BLEH!

So I have nothing witty to put in as the subject because that's all I can think of this past week is "bleh!"

It all started Sunday morning (April Fools Day).  Piper had a mild fever of 99.9 but we were determined to make it to church today.  We haven't been to church in many months.  Plus, I was convinced that Piper was getting her second year molars since she's been acting like a stinker, had some funky poo's and now the low-grade fever.  Well, it didn't stay low-grade for long.  After church and lunch, it was 101...super!  Once bedtime hit it was a little higher.  We, of course, have to check her blood sugar a lot more when she's sick/feverish.  10:45pm check gave us a blood sugar above 300 (not good), ketones of 2.1 (also not good) and a temp 104.  I called the emergency pager and we gave her a correction dose of insulin for the high number.  I mentioned to the diabetes educator that Piper's breathing seemed to be a little weird (I would later find out that this was most likely due to the fever).  She told us that we better go to the emergency room because there is a respiratory problem that can be associated with DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis...definitely not good).  Well, 3 1/2 hours later we get back to the house around 2:45 with normal blood sugar (from the insulin correction we gave), negative ketones (from all the fluids we gave her and bringing sugar down) and a temp below 100 (from the Tylenol we gave her).  Piper checked out just fine.  They had to run all sorts of blood labs to make sure she was not DKA (which she wasn't).  She didn't even have as much as an ear infection...just a virus.

Monday and Tuesday continue with extremely high fevers and wonky blood sugar numbers and high ketone numbers.  I then learn some new rules to diabetes.  If you're not eating well and have a blood sugar reading under 300 but have 1.0 ketones or higher then you're not getting enough carbs in your system and your body starts to produce ketones (all I could think of is people on the Akins diet).  So then you raise your blood sugar (via juice, applesauce, whatever) to get the sugar above 300 then treat the carbs you just ate (or something like that).  I'm so confused!!! 

I was also told by my director at school that one of Piper's teachers tested positive for the flu after showing up feeling a little sick.  So I made an appointment with the pediatrician...swabbed the nose...no flu.  Thank goodness! 

Diabetes just makes everything harder!  I wouldn't have taken Piper to the doctor, and especially the ER for this fever mess.  The funny thing was...she had no other symptoms, not even irritability!  She was the same Piper...the fever didn't even phase her.  Why would I take a child like that to the doctor after 2 days of fever?!  Then, I had a very bitter feeling towards diabetes.  I feel like I have accepted (not quite embraced) but accepted this new way of life quite well.  And, then it hits me...EVERYTHING WILL BE HARDER!  Piper just won't go over to a sleepover like a normal kid...she'll have to be able to take care of her diabetes herself and I'll have to call her friends mom every 15 minutes cause I'm freaking out...she won't just play sports...she'll have to check sugars every 15-30 minutes to make sure she hasn't gotten to low...figuring out Halloween and Easter candy before she eats it...can't graze like her Momma does...hey I feel like a cookie even if it's 20 minutes to dinner.  And, I know that we haven't even come close to these events and that they probably won't happen all at once...it's just hard to swallow. 

Today...I've pulled myself together somewhat...Piper dropped the fever.  Although she's being a little bit more of a stinker without the fever...struggle.  Someone got a little spoiled while they were sick...which is how it should be, but she doesn't know that the spoiling stops when you feel better. 

We do have some good news.  We are currently getting paperwork pushed thru for her insulin pump.  Insurance has approved it but we're waiting to see if we qualify for some additional financial assistance from the pump company.  I'll definitely be giving updates on all of that.  I know the pump will help because it can give doses in smaller increments than her pen can...I just hope I'm not building it up too much in my mind as a "cure all"...everything will be perfect kind of mentality.  I know her numbers will never be perfect all the time.  Heck, I hear it's hard to even get perfect numbers for one week!  What a crappy disease!

Well, I'll take this negativity elsewhere.  Here's hoping for a more upbeat post next time.  I definitely don't want to turn this in to a "I only write posts when something bad happens" kind of blog.