CGMing Cuz I'm Cool Like Dat

Most people I chat with think the worst part about my kiddo having diabetes is dealing with the pokes.

Oh - she has diabetes? But she's so young. Poor thing. Wow - I don't know how you do it...my kid hates shots.

There are a MILLION things I could say in response to this but I'm trying to stick to the subject here so I'll stay on task.

For me, the worst part about diabetes is not the shots or the pokes or the lack of sleep or the massive amounts of medical supplies that have taken over both my bathroom cabinet space and my purse.

My worst part is that even if I follow all the dosing rules and calculate her carbs down to the gnat's ass, I still have no clue what the ultimate result is going to be. There are times when I have fed her chicken and green beans and she's in the 200's and then I feed her a cherry icee, corn dog and cinnamon roll from the fair and she's 130. Go figure.

I cannot tell you how often I think, "I wonder what her BG is right now." I restrain myself on a daily basis from poking her precious little digits every hour...and not necessarily because I'm worried that she's high or low but just because I have this need to KNOW and CONTROL.

(I'm Type A if you haven't figured this out already)

I truly believe if left unchecked, I would require some form of intervention for CBSC (chronic blood sugar checking). And while a week at a rehab clinic in Malibu hangin' with Lindsay Lohan or Amber from MTV's show Teen Mom sounds fantastic right now, I just don't have the time.

Enter Dexcom

 Today was the day we slapped the GCM on Ella. She was so excited. I think she was mostly excited about the new hot pink SPIbelt I got her to wear Dexa in (Dexa = Ella's name for the Dexcom receiver...it's a girl, of course). She thought the SPIbelt was super cool. I think it's pretty cool, too. Like a cool fanny pack (who knew this existed?). I might order one up for myself. Cuz I'm cool like dat...I'm cool like dat... 

The insertion went so much better than expected.

That was it? I didn't even feel it!

And then I had to wait 2 hours to enter the calibration blood sugars to get Dexa going. This was torture...like waking up early on Christmas morning to see all the presents under the tree but you have to wait for your Mom to take a shower and put on make-up so she looks pretty for the photos. And just when I think I can't take it anymore...

MOM! Dexa fuzzed against my stomach!

(Ella speak for Dexa is vibrating to alert us that it's time)

I've never been so excited to do a finger poke in my life. 2 in a row, enter into Dexa and watch the magic.

84...is it 84 going up or 84 going down? Oh, Trend Arrow - how long will you take? Again with the waiting!!! And just when I thought I would burst at the seams with anticipation...

There she was. That beautiful trend arrow.

Dexa was pretty much spot-on all day long with her blood sugar readings and I was in blood sugar data heaven. Until 8:00 at night when Dexa was reading her 2 hours post dinner at a steady 145 (completely reasonable after 30 carbs of pizza for dinner) and Ella said, "Mom - I feel low."

A quick blood check confirmed Ella at 88.

Oh, Dexa - why must you disappoint me so in our first 24 hours of knowing each other? I know, I know - patience, Krissy, patience. She's only 6 hours old! Ella and Dexa are still getting to know each other...still workin' things out...

Patience is a virtue, but it's just not one of mine.

So I re-calibrated Dexa, tossed Ella 3 cups o' popcorn and 2 hours later she was 122 per Dexa, 128 per Accu-check Aviva.

Dexa + Ella = the beginning of a long, wonderful friendship...provided Dexa remains Cool Like Dat.

 Sleep in heavenly peace, my sweet Ella.

Disclaimer: I am most definitely not as Cool Like Dat as Dese Cool Cats: