Oh, those compression lows- let’s talk about them!
We tend to get these in the middle of the night when we are comfy and fast asleep. And then without warning, BEEP BEEP BEEP, urgent low! Thank goodness for a good anti-age cream because these tend to age me so quickly. They look very similar, with the Dexcom it’s just smooth sailing with normal numbers and then a drastic crash.
Here’s what happens; your monitor is reading interstitial fluid- the fluid between the cells.
Interstitial fluid actually makes up 40% of the water in your body. Interstitial fluid contains salt, fatty acids, glucose and minerals like magnesium, calcium and potassium. Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) are machines which measure the glucose level in the interstitial fluid. As glucose moves into your interstitial fluid, it makes the journey out of your blood stream. So, since they are changing rapidly, the CGM has a ten-minute delay.
When you are rolling over (especially in sleep!) or pushing really hard by sitting down on your sensor, that compression of the sensor into your body is separating the interstitial fluid away from the sensor wire so the glucose is away from the wire. If you are seeing a huge drop without any cause, that’s usually a sign that it’s a compression low. When these happen, we move Ella around a bit and tend to do a finger prick just to be sure. We then wait a few minutes for the blood to circulate and the numbers will typically soon correct themselves. If it continues to drop make sure to treat and calibrate!
Blood draws can seem really scary for those first few visits for both you and your child. I always try to do a deep dive of research before these bigger moments so I’m fully prepared and have an idea of what I need to do to make it a positive experience for Ella.
Here are some of the key takeaways I have learned prepping for blood draws over the past three years!
Let’s start with a Target shopping trip- I mean who can resist an excuse to go!
They now have an over-the-counter option of Lidocaine which makes life so much easier than trying to fill a script before you go!
I also try to get a few dollar spot options as a reward as well as glow sticks. I let Ella hold them and when she starts to get anxious, we crack them and talk about the magic. It gets her focus off the needle and adds a little bit of fun.
About a week before we talk about the process in a very easy and simple way. We don’t talk about needles but Ella has had a really hard time with tourniquets. We got a blood pressure cuff and added it to our doctor sensory play so she can get used to have something wrapped around her arm with her own autonomy.
On the day of I make sure to keep her as hydrated as possible. If they aren’t fully hydrated it can be hard to get a draw and worst-case scenario you have to do it all over again another day. Here are my tricks and tips to keep your toddler hydrated!
She gets dressed in a short-sleeve shirt so we don’t have to worry about rolling her sleeves up and as we get ready to go, I make sure to hype up what we will do after her blood draw. We have a tradition of watching Aladdin and baking chocolate chip cookies, this tradition has helped give her something we wouldn’t normally do on a random day as a special date when it’s all over.
Before we go into our appointment, I make sure to put some of the lidocaine on both arms so they can sink in while we wait and we don’t have to worry about having to switch arms if we need.
If there is an option to have a child life specialist or a pediatric phlebologist make sure to ask for that since they have a bit more experience with kiddos and can make the experience a bit easier for everyone! You can also help with a warming pack that can help them find the vein if there is an issue with that.
I make sure that I am calm during the prep and try to chat with her about anything but the bloodwork. The calmer I am the more Ella feeds off that energy. Sometimes she still gets nervous and cries but I continue to stay calm, acknowledge her feelings and go back to talking about fun things and what we can do at the very end. She gets the option to play with a toy or watch something on my phone. It is normally super quick so that is the easiest solution for us.
Once it is over, I make sure to tell her what a great job she did no matter what the situation was and how strong and brave she is for doing it. When we get in the car, I make sure to give her a little snack on our drive home because the blood sugar drop afterward can be a little rough. And then finally we make some chocolate chip cookies, cuddle up on the couch and watch Aladdin!
Do you have any tips and tricks that help you with bloodwork?
Here is also a link to a fun Quest Diagnostics coloring book that can also be a fun way to prep your child for blood work!
So your well-intentioned friend is a #bossbabe suggesting the latest and greatest project her MLM has rolled out is the perfect cure to your kids Type One Diabetes; what do you do? While they may think their latest dragon egg sparkle skin seaweed peel will be the magic cure, you know better, and it can be hurtful that others believe this disease needs a bit of magic and will instantly be cured. It’s okay to feel that frustration, but viewing it as an opportunity to share a bit about T1D can be a blessing for everyone.
First, I try to be polite and then go into a bit more education. Start with a simple “Thank you for thinking of us and wanting to share something you think might help her. Unfortunately, her pancreas is unable to do its entire job. While we hope for a cure, we manage with insulin and attention from our endocrinologist and care team.”
Second, use it as an opportunity to teach someone about the nuances of diabetes. Most of us knew nothing about diabetes before our children were diagnosed and probably didn’t understand the gravity of it. There is so much confusion about Type 1 vs. Type 2 vs. Gestational and others, so just remember that it can be a time to talk about the differences or acknowledge that there is not a cure currently.
The beauty of this, while it’s frustrating, can be an incredible way to share your experience and educate someone about the warning signs, what they can do to help and understand what your day-to-day looks like. So with all of that in mind, I hope that they give you a bit more grace and understand that while they mean well, there is no reason to bother you about it.
How do you manage the expectations of crazy cures from friends and family? Have you looked into cinnamon yet? 😂
It’s no secret that needle phobia is a big problem with any kid but especially our Type 1 kids. After being poked and prodded at the hospital (especially a long DKA diagnosis) coming home and starting up shots can be pretty traumatic for both the parents and children. Here are some tips and tricks that helped us make the transition from tears to treats (listen, I’m not above bribery from time to time) so we could all begin this new life together.
Have a conversation- Let them adjust to this sudden change and encourage them to ask questions
Make a plan- Let them know what they can expect after this injection, dex or pod change and follow through. Will you be having dinner, will you be getting ready for the park, can they play dress up? Get them excited for what’s to come after this.
Stay calm- your attitude and reaction to all of this can make or break how they react. This book is really helpful on those anxious moments that seem to bubble up. Our favorite is the snake breath: Take a long breath in and hiss for as long as you can on your breath on the way out.
Affirmations- another fun option we do to keep her occupied and empowered are affirmations. My story highlights have a bunch of ones we use to get through the day.
And let’s not forget, Bribery- Listen we can all win mom of the year and have coordinated Pinterest activities every day but sometimes you just need to get it done! On double dex and pod days, Ella gets a starburst and 10 minutes of TV time to settle and move on with the rest of the day
After we left the hospital I got a little rash and threw out most of the food that was in our pantry. I was overwhelmed with carb counts and was ready to start over while managing this new life. Our sweet girl was a little thrown and upset that I wouldn’t give her a lunch of just Goldfish! As we slowly find a balance of low carb and healthy options that she likes I am inspired to keep trying out different foods for her while also making it fun. That is why I love festivals and expos that give her exposure of new foods to try out without buying a full Costco size item before she tells me she hates it and will never eat it again. I am so looking to trying out a ton of food options as well as learning about other allergy friendly options at Nourish Festival!
What makes this event so special? It is created for gluten free and allergy friendly families as a way to both educate us and have a bit of fun with this lifestyle. I love that it is both a combination of booths that feature exhibitors that showcase gluten free, nut free, keto, paleo, and plant based options and they are all color coded so you can cater your experience based on what you need!
If you want to take the time and learn more about this lifestyle they have a ton of classes including how to help autoimmune diseases, gut health, how to be more plant based and how to get more flavor into those gluten free meals.
Here is what you get with your expo ticket:
What do you get with your Expo Ticket?
Entry into the vendor fair with over 100 brands
Valuable coupons at the vendor booths
All samples are gluten free and meet the FDA standard for gluten free
labeling
Discounted products available for purchase
Informative classes related to the gluten free and allergen-friendly
lifestyle
I sit here waiting on a sensor error to clear up and spend my night bribing our two year old with a trip to Target to get her numbers and a new pod on with no tears and back to bed without a fight. She tells me how brave and strong she is and I leave her room and cry quietly that this poor little girl has to deal with such a big disease. It’s hours past everyone’s bedtime and you are reminded that Type 1 is a family affair that doesn’t take time out when it’s time to go to sleep. Some days are hard and some days you feel like you can conquer this no problem. Parenthood with a toddler is hard enough but man does this take on a whole new beast.
When we first started I went searching for answers and found an amazing community full of love, support and understanding. I am forever grateful for the helpful advice given to our family from not only our doctors and educators but other families that are raising these Type 1 warriors to be the amazing people we know they can be. As we begin month 9 of this journey we are still newbies but I am ready to share our story and what we have learned along the way!
Type 1 Kid Type A Mom 