Arrival Date

I found out yesterday morning that Paisley will come home on August 16th.  That is the same day we close on our house that we are selling.  Oh my!  So busy.  Good thing we like crazy and hectic schedules because boy, is August nuts!  I'll post more about that soon!

5 Needles A Day

How could I forget to write about my newest needle???  Oh my, sorry ya'll but I am so far behind. Keeping up with these blogs is hard work when you've got 2 busy kids running around!  At my endo appt in April my endocrinologist and I were talking about how great my numbers were...except for my morning blood sugar reading. It was always in the low 200's but thats high for me.  I suggested (since I'm the smart one here) taking some NPH at bedtime.  I am on 3 types of insulin: humalog (fast acting.  It starts to work to lower my blood sugar within 15 minutes of injecting it), NPH (this is the "old" long acting insulin.  It works for 6-8 hours, but doesn't start to work until the humalog is starting to stop working), and Lantus (24 hour insulin.  Its what I call my "pump" insulin.  I'm not on the pump, but for people who do have an insulin pump, it gives then a teeny tiny dose of insulin all day and night to keep their sugars lowered.  My Lantus works for 24 hours to keep my sugars in check).

I used to take 2 needles per day growing up.  One at breakfast and one at dinner.  Both needles included 2 types of insulin (NPH and R.  R is the older version of today's humalog.  It just didn't start to work as quickly as humalog does).  I was on these two needles from the time I was diagnosed at 21 months of age until I turned 13.  It worked well for me and I had great numbers.  When I turned 13 I needed a little more help.  So I was switched to humalog instead of R insulin and put on a third needle: lantus, at bedtime.  My numbers got back to pretty good.  When I was pregnant with my second son I needed a little more help around lunchtime (since I wasn't taking any insulin then).  I was put on a 4th needle.  I thought it might just be during the pregnancy, but my numbers were so good I didn't really want to get rid of the needle.  Then the 5th needle...a couple months ago.

People go "wow, 5 needles?"  Um, yes.  And you know what?  There are times I take more than 5 if my sugars are high.  BUT, I wouldn't go back to the pump for all the money in the world.  I like not being attached to a machine.  I felt "sick" and everyone knew I had diabetes when they saw it on me.  The needles of the pump hurt like hell.  I hated it.  I gave up on diabetes, and it took me YEARS to regain control.  YEARS.  Now that I finally have control, and great control at that, I won't go back to the pump and risk losing control again. The pump is an AMAZING little machine that is a life savor for many many people.  Its just not for me...  :(

So yes, 5 needles.  And I asked for the 5th needle...so glad I did.  I wake up with perfect numbers every single morning now!  (between 75 and 115)

The Call

I am terrible about keeping up with this blog.  I might have to change that...soon.  Two weeks ago I called Dan from the company I am getting my D.A.D through.  I needed to ask him a question about corporate matching on donations. He was busy so I left him a message.  I had to run to the bank, and by the time I got home he had already called me back.  His message on the answering machine said something to the effect of: "Hi Krista, Dan here.  I was wanting to call you today but you beat me to it...."  HUH?  Why did he need to call me?

I had been on facebook a few times that day and had seen others posting about "We got our call from Dan, our puppy is ready!!!"  I thought "there is NO way mine is ready.  Its 2 months earlier than expected."

Well, when we finally got ahold of each other later on that night he told me the news: My puppy HAD been chosen and its a black female.  Her parents are Tonic and Hannah.

I was upset for a bit because we truly had our hearts set on a chocolate male.  We had NO names for a girl chosen at all.  It was going to be another full week before pictures of her would be posted.  :(

A few days later Nick and I went to bed.  Nick couldn't sleep so he got out of bed and went online.  He saw on my facebook wall a couple of people's dog albums being posted.  He stayed awake until 2 am to see our girl!

Let me just say, the second I saw her picture there was no going back.  I loved her so much.  It truly was love at first sight.

Dan told me on the phone she was chosen for our family because she is so active and can keep up with us.  We truly are a very active and busy family so thats good...even though another spazz isn't what I had in mind.  Oh well!  You can tell in her eyes that she has some spunk to her, hehehe!

Okay, enough about the wait...want to see her???  Here's my girl: Paisley!

We had a really hard time coming up with her name.  I really wanted a name that was somehow medical or diabetes related.  When we said Paisley though it fit.  So, Paisley she is.

We were told she was coming in one month: July.  I couldn't wait.  Then I froze in my tracks.  What about our 2 vacations we have set up back to back the first 2 weeks of August?  We booked them expecting her to come late August through October.  I got really worried and started to stress out.  I called Dan back a week later and he agreed with me that putting her drop off until after our trips would be best.  Its so hard because I want her here so badly!  I just know how stressful it would all be with a service dog so young doing big trips like that.  So, now we are looking at the middle of August.  She will be so big by then!  

Online Auction for my D.A.D

I am a terrible blogger lately!  I'm not going to list any excuses for not writing though!  I've been working really hard gathering items for my online auction to raise money for my D.A.D.  I've gotten some really great things.  I plan on starting the auction next weekend (May 19th-20th) on my facebook account.  There's only one Krista Middleton I believe.  Add me to facebook and check out the items I have.  Also, all items are starting off at $5.  Yup, even the pack of 4 gold tournament tickets and the Dooney and Bourke purse!!!

A Bit of Stress

It has been about 2 months now since we registered for my D.A.D.  I have put a little over $2,000 dollars down towards my dog.  I spend hours every single day wondering how I am going to come up with the $20,000 (approximately) the my pup is going to cost.  I know I can do it though.  I always do good under stress, I just haven't had a price tag added to other stressful situations before!  I have so many other D.A.D. owners telling me not to pay any money towards my dog, that all money should come from donations but I'm not comfortable with that.  This is my  dog and I want to be a big part of it!  I have bought silicone bracelets with the D.A.D logo on them that I am selling for $5 a piece, and we are going to make up some t-shirts.  I have so much to do and I sometimes feel a bit overwhelmed.  I am slowly getting things rolling, and it feels good.

Also, my endo.  Back in Oct/Nov time I  tried to set up an appointment to see my endocrinologist.  I got a message that I owed money.  I said yes, I just got a bill for twenty dollars and I want to pay it off right now.  The lady on the other end said "no, you owe around $400."  Long story short, the stupid doctors office messed up again.  Their billing people are morons.  18 months AFTER my appointment they try and bill the insurance company and expect the insurance company to pay.  I no longer even had that insurance.  Of course they won't pay!  Then they try and stick me with the bill.  This is the SECOND time that the office has come after me for their billings mistakes.  Both times was 18 months after the doctors appointment too.  How ridiculous.  I put up a fight both times.  This time I dealt with a lady named "K."  She tried to help me over a couple weeks time before informing me that she was quitting to go elsewhere.  Great, had to start over.  I then call the new lady in January named "O."  O informs me that when she says she will take care of something, she does it.  I found out today O has also left the office.  Nice.  Finally today (end of March) I find out from the endo's nurse that they wiped my debt off.  Excuse me?  It was under my name but it was your office's fault.  UGH, talk about stress I don't need.  It makes me so mad that I couldn't see my doctor for my health because of their stupidity.   Its a good thing I like the doctor...and that I threatened to call the better business bureau.  :)

Down Payment Has Been Paid!

Well consider this my first post of many exciting one's to come!  I finally did it.  Nick and I met a lady online who has a diabetic alert dog (DAD) for her sons; both of which have type 1 diabetes.  I was amazed that one dog could work with two people.  So I sent her a little message asking how that worked.  2 months later I have put a deposit down on my own DAD.  I never thought I would do it.  I'm not a huge dog lover, and I've already got 2 wiener dogs at home.  Unfortunately after having my second son I was having so many lows that couldn't be explained.  It got to the point that Nick (my husband) wouldn't go to work in the office anymore (he only works from home now on his laptop).

Last night for example I checked my blood sugar: 72.  We went out for dinner and then I came home and had my insulin.  45 minutes later I was reading a story to Cooper (my 4 year old) and the words were blurry.  I couldn't make sense of the words.  I checked my blood-sugar and I was 33.  I drank a huge glass of milk (my go to when I'm low) and checked 10 minutes later: 30!  I was DROPPING.  Another huge glass of milk (I probably weigh 20 pounds more now too!) and then I recheck.  36.  What the heck???  I ate out and took my regular insulin.  I SHOULD be on the higher side of a perfect number!  I check a few minutes after and now I'm 46.  I hover around this number for 45 minutes before getting back to my safe zone of low 70ish area.

So that was the point we said "enough is enough."  I work so hard to have perfect numbers.  I am doing everything I can.  I looked into the CGM's (continuous glucose monitors) but quickly decided that was NOT for me.  I started researching DAD's and always ended back at the Warren Retrievers.  I LOVE that they create a plan that works around your family.  Here, I'll just make a list of what I love about them:
1. They work around YOUR wants and needs.
2. You get the D.A.D as a young puppy so it is trained on your/my scent, not someone else's
3. They are supported by JDRF
4. My money is partially turned into donations towards JDRF that will find my cure.  So really, I am getting a dog for free that can save my life while supporting funding for my cure.  :)
5.  They work with any family (more than one type 1 in the house, if you have tiny kids, if you have other dogs...)
6.  I don't have to pay for the dog up front.  I pay my down payment to get on the waiting list, then do fundraisers to achieve my personalized goal that we set up for my cost.  Its all about me and my family!
7. They help find ways to do fundraisers, its like a separate family.
8.  Once I paid my down payment, Dan, the head hauncho ( insert smiley face here) said "welcome to the family."  Really?  My heart pounded because this darn disease often makes us feel so alone, and for once it made me really thankful to have it.  Not to be diabetic, but to have something that can bring me closet to others for such an important reason.  Does that make sense?

There is so much more that I  will soon get to!  Keep checking back!