Will My Family Ever Understand Diabetes?!

Today as I type, I am feeling hurt yet again by my family's lack of understanding when it comes to Type 1 Diabetes.  

My nephew has been sick a handful of times over the last couple of days and his birthday party is supposed to be tomorrow.
I texted my sister assuming the party was off...apparently not.
I then politely pointed out It would be less then 48 hours after he was last ill, and that I couldn't risk it with 'O'.
Now I am being told yet again that I am being 'dramatic' and 'over the top'.
What upsets me is I have told her all the risks.
She knows how dangerous a simple bug is for somebody with Diabetes.

If 'O' gets a sickness bug, her body gets very stressed and can cause very erratic and high blood sugars.
If she is not eating, she can get very low blood sugars.
If she is being sick she will get dehydrated very fast, and its not as simple as small sips every 5 minutes like with my other children.
It means constant finger pricks to monitor her blood sugars, it means working out constantly how much or little insulin she needs.
It means testing her urine for keytones and trying to get rid of them with the right amount of insulin and fluids..... not an easy task when your child is being sick constantly and refuses fluids!
It means trying to guess what her body is going to do next...and hoping for the best.

I don't like to see any of my children ill.
It is never and easy thing for any parent, but try doing everything above, while cleaning up sick, comforting your child, riffling through the medicine cupboard for the sugar free drugs, while on the phone to the hospital warning them to keep a bed open for her on the ward with a screaming toddler on your hip, and a 5 year old complaining of a sore tummy.

Another thing I struggle with on 'sick days' is having to choose between my children.
And if we are admitted on to the childrens ward... I have to leave my other children at home... this is always a hard thing for me to do.
It breaks my heart everytime.

Why as a mother can she not understand that.
Its not about Diabetes, its about common sense.
My non diabetic children wont be attending the party either!

a simple tummy bug when your diabetic!

If you follow my blog by now your know my 4 year old daughter 'O' is a type 1 diabetic. 
She has been diagnosed for 2 years now!
Well this morning she woke up with higher blood sugars then normal, so i knew something was happening. 
She had an upset tummy straight away and i checked her blood for key tones. 
Having key tones in your blood is dangerous and you can get very ill very quickly and O did! 
She was running a very high temp and her blood sugar levels were rising fast. 
I knew i had to get insulin in her fast and she needed to drink. 
Not the easiest thing to do when all she wanted to do was sleep.
If O was not diabetic i could of gave Calpol, offered her a drink and put her back to bed. 

Instead i had two drinks, and i had to measure how much she drank, and what time she used the bathroom. I had to test her blood every hour, work out how much insulin she needed, constantly carry her to the loo as she was very weak. 

Key tones makes you feel like rubbish, they make you vomit and dizzy, she also had a headache. I was constantly keeping check of what medicine she had and getting it into her as quick as possible. 

All while on the phone to her nurses, waiting in for 5 different deliveries. And looking after my other 2 girls! 

she has had 20 blood tests today. She is my brave little monkey! We are still fighting those nasty key tones, but i am determined to get my girl well and feeling a lot better tomorrow. 

After all that's all i can do. Don't get me wrong i have had a really good long cry today, i have felt tired, frustrated, useless. 

Hurry up cure, my girly and me need a break!