Good news: we convinced our daughter to try the insulin pump. As you know from my previous blogs, we had brought the horse to water but were having trouble getting her to drink. I had tried every rational argument possible with her, and she was respondingby trying every pre-teen argument possible back. Finally, I had to go to the last resort of parents everywhere: I bribed her. Let’s just call it “incentivizing.” Her dad and I... … [Read more...]

Our favorite professional golfer with Type I, Scott Verplank, has made not one but TWO holes-in-one at the prestigious Ryder Cup competition in Ireland. He beat Padraig Harrington of Ireland, who plays for the European team. This is Verplank’s second time competing in the Ryder Cup for the United States. A report from today’s Washington Post: “Verplank was a captain’s pick but played only two matches, both victories. He birdied... … [Read more...]

The Better Homes and Gardens New Junior Cookbook (No author listed) Annie’s favorite kids cookbook – all the recipes are kid-tested and fool-proof, plus nutrition information for every one! Most of the recipes are things that kids would actually eat -- nothing too exotic – and all come with start-to-finish times and suggestions for accompaniments. Along with pages on how to set the table and measure ingredients, there’s a page on how... … [Read more...]

As most of you know, my daughter’s numbers have been high lately (we’ve had three HbA1C tests in a row that were 8-plus). As a family, we’ve switched to a low-glycemic index diet – I’ll save that for another blog – and are considering moving to an insulin pump from our current Novolog and Lantus regimen. Research shows that kids who wear a pump have consistently better blood glucose levels and A1C numbers. Unfortunately, we... … [Read more...]

Most other families don’t really talk to their child’s teacher until the first scheduled parent-teacher conference, which can take place anywhere from now until Thanksgiving. But with a child with diabetes, you need to meet with the teacher within the first few days of school. You may have already done so, but here are a few points you might want to raise: Your concerns are two-fold: day-to-day management of your child’s diabetes; and... … [Read more...]

We returned from Missouri with Annie’s numbers very high, so we went to see the endocrinologist. Of course, the minute we made the appointment, her numbers went back to normal, but we went anyway. It turns out we weren’t doing anything wrong – diet, exercise, new insulin in case it had gone bad, ketone tests -- the doctor agreed with it all. But then she figured it out: growth hormones. Annie had grown an inch in three months,... … [Read more...]

This week we’ve been out in Missouri visiting Grandma. My two daughters and I are learning quilting from her, going to the pool, reading books from the summer reading list, and poking around overstuffed antique shops. August in the Midwest is like nowhere else – searing heat, yes, but also puffy clouds barely moving across the sky, slow-moving barges floating on the Mississippi, and even slower-moving people. As my brother-in-law likes to... … [Read more...]

Now that it’s nearing the end of the summer, I have a request for families with kids with diabetes: please send me your suggestions for good summer camps. As I wrote in an earlier blog, my daughter did not particularly enjoy her summer camp experience two years ago, but she’s ready to try again in the summer of 2007. So I thought I’d ask now, while everyone’s memories are fresh. You don’t have to suggest only diabetes camps –... … [Read more...]

After five years of Annie’s diabetes, we’re trying something for the first time: a vacation in a truly remote location. When she was first diagnosed, I thought we’d never be able to go on vacation again, much less to a place like this. We’re in western Colorado, in a small town called Crawford, at a dude ranch for the week. You fly in to a small town called Montrose and drive an hour from there. I was worried, in case something... … [Read more...]

We flew last weekend , 48 hours after the first set of restrictions had been placed on air travelers. I promised to let you know how that went, and here’s the answer: it was no big deal. I had checked everything except for one small carryon for the children and myself, containing books, my wallet, and the diabetes bag. I thought I’d beat the TSA staff to the punch, so when we got to the security checkpoint, I told the officials that... … [Read more...]