of 126 worked amazing for my daughter during her basketball tournament. Of course, I was nervous the entire time, wondering if her blood sugar was dipping below 100. It didn't!
• After a sports game, parents need to keep a close eye on their child's blood sugar because it takes hours for it to become stable again. In fact, last night, after my daughters basketball game (4:30 pm), we checked her blood sugar and it was 90, so we fed her dinner. At 8:15 pm it was 227.  I knew it was going to drop a little more, so I didn't treat it. At 11:00 pm, my husband checked her blood sugar and it was 60. He had to wake her up and give her a juice and a few peanut butter crackers.