Recently I've been reading blogs of parents who have children with Type 1 diabetes. One I've just come across is Beta Buddies . In an earlier post she makes a list of the things that parents have to very quickly get to grips with when their kids are first diagnosed. Here's my list:
1: What is type one diabetes?
2: What does the pancreas do?
3: What is a glucometer?
2: What is a test strip?
4: How do you calibrate the glucometer?
5: How to test your child's blood sugar?
6: How do you operate a lancing device?
7: How do you change the needle of the lancing device?
8: What is a normal blood sugar level?
9: How do you treat a low blood sugar?
10: What is a high blood sugar?
11: How do you treat that?
13: What is a fast acting carbohydrate?
14: What is Glucagon?
15: What is Insulin?
16: How do I give an insulin shot?
17: How do I give a glucagon shot (it's different)?
18: What is a pen needle?
19: How do I change the needle on a pen?
20: How to carb count?
21: What are ketones?
All of this stuff the superhero paediatric diabetes team taught me. But I had to teach myself the worst bit - how to convince your crying child that he will have to have these tests and injections day after day after day forever. And that he will never ever be able to eat without considering about what insulin he may or may not need.
No wonder I took my eye off my own weight loss needs last year. When there was all this to learn. when the food rules changed. Ah well, I know all this stuff now. Roll on 2011.
2 comments:
Such a steep learning curve. Sometimes everything gets put on the back burner for diabetes. Other times its like they never had it.
It's quite a list, isn't it? I was at least somewhat familiar with some of it from my nursing career...but wow, I had no idea what we were in store for.
Good to "meet" you!
Post a Comment