Water Bottle Fiasco!

It was a water bottle fiasco today!  I asked Ally's teacher that she be allowed to keep a water bottle in the classroom in case she is thirsty so that she does not have to go all the way down the looonnnggg hallway to the drinking fountain.  She was happy to oblige.  She did, however, ask that she keep it in her cubby (version of a locker in the classroom) so that water did not get "everywhere."  So that was the plan.  I carefully chose a water bottle that I thought would withstand the bumps and bruises of a 2nd grader.  Sent it to school.  She came back home with it.  WHAT? 

Turns out that after filling the water bottle, Ally did not properly screw the lid on.  Now you see where this is going...and I direct you back to the teachers comment about "not getting water everywhere."  AWESOME!
(That was sarcastic!)  Ally put her water bottle in said cubby as directed by the teacher.  She went back to her seat...all was well.  Until the end of the day when she went back to her cubby and found the water bottle tipped over, water dripping down from her cubby into other cubbies below!  AWESOME! (Yes, again!) 

Next she enlists help from the teacher (who I am only assuming is not at all pleased with this situation) to clean up the water spill.  I'm guessing that from her description she didn't drink much of the water during class...as it appears that a Niagara Falls effect was happening at the cubbies!  Oh my!  AWESOME!  The water was cleaned up.  And then they discovered that her brand new Math workbook (which I only had to pay $25 for) was now ruined.  Not salvageable!  One more time...AWESOME!!!!!!!  Her teacher told her she'd have to see IF she could find her a new math book.  Then told her to take the water bottle home. 

Ally's BG shoots up when she is nervous, I checked her CGM...there was a bit of a spike right about the end of the day.  Poor thing.  I feel bad for her, even though it was her carelessness that caused it.  So now my question to you....do you send a water bottle to school with your T1 child?  Do you have one that you really love?  Better yet, do you have one that is spill-proof???!?!?!?!  Ah yes, and 2nd grader friendly too?  Please share!!!

Off with a Kissing Hand and a Prayer

I am emotional. 

Yesterday was the first day of school for my girls.

   Ally started 2nd grade.

 

And it was Jessi's first day of Kindergarten.

Back to school looks different in our house than in many homes.  We are not just sending our precious little ones back to school...we are sending "Diabetes Back to School."  I have done MUCH preparation to make sure that Ally and her school are ready for this school year to begin.  (But I won't bore you here with those details...yet!)

We have a tradition in our house.  I always read the story of  The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn to my girls before they go back to school.  In the story, Chester Raccoon doesn't want to go to school.  He wants to stay home with his mommy.  While neither of my girls seemed to be like Chester - they were both so excited about the first day of school, I did feel sad...wishing I could just keep them home with me!

"Sometimes we all have to do things we don't want to do," she told him gently.  "Even if they seem strange and scary at first."  I got tears and choked up when I read those words this time....

As the story continues...
Mrs. Raccoon kisses Chester in the center of his hand and tells him that whenever he feels lonely to just press his hand to his cheek and think 'Mommy loves you.  Mommy loves you.'   Chester knew that his mother's love would go with him wherever he went.  I put a kiss in each of my girls' hands as they headed off to school, hoping that they too would think 'Mommy loves me.  Mommy loves me.' if they felt lonely or scared.

I hope that my kissing hand is enough to ease any of their fears...but I don't think it's enough to ease mine.  I also said some prayers as I sent them on their way.  Please God keep them safe.  Please give the staff at Ally's school the strength and knowledge to keep her safe for every.single.minute. that she is away from me...All 480 of them (minutes, that is)!

Perfectly Practical and Way Too Sweet!

Too Sweet!  Check out this Perfectly Clear Pouch from Too Sweet Boutique.

Isn't Ally's new pump pouch too cute?  Since Ally started using her CGM (What is CGM, you say?  Click here to read all about it.) a little over a week ago, we can't help ourselves...we are checking the BG (blood glucose) reading on her pump ALL.THE.TIME.  I will save the story of how neurotic we have become since beginning the CGM for another time.

Too cool!  We can view the pump screen right through the clear pouch.

Today I wanted to share these absolutely wonderful insulin pump pouches that I found at Too Sweet Boutique.  Not only are they just too fashionable; they are too practical.  The Perfectly Clear Pump Pouch that Ally is wearing is perfect for CGM users.  Ally loves that she can give herself an insulin bolus without even taking the pump out of the pouch.  When I ordered our first clear pouch, I was not sure how durable the plastic would be...Would the plastic be clear enough?  Would I really be able to read the pump screen through the plastic?  Would we be able to use the pump and perform all its functions without removing it from the pouch?   Well, let me tell you...I have not had trouble reading the screen even once (and believe me, I've been reading it A LOT!) AND...It is very easy to push the buttons right through the clear pouch.  Sure makes those middle of the night checks easier, too.  If needed, I can check basals, bolus for a correction and more without waking Ally up while trying to maneuver her pump out of the pouch.

Too Practical!  Button hole on the back is great for keeping the tubing in the pouch.

Another thing that is too practical about this pouch is that you can request a button hole on the back of the pouch.  We LOVE threading her pump tubing through the button hole for two reasons.  First, it really helps to keep the extra tubing in the pouch instead of floating all over the place!  Second, the button hole in the back allows you to wear the pump upside down.  Ally loves this!  When she looks down the numbers are not upside down to her.

Yes it is supposed to be upside down!

We are so in love with this Perfectly Clear Pump Pouch now, that even if we were not using the CGM, I would prefer that Ally use the clear pouch all the time.  I think she does too!