He is a warrior

8 years ago today, (while at the cabin)

 our sweet Carson was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. 

I wouldn't consider today a celebration by any means, but I want to acknowledge the challenges and triumphs that have come with the diagnosis, and the amazing young man Carson has become

 through this journey that is just part of who he is.

He is a regular 12 year old boy with Type 1 diabetes, 

it doesnt define him, and he is nothing but perfect in every way. 

He is such an Example of bravery, and has never skipped a beat in his young life.

 Carson is a competitor, he plays basketball, baseball and flag football.

He’s a math & reading whiz, and loves to learn.

Carson loves to build and figure things out!

 He is kind, sweet, and a little gentleman.

 Did I mention very handsome with the best smile ever.

Type 1 diabetes is a complex, never-ending, life changing, 24/7, relentless autoimmune disease. 

"Disease" doesn't fit for diabetes.

Diabetes is more of a life style with out a choice!

It happens when a persons own immune sustem attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. It's not completely clear yet what triggers it. There is no cure, can’t prevent it, 

can’t reverse it, don't outgrow it, and it’s not caused by a poor diet, or too much sugar.

Carson is dependent on synthetic insulin, He wears 2 little devices on his body, one to continuously monitor his blood sugars and one that is filled with insulin and can give small doses of insulin called a basal rate, it can also give bolus’s when Carson eats or if his blood sugar gets too high. 

It’s controlled by his Omnipod! 

He’s basically got to the point now where he is on top of monitoring his blood sugars and figures his own carbohydrates. (with the supervision of his parents). 

Speaking of parents…..

These 2 are amazing!

It’s not something that you just figure out!

 Diabetes is a rollercoaster, there’s a lot of guessing, calculating, hoping and praying. 

Together they have managed this disease, from extreme highs to scary lows. 

There have been many sleepless nights and some almost perfect days.

They have helped Carson to manage and take charge. 

Never underestimate the strength of a parent with a child who has diabetes

They are is amazing!!! 

 

He’s got a big sis who has much love and concern for him

And grandparents who knew they needed to jump right on the diabetes learning curve… 

My fishing buddy

Grandpa teaching him how to kick

Surrounded by love

A regular boy and his family.

Our Hero Forever

This guy is our hero forever.

5 years ago today, diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

 

A regular boy with a cruel disease, but he is nothing but perfect in every way. 

He is such an example of bravery, and has never skipped a beat in his young life.

He's a competitor, a math & reading whiz, he loves to build and figure things out! h

He's got a killer smile, and is so so handsome.

He's kind, so sweet and loves his family.

We are awed by the little man he is becoming. 

My little love

He a blessing to us all and has taught us more than he will ever know

We love you Carson!

 

Its complex, never-ending, life changing, 24/7, relentless

NOVEMBER 14th...

 is National Diabetes Day

3 years ago in June,
our sweet grandson Carson was Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.
he had just turned 4 years old.

It's a day forever etched in my soul...

 There are things I saw and words I heard that day that I wish could be erase from my mind. 

It's weird how some things stay in my head and often bring me to tears as I think back to that day. 

Type 1 Diabetes is a complex, never-ending, life changing, 24/7, relentless autoimmune disease.

It happens when a persons own immune system attacks and destroys the

 insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas, it is not completely clear what triggers it.

There is no cure...yet

Can't prevent it
Can't reverse it
Don't outgrow it
Not caused by a poor diet or too much sugar.

Being a nurse you would think I knew all about this horrid disease, nope!

About all I knew is some of the symptoms of diabetes like excess thirst and urination.

How naive I was, little did I know the complexity of each day in the life of a TYPE 1 Diabetic.

When Carson was diagnosed, it got real close to home for me and Rick. 

We jumped on board, we read books to learn all we could, we learned from his parents and eventually began having him at our house, managing his blood sugars the best we could, always with the support of Brianna & Chris. We are grateful for the trust they have in us  

 Best buddies

You can see the pod on Carsons Left upper arm. This little contraption, continuously monitors Carson's blood sugars and transmits the number to his mom & dad's phones. If his numbers get high or low, alarms will sound on their phones to let them know. This is also how the school nurse is able to watch him closely throughout the day. 

 He melts my heart.

Carson also wears another pod-like devise that is actually an insulin pump. It gives a constant trickle of insulin called his basal rate. When ever Carson eats or his blood sugars are high, he is given a bolus of insulin, using a device called a PDM. By entering blood sugar readings and Carbohydrates it computes the dosage and administers it through his pump.

This Boy.... and his Grandpa.

Type 1 Diabetes is not for the faint of heart and there is much to know,
it can be challenging, unpredictable, frustrating, exhausting and scary.
Carson is a strong, brave, resilient little boy.

Chris and Brianna are amazing!!!
Never underestimate the strength of a parent with a child who has diabetes

Carson is so lucky to have a big sister that likes sharing life with him and
 has much love and concern for him.

Type 1 Diabetes is just hard, but there is also much to be thankful for....

Psalm 106:1 says,

 "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love endures forever"

We are thankful for a God who is real,
who loves Carson more than any of us
and who knows our pain.

We are thankful for...
Synthetic insulin
Pumps and glucose monitors
technology that helps manage the day and Research.
We are thankful for our Hero Carson, his mom & dad, his sister and the
 "Village" that surrounds them.

Carson is a healthy happy, well adjusted little boy, he is full of energy, charm and silliness. He is active in sports, he's a good student, he's kind and fun and he doest complain much about anything.
He is handsome, witty, smart and the bravest boy I know.

This is what Type 1 Diabetes looks like

I will never stop praying for a cure or better yet a miracle
Love you Carson

November is Diabetes awareness month

 I was not aware, and quite honesty didn't pay much attention, 

until it happened to someone I love more than anything....

 This is my hero, my grandson Carson.

He was diagnosed 3 years ago with TYPE 1 Diabetes. 

It's a cruel, unpredictable, relentless autoimmune disease. 

It is 24/7...no timeouts, no vacations.

But it does not define this little guy!

He is amazing, courageous, happy, funny, smart and so handsome. 

He is a mini- athlete, reads at the top of his class, he's creative, a thinker and strong.

He is kind, self directed, helpful and "Old for his age".

Making people aware and educating about what Type 1 Diabetes is a big deal!

 Most days I post snippets/facts on facebooks, and I will occasionally post here throughout the month! I hope you take the time to read and learn.  

Shout out to this amazing boy!

Today is a bittersweet day at the Cabin. 

As I take a moment to write this post on June 28th (9:00 am) 

  I'm reminded of that morning, three years ago today it was a scary and horrible day.

It was the Hemmer Family Week at the Cabin, 

The setting was exactly the same....

Our family up for another morning of breakfast, getting ready for another

 day full of swimming, squeals, giggles and great memories, 

but something wasn't right with Carson, our (barely) four year old grandson.

3 years ago today, Carson was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.

I refuse to get into the details of that morning as it make my heart heavy. 

Instead I will brag on a little boy who is the bravest and strongest little guy in the world. 

He is amazing in every way, he puts up with countless needle sticks and pokes,

blood sugars that go high and low that make him feel crappy,

 and just so many restrictions that no little boy should have to endure.

But he does!

Diabetes rages on in his body, 

but you would never know it by his sweet personality and go-with-the-flow attitude. 

He is our Hero, and he is amazing, he is a normal boy in every sense of the word.

He kicks butt in soccer, he is smart, brave and so, so handsome.

He is kind and sensitive, he's happy and full of spunk. 

He is Carson my Hero

We love you so much Carson

We celebrate YOU today buddy

Bringing awareness in November.... Someone I know has Type 1 Diabetes

 November is National Diabetes Awareness Month

My hope is that other's will read this post and learn a few thing to better educate yourselves 

about a disease that is all around us.

"Oh, you have Diabetes"?

"So you cant have sugar or candy or cake", or or or...

"its because you ate too many sweets when you were younger, right?"

Sigh.... WRONG!!!

 

Sugar-Free jello jugglers from "lego" molds, that my daughter made for Carson's 6th birthday party.

Sugar-free YES, but NOT Carbohydrate-free. Carbohydrates break down into simple sugars, which are absorbed into the bloodstream. As the sugar level rises, insulin is released from the pancreas.

In Type 1 Diabetes there's no insulin to let glucose into the cells, so sugar builds up in your bloodstream. This can cause life threatening complications. 

The exact cause of T1D is unknown, It is classified as an auto immune disease, which means the body's own immune system mistakenly destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.

  Type 1 diabetics are insulin dependent, and there is nothing that they have done to cause it, 

and as of now... there is no cure.

Type 2 diabetes is a different kind of monster, it is a Metabolic disorder where the body produces insulin, just not enough and is often coupled with insulin resistance and impaired carbohydrate metabolism. Type 2 is a metabolic disorder often coupled with other comorbidities, such as obesity, hypertension and inactivity.

There is NO "good" or "bad" diabetes... to be blunt, both suck!

I do not pretend to be a leading expert on Diabetes nor do I know everything about this horrific disease. BUT... I do know that my sweet Grandson Carson has Type 1 diabetes, and that's a big deal.

 This is what stays with Carson or is at least nearby

*The black emergency bag

*Omnipod, cordless gadget that bolus's insulin

*Phone for blood sugar readings that Dexcom (blood glucose meter) transmits the readings to.

Sometimes I see a message like this, it's just a quick text message to Chris or Brie

 to ask if I need to do something. (still leaning)

I have tried to educate myself so that I can understand better what it means to have Type 1 Diabetes, so that I can understand what Carson has to go through EVERY~SINGLE~DAY along with his amazing Mom, Dad and sister.

 Life jackets....check, 

Juice....check

Got to be prepared, even on the boat.

Our brave little swimmer.

This is what Type 1 diabetes looks like....

eating a s'more like every other kids, blue eyes, a super hero lover and the cutest little guy ever.

 The crazy thing is, these little ones with T1D look like everyone else. 

The thing you don't see is the battle going on inside.

He is a Hero for sure! 

Having a child with T1 Diabetes is a full time job, just ask any Type 1 parent.  

Managing blood sugars in a little one can be exhausting, just ask a Type 1 parent. 

So many variables affect blood sugar in these little people,

Emotions, food, activity, temperatures,  pain, illness (even a sniffle), just to name a few.

The same food, same time, same amount one day can act totally different 24 hours later. 

The highs and lows are relentless....one minute chasing a low with juice and then a few hours later needing a bolus of insulin to get a high to come back down. 

There is no science,  

It's just the knowledge we've been given, some intuition, experience along the journey 

and lots of prayer. 

 This is one of Carsons Type 1 friends, they are both sporting Dexcoms on their arms, this little gadget takes blood sugar reading from the fluid in their arms and transmits it to a phone, Carson's parents can always see what his "sugar" is.

 100 is a great number  :)

Carson also wears a 2nd device which is similar in size, that's his pump.
 There is a predetermined amount of insulin that goes into Carson at all times, it's called a "basal rate" . When Carson eats food that has carbs in it, he gets extra insulin called a bolus.
So.... since Carsons pancreas doesn't produce insulin,
he needs a bolus every time he eats food that contains carbohydrates.

Carson enjoys Soccer and baseball, when he's super active his blood sugar tend to go down, so then he may need a juice, which is actually pretty great when you're tired sweaty and hot.

Nothing will stop this child, he is smart, happy, funny and awesome in every way.
I  hope you have learned a thing or two about Type 1 Diabetes.
I have only touched on a little bit, there is so much more to this crazy disease that I haven't even talked about.
Rick and I will continue to support Carson, along with Chris, Brianna and Audrey.
We are the alternates when Chris and Brianna go on a rare date.
As you can imagine he cant be left with just anyone.

We love him so much, he brings us joy and teaches us that
the little things in life really don't matter that much.

I will never cease to pray for a miracle in this fight for a cure!
But until then we pray for Gods protection over this little one,
he is so loved and well cared for by his amazing Mom & Dad....

We are so thankful for the team that they are working together for the love of their son.

From the outside you would never know...

Disease is such an ugly word, 

"Disease" doesn't fit for diabetes.

Diabetes is more of a life style with out a choice!

2 years ago today our sweet Grandson Carson, had just turned 4

We were on a family vacation in the Northwoods of Minnesota (about 280 miles from home)

 Carson just wasn't himself.

He was moody, clingy to his momma, overly thirsty and hungry, he was looked "lean" as we called it then but hind-sight tells he had slowly been loosing weight.

I hate to re-live this day as it brings quiet sobs deep within me.

It still breaks my heart as I sit right now at our cabin and remember

 this day two years ago, the morning of June 28th 2016. 

It's the day Carson's diabetes showed it's ugly face.
I write about it to remind myself of God's grace and mercies that are new every morning!
 He has continued to walk along side the Lewis family as they have taken this bull by the horns. 

It was not a huge surprise as Carson's mamma Brianna and I are both nurses,

 but when you take that role away and insert mom & grandma, you want to maybe pretend

 that it's probably just "something else" (but you know better)

That morning after a big pancake breakfast with lots of yummy syrup, Carson started complaining of a headache, and within minutes was throwing up, and then he started to become lethargic...

We both knew he needed his blood sugar checked, so off we went to the hospital.

It was in the tiny ER of Park Rapids, MN that the news was delivered to my daughter and I.

 I remember thinking it didnt seem very compassionate, in a matter-of-fact kind of way

 the Doctor said, "I think you already know, your son has new-onset type 1 diabetes"

It was as this moment that Carson's life changed forever, 

along with his Mom & Dad and sister.

Carson's life may have changed forever, but he and his family have adapted well, it's quite amazing to see Brianna and Chris work as a team to manage this little boys ever-changing blood sugars.

 This is what a person with an invisible illness looks like.

From the outside you would never know......

You see a perfect little boy with a cherub face... but you don't see the life saving insulin that is being injected by a pump that is attached to his arm or leg, or the Continuous glucose monitor

 that is attached to the other arm or leg, to send continuous blood sugar readings
  to mom and dad's phones.

You see a smiling face... but you don't see the look on his face when his blood sugars are either too high or too low, or when he's sad because he may not be able to eat what everyone else is eating.

You don't see the low blood sugars... the nights his mom and dad hear his alarm and go down to his bedroom to wake him up so he can drink some juice, to get his sugar back up. 

You see someone alive and well... but you don't see all the battles and obstacles he has to overcome to stay alive.... every single day!

We thank God every day for Carson and the amazing boy he is.

Diabetes does not define who Carson is...
 it is always there, it's a nuisance, and it is a challenge, but Carson is bigger than diabetes....
He's happy, strong, brave, smart and a joy in every way. 

He goes about his day just like every other 6 year old, playing with friends, swimming, playing video games, and building lego sets that are well about his age group... did I mention he was smart?

This boy is my hero, my joy....

Can you tell me were making cookies

Type 1 Diabetes doesn't happen overnight...
Something (it's not know what) caused Carson's own body to attack the cells in his pancreas that produce insulin, it's an autoimmune issue, it could have been slowly happening
for some time before he got really sick.

He and Grandpa are like two peas in a pod

Favorite photo of all time!

Did I mention the most important people in Carsons life...

 Carsons's parents are relentless, 

they are an amazing team full of knowledge and love for their son.

They keep Carson safe and healthy and he knows it.

Diabetes is 24/7 ! There are no breaks, no shutting it off, no vacations from it. 

You cant go awhere without planning...

What if the pump fails ( bring extra pods)

Dont forget to bring back-up insulin (has to stay in a cool place)

bring snacks incase his sugar gets low.

Emergency bag with glucagon injection in case he get WAY TO LOW.

Brianna and Chris you are awesome,
Carson (and Audrey) are so lucky to have you as their parents.

Speaking of Audrey....

 She is in this as well and has been a great encourager to Carson.

I'm glad they have each other!

This was one day a few months ago when we had Carson. He is showing that his blood sugar is 100, that's considered a "unicorn" in diabetes lingo. 

Not sure why it's called a "unicorn", but I do know that 100 is a great blood sugar level.

Brianna and Chris have taught us and trusted us with this precious one.

There is so much to learn sooooo much to take into consideration when managing diabetes. 

It can be overwhelming, but he is so worth it!!!

We will continue to learn and support this beautiful family.

A little teaching moment for those who don't know.....

There are two kinds of Diabetes....Carson has Type 1...

Type 1 diabetes is different from Type 2

It's an autoimmune disease, there's nothing that could have been done to prevent it,
 that's what makes it so frustrating..... UGH! 

I continue to pray every day for Carson, that God will watch over him and keep him safe,
 I believe in Miracles, I pray a miracle for Carson, but if that's not Gods will then I will
continue to pray for a cure....  Type 1 Diabetes needs to go away!

I trust that Carson will continue to grow and thrive.
He is an amazing little boy whom is loved by so many!

A reminder that I have etched I'm my heart...
Turn your worry into worship and watch God turn the battles into blessings.