Thinking about diabetes

I've been doing a lot of thinking about diabetes lately. I've been reading some interesting blogs by others living with a child or children with diabetes. It is part of our daily life and I am determined it won't rule our lives and yet it does. It is so frustrating to be told be the pediatrician that her averages are to high. Everytime I make a change to the rates on Kitkat's pump it all goes wrong.

Hit home today at liam's IEP. The intermediate were there as that's where he is off to next year. Being a big pre teen and all. We discussed his behavior a lot. It's not great at the moment. The teachers from the intermediate commented on how great it has been having Kitkat at the school. But then gave be puzzled looks when I commented that Liam was my easy child. He is difficult at the best of times but autism is so straightford compared to diabetes where everything Kitkat does affects everything!

I think I need to take a few deep breaths and get over diabetes and on with life.

Sewing, sowing, sown

Some silly person (me) volunteered to sew the costumes for Liam's school production on top of the ones I sew to order.
School holidays and camping trips have brought this to a stand still. So I have taken action and packed the kids off to Nana's for three days so I can get them done.
Liam is an All Black in the production and his teacher has very bravely given him a line to say (I can wait to hear his line turn into a twenty minute monologue as he loves acting). Ahh the unpredictability of children with autism.
Off to sew 10 aliens and 5 spacemen.

Tales of Woe

For a week that started with promise it went steadily down hill and seems to still be in a slide.
Monday I ran a homeschool sewing class for a couple of friends girls. We had a great time, the girls sewed themselves a pair of pj's and were very proud of themselves.
Tuesday Kathryn stayed home feeling unwell and her blood sugar levels were a bit interesting.
Wednesday I took her to the doctors and told him no hospitals, I'm sure you can fix it. By 3pm we were in hospital and there we remained amongst doctors and nurses, sick kids and stressed parents, blood tests and drips.
Thursday the promised we could go home at 6pm and at 7pm and at 8pm but we were staying again by 9pm.
Friday we came home to a puppy who'd missed us and a Liam who hadn't that much.
Saturday the bloods were going haywire.
Sunday we tried to find a babysitter to go to my parents 'no kids please' housewarming. Plenty of takers for Kathryn but no one wants to look after small autistic boys. So feeling very sorry for myself as I sit here missing probably my only party of the year. I am going to have to make some more friends it seems.

The faces of an eleven year old.

Wow my gorgeous girl is eleven and what an action packed eleven years it has been. I have loved you through them all but I know at times I have struggled to understand your point of view.
1997 you were born and spent most of the year crying and refusing to eat or be held and I loved you so much and proudly showed you off.
1998 you started to talk, were running around and then forgot how. We thought we found why and you had your operation. It didn't change a thing.
1999 you hated others being near and would cry if you saw your grandparents outside of their own houses. You had a baby brother who didn't exist to you except in the car when you would scream hysterically until we reached out destination.
2000 you started to babble and we found out that dada was you. At daycare you played alone and had to paint stripes down the paper as you entered the building. You never cried or cared when I left you.
2001 you went to kindy and had a few friends. I figured out that suso meant I love you and cried some more. Your brother was diagnosed with Autism and you became our forgotten child.
2002 you turned five and went to school. Over two months you learnt to talk and never shut up. You read and did maths far in advance of your age. You were strongly independent and hated the fact your brother could read better than you. You finally got your wish and started ballet.
2003 you stared in your first show at Baycourt. You had to change schools so you could attend the same school as your brother. It was hard.
2004 you repeated the year at school because you were immature for your age. You started to retreat again.
2005 you still loved your ballet and brownies.
2006 you got sick and I didn't know what was wrong. I nearly went out of my mind trying to find out why. You got diabetes and had to learn to inject yourself and do finger pricks. I cried at how brave you were. You stayed home with me and started to be happy again.
2007 you homeschooled and grew up so much. I was so proud.
2008 we moved house and you went back to school. You are unhappy again and still I love you my funny child.
I wish you a great future on the brightest sky this winter night.