I Want A Cure.

Jenna’s bedtime reading was 2.2 tonight.  She had none of the typical symptoms.  It breaks her previous all time low of 2.3.

We gave her two carb tabs and I read to her a chapter from the book we’ve been reading before tucking her in and kissing her goodnight.  She was exhausted from a full week of school, swim lessons, gymnastics and play.  So exhausted, in fact, that when I checked her again 20 minutes later to ensure she was recovering and discovered she was still only 3.6, I could barely get her to eat another carb tablet, let alone the two that I would have preferred to put my mind at ease.  She wouldn’t even drink the usual few sips of water we always offer to help wash the sugar off her teeth after treatment!

I thought we had the whole pizza deal figured out.  I had attended Gary Scheiner’s talks at the CWD-FFL conference and had taken meticulous notes.  I reread the section in his book about how to deal with foods notorious for posing blood sugar problems.  Then not long after the conference I applied all of the recommended techniques after a pizza feast and experienced a night of blood sugars that would have made Mr. Scheiner proud.  No spikes.  No lows.  In fact, Jenna stayed within two points of her goal all night!

Perhaps we got a little cocky—dialing up temporary basals and combo-boluses tonight with a little too much reckless abandon.

Or maybe the difference was the pizza itself.  I noticed tonight’s pizza glistened with a greasy glaze.  Maybe the fat content was markedly higher than the one we had had such success with before.

Or perhaps the increased activity I mentioned previously is a factor.  It’s very likely that she has increased insulin sensitivity because of the extra physical demands on her body.  This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, unless, of course, she experiences jaw-dropping lows because of it.

It just goes to prove that there are far too many variables to be able to pin down one formula to apply to every situation.  Diabetes is always a guessing game.

I know how this is going to play out.  The 2.2 she had will likely result in a rebound high.  And because she had two low readings within the span of half an hour, in spite of treatment, I suspended her combination bolus and temporary basal rate.  This means that the delayed high she will undoubtedly experience from the fatty, carby pizza will remain unchallenged unless I ramp up her basals again at some point, or make sure to check her every two hours all night and correct, correct, correct.

After we treated the initial low tonight and settled Jenna to bed, I was tucking my oldest daughter in.  She asked me what would happen if Jenna’s blood sugar went to zero.  All I said was that it would be very bad and that that’s why we check her all the time, day and night.  

But my tone and facial expression must have said more because the look on her face told me she knew what it was that I wasn’t saying.

We left the unspeakable unspoken and hugged for an extra long time before we said our goodnights.

I want a cure.

For every parent who has ever been afraid to let their diabetic child go to sleep at night and for every person with diabetes who has ever been afraid to close their eyes....

...I want a cure.