The Fool's Fodder

Author: The Fool The Fodder 23 July 2008

Wow what a week it has been. About this time last week The Karate Kid was being moved from the ICP (Intermediate Care Program) to a room on the floor where they put all the diabetic patients. I was still trying to wrap my mind around all of it.. I got easier after we were moved to the floor because I knew he was going to be ok and we were becoming a part of the treatment. We decided his schedule and they built a plan around that. So far it is working out well. This past week has been all about tweaking the plan now that he is doing more than playing air hockey and roaming the halls of the hospital. We have to call in every night with his numbers and they change things a bit. Usually only by a half of a unit. Giving him the insulin and checking his sugar has become pretty routine. We let him choose the finger and the place he will receive the injection. We haven’t been able to talk him into trying his belly yet. We have been told that a lot of kids prefer that area, I know my grandmother did hers there. He isn’t having that! It probably has a lot to do with the fact that he has very little body fat.

His weight is improving. When we went to the doctors on the 15th, he weighed 50lbs. Sunday at my parents house he was up to 57lbs. He has always been slim, but he had been looking more thin than normal. I guess I should back up some and start at the beginning.

More Fodder Follows...

His weight was one of my concerns, add to that the fact that he wanted to eat constantly, was peeing constantly and couldn’t get enough to drink. The weekend before the appointment he had trouble sleeping. He was due for a check up for school and I was planning on taking care of that in August, because of money things, but when my sister asked if he had ever been tested for diabetes I decided to make the appointment asap. They didn’t get around to testing his urine until after we had left, so when I got home there was a message for me to call them. When I called the doctor told me I could go in to the office to have a blood draw to test him, but given the results of the urine test he was certain that he would be sending us to Children’s Hospital’s Emergency Room after so he said to go ahead on up there and he would call ahead. It was kind of surreal. We hit the grocery store before coming home and then I called The Mr.to see what he was doing, when I picked up the phone to call him I noticed we had a voice-mail message. So after talking to The Mr.and joking around with him I called the Dr and then called The Mr.back asking him to come home right then. He could tell there was something wrong because of my voice and I broke down. I got Drama Queen to fix The Karate Kid his dinner, and attempted to pull myself together. The Mr.called back from his truck and asked me to explain again since I was crying through most of it, I explained and turned to find The Karate Kid behind me. He didn’t like hearing that he had to go to the hospital and cried “What’s wrong with me?” That killed me. I got him calmed down and had him eat. The Mr.and grabbed BK on the way out, but I had a hard time eating it. We got to the hospital around 7:45pm and they took us right in. He was hooked up to two IVs. One for fluids and evenutally Insulin. And the other for drawing blood which they did every hour on the hour all night long. We were in the ER until after midnight. The whole time we were there he wanted something to drink and they couldn’t give it to him. They did let him have one cup of ice chips, but they needed to be sure their counts were accurate I guess. I hated every minute of this night. There was nothing I could do to make my baby better, or even more comfortable. They told us he had DKA Actually we saw three doctors in the ER who told us this.. one was a resident, the second a guy chewing cinnamon gum was an attending and then a doctor on the Endocrine team who followed us to the ICP to care for him through out the night. We saw so many nurses and doctors that I couldn’t remember anyone’s name, I am sure that stress and exhaustion had a lot to do with that!! We were in the ICP until just after noon and then he was moved to the 7th floor. Here we saw more nurses and doctors. He got poked and prodded all day long by the best of them.. and the students too. He handled it all like a pro! Course by Friday he was feeling back to his old ornery self and was getting a little flip about all the poking etc. Wednesday we started our learning. We sat down with a nurse educator, a nutritionist, and the Endocrine Team. All of whom decided they loved our son. Not a surprise! Thursday evening a woman from the gift shop came in with a stuffed monkey that FIL & SMIL had sent. He slept with him that night. Friday we got ready to go, and after a little confusion about the prescriptions (all of which had to be filled before we could be released - there is a CVS Pharmacy in the lobby) we were sent on our way. We pulled out of the parking garage around 3:30, and pulled into our driveway just before 6. We got stuck in Cape traffic ugh! So we missed my brother’s wedding rehearsal & dinner, but I was fine with that. And just so very happy to be home even though The Drama Queen spent the night acting out, which was to be expected.
The next day was the wedding. It went ok. It was 100° F out and I got a bit sunburned. The Karate Kid had fun running around and playing with his cousins - Crystal Light in tow. I got most of the pictures they asked for. There are still a lot of ill feelings there for me, but my brother is happy and that is all that matters to me. My Dad still sings this song when they aren’t around

But that is a whole other post for another day! Heh!!

Close it!...

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Author: The Fool The Fodder 18 July 2008

It has been a long four of days! So much that I need to purge, but I am really pooped right now and I need to get some rest because my baby brother is getting married tomorrow and I have to try to incorporate a new diet for The Karate Kid into the day. The long and short of it is, Both kids had well visits with the pediatrician Tuesday. They were due, and I had some concerns about the boy. I got home from the visit and found a voicemail message asking me to call the office back ASAP. I did that and was told to go directly to The Children’s Hospital in Boston. Which we did. And found that he has Type 1 Diabetes.

Purging will come later, it is time for his bedtime glucose check & injection.

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Author: The Fool The Fodder 09 July 2008

So the meeting yesterday with the trustee went well. It was quick and painless. The Mr. was given a continuance to the 30th because the trustee wanted an appraisal on the house and we didn’t have that. We got it after and faxed that to his lawyer along with a certificate for a 2 hour long course he had to take on personal finances. He shouldn’t have to go back on the 30th now… or at least that is what he was told. Now we wait 60 days and then should have a discharge. Then I have to find a job. We have really tightened our belts here and they can’t get much tighter. Karate & Kickboxing have been canceled until further notice. Scraping so we can afford to go to NH in August. Have to have some fun right?

I am back in the position I was in two years ago wondering what I will find for work.. will I like it… how will it affect the family and everything else. Ugh! Hate it! I have some time to set my mind straight… until then I am going to get all the things done I have been putting off. Both kids need physicals and eye appointments. Both should need new glasses as well. That is going to suck. Should run us around $500 all together. Ugh! There’s our deductible though. Gotta space them out though.

I have to find a way to get rid of some of the store crap. Our register system Quickbooks POS, a computer system, fax/copier/printer. Not sure which is the best way to go. Maybe want ads… Not dealing with shipping on them that is for sure!

Also going to spend some time on a new design here. I want to incorporate my Flickr pictures or maybe create a Gallery again. I have twitter there on the side, it’s kind of blah… some other stuff too. Course if I am working I may not have any time to maintain everything so maybe I shouldn’t bother. I dunno.

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