How low can you go?

Katie's Accu-Chek Nano Glucometer

55.  Yes that's how low.  That's lower than the low the endo office says to be worried about hypoglycemia at.  And it's the low we experienced the other day.  We had left the endo office after learning how to use the Dexcom CGM.  The problem was that when Katie inserted it..it hurt like the dickens (as my gram used to say) and she sobbed and held her breath.  Colleen (most awesome nurse practitioner and lifesaver) told her to BREATHE.  And kind of shook her.  I was getting into place to grab her.  It would have been SO much easier had her 55 low hit there.  But oh no..we had the joy of experiencing this low when she was in the car.

I had let her sit in the front of the jetta.  Kev was driving.  She was saying we should get her lunch on the way home..although now that I think back, I think *I* had said that.  So she was testing her blood in anticipation for eating.  We were looking for fast food that wasn't surrounded by construction because she was already a little late for work at Starbucks.

I *should* have known she was low when she growled at me about calling SB to let them know she'd be late.  When she tested her blood..she gasped and I said..what were the numbers?  She couldn't even TALK guys.  She was literally shaking by this point and showed me the meter and then it fell out of her fingers.  I saw 55 in a blur and started yelling to Kev to pull over ANYwhere that had food.

He is a man.  My love, my soulmate but he cannot change directions on a dime.  He just can't.  Some of it could be the hydrocephalus too...so he's in a fog trying to figure out WHERE and I'm like..there is a Dunkin' Donuts up ahead- pull in there...he's saying where...I'm getting annoyed...katie has dropped her whole bag now...there went the damn glucagon (I can assure you there is NO training on what to do when the glucagon is under your semi-conscious kid's seat in a moving vehicle).

I tell him to turn and it was the WRONG turn..I almost jumped out of the car to run to the DD which was right next door but not accessible but didn't.  I get him to get in the right spot as Katie starts moaning..and we park and I jump out.  I look back and he's joining me trying to lock the car and is like..Katie get out of the car.  I run back and I don't think I was very polite as I suggest he stay with her and find the damn stuff she dropped.

I can tell you two things...a) he stayed and gathered it all and b) that lady at the DD thinks I have QUITE the addiction to caffeine.  I got her an iced mocha something....a muffin, some munchkins and I don't know what all else.  I think I spent $20 trying to get enough carbs in my hands.  Who has time to read the nutrition when their kid is so low she could slip into that coma?  It was almost comical when I returned and Kev got the puppy dog eyes and looked at me and asked what I got HIM.

There are days I am not sure I am going to survive Katie's Type 1 Diabetes and Kev's hydrocephalus and that G-d must have *quite* the sense of humor over this.  Her blood sugar literally did not raise enough for her to work or drive herself.  So I dropped Kev off..got her fast food (horrid but fast).  And had to drive her to work.  I stayed for her to calibrate the Dexcom (once you do an insertion- it takes I think 12 hours for it to start working so it wouldn't have beeped if she was 55- thank GOODNESS we were testing before her noon meal and it was low then!)  My whole day was devoted to her diabetes again.  I'm not getting much accomplished at home other than clean up, make her meals and then go to appointments.  I'm so glad we are getting her stabilized (as much as we can) now because fall will be brutal- I'm in classes three days a week and she's in school 3-4 days.

I know I have a ton of gray hair from that experience.  We had glucose tablets, icing, snacks, etc.  But when it's dropped under a seat you are in a super scary predicament.  Usually (the lowest she's ever been is 59) you have time to get her carbs into her (15 g) and get her blood sugars up.  When it's at 55...not so much.  At any point she can go into a seizure and not be able to swallow..if she can't swallow it's glucagon time.

Glucagon injection kit- with us always!

I want a Diabetes boot camp for parents.  They can put me through scenarios so I can be prepared.  Ha.