Fuze Buzz, and Gpa Bob...

For the last week lots of D blogs have been chatting about Fuze, a fabulous new drink with very few carbs. So, I went on the hunt for Fuze. I stopped at two grocery stores close to where I work, can I find Fuze? No! I call Wendy and ask, where is Fuze? She tells me, "Mom, it is everywhere." So, I go home and bemoan to my husband Bob. He looks at me as though I am off the wall and says, "Honey....I sell Fuze." DUH!!!

Yes, Bob sells Fuze. He owns a country gas station in Callaway, MD. He has been in business for over 40 years in the same location. I know hard to believe, especially in today's economy. Bob is a small business entrepreneur genius. He has built his business on customer service, stability, hard work and great products...like Fuze.

Yes, Fuze is made by Coke. And, Coke has a contract with Bob. So, you can guess where I am going with this. Right??

Addy, Kaelyn and Maya, be on the lookout for the Pink Gma's Fuze pictures! It will be a few days 'cause Little Pink Gma must have everything perfect before she smiles into the lens! :)

Also, in the next few days, I will be posting pictures of Bob's Sunoco's, "Addy's JDRF Place." Although, I may have to send them to Wendy so she can post them on Candy Hearts. Sometimes, dial-up is a drag and time is so precious!

Oh, and Maya, watch the mail!! Big girl stuff is on the way. Make sure you tell Addy and Kaelyn 'cause Gma is sending goodies their way, too.

Kisses!!!!

Bye, Max...Hello, Ping

Addy's Max is green.

On March 25, 2009 I wrote a post titled, Good-Bye, Faithful Friend. In this post I lamented over the demise of the Cozmo Insulin Pump. I had just received the news that "Max" was going away. I remember how sad I felt. Cozmo had revolutionized Addy's diabetic care. Until Addy received Max, I had never been exposed to insulin pumps. In Maryland, few if any children Addy's age are pumping. Don't ask me why. Very few adults pump either. I just can not figure out WHY. (Bingo.. the why word again)
I just long to see pump packs on my T1 kids.

Anyway, very soon Addy will say hello to the new One Touch PING Insulin pump. It is the first pump to have wireless technology which means it can be accessed via a remote. It is supposed to be able to deliver the smallest basal increment ever, provide accurate carb counting on the go, and REALLY be waterproof. So, I guess Mr. Ping will survive falls into the toilet. Sounds wonderful. And, I am sure Mr. Ping will be. But in my heart, I am mourning the loss of dear Max.

Max made everything so much better and easier in managing Addy's diabetes. Max gave Addy her first below 8.0 A1c. I remember the day vividly. Wendy was full of excitement and bubbled with enthusiasm. It was the first real ray of sunlight since Addy's diagnosis. It was so great! Max did this and I loved him for it.

But soon, Max will be put away forever. And, for some reason this makes me tremendously sad. Is Mr. Ping really all that?

My Heart, And The Big "D" OK....re-write, or sometimes it takes me more than one time!

I am always taken back by how quickly life can escape. Even though I have experienced this first hand, I am always amazed. This weekend the world watched as a beautiful young woman died on an angry street in Tehran. Another nine, had their lives snuffed out in a subway accident in D.C. Gone..in an instant.

I am constantly reminded how important it is to have grateful heart all the time. Not just in prayer, not just during communion, not just when you are happy, or things are going well, but all the time. This is a huge task. It is difficult to have forgiveness always available, to never think harsh thoughts towards another, or to have a feeling of ungratefulness. A pure heart is difficult to come by for an adult. For me, I get caught up in WHY?

For children it is easy. Children are aways willing to forgive. They are always willing to love, and they accept circumstances without question.(I wish I was just now becoming a Mother. I think I would be so much better at it, does this mean I am old?) I love to see the shine in Kaelyn's eyes when she offers Amanda for me to hold. Or, Maya happy to eat oatmeal. Recently, I saw a picture of Addy holding cereal bags offering them to the homeless. She is looking at the cereal in great thought. I wonder if she is thinking, "I wonder if any of these people are diabetic or have celiac? I wonder if it is OK for them to eat this?" Me, I keep asking why does she even have to think this?

Addy is only five, yet every bite of food that she puts in her mouth needs to be "considered." Addy thinks about things that no five year old should ever have think about. Although, she accepts everything, with OK. But then, so does Kaelyn and Maya. Everyday they wake up asking is Addy OK? Both are innocent to what is happening in the world. As sisters in the "D" world, they just want Addy to be OK during a pump site change. Diabetes has always been part of their little lives. Therefore, it is perfectly OK for them to think..is Addy low? Kaelyn and Maya have never known life differently. For Kaelyn, and Maya, this is how it has always been. The big "D" has been an accepted part of everyday. And, this is OK. We have Addy, and this makes everything in the "D" world OK.

Today, I have been in great thought concerning my heart. If my time came in an instant what would be my last thought? Would I be full of gratefulness for that moment. Or, would I be caught up in some "Why" quandary? No matter how old I become, everyday is a challenge. It is never easy to for me to accept things as they are. Nor, is it easy for me to keep my heart and mind in the right place. Never do I want to forget that picture of Addy holding the cereal bags looking at them pensively. Addy is not thinking why! She is simply contemplating if the bags she is holding is enough food or is it the right kind of food. I never want to forget three little sisters holding hands after church, or little folded hands at mealtime. Addy, Kaelyn, and Maya never ask why. Diabetes has made me aware of all the could's in life, even though I thought I knew them all. Diabetes has made me grateful for everyday, even though I should have learned this long ago. I am a Gma, and the big "D" has changed my life. I live 2500 miles away from Addy, yet I wonder constantly what are Addy's numbers. I go to bed and wake up thinking, is Addy OK? Is Wendy OK.....sigh.

I want to remember today. Just as Addy is looking at that cereal so thoughtfully, I have spent the day looking at my heart. Everyday, I must remind myself that the why is not important. Everyday I need to re-focus. When I do this, I am reminded of my blessings. Even though the big "D" is always peeking over my shoulder, I am grateful for pumps, insulin, support groups, pump packs and research. Thank you Jesus, for helping me be OK with the big "D." Thank you for helping me with the constant struggle of keeping my heart in the right place. Thank you for your faithfulness. Without you, I am sure I would fall in the big pit of why, and just wallow!

Proverbs 3:3
Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.

Diabetic Blogs

I read diabetic blogs. It is a great past time which has proven to be a positive experience in my life. I especially like to read blogs from families who are dealing with diabetes. Parents who are caring for children, young people trying to care for themselves, and blogs concerning the latest ongoing research. Dads seem to manage their frustration with this disease by becoming filled with the latest information and then passing it along. To you I say, great job! By becoming involved with people that I have never met affected by this blasted disease, helps me to understand the impact that diabetes has on their lives and their worlds.

When Addy was first diagnosed, I felt that our family was the only one with a child so young diagnosed with T1D. I found that this was very much to the contrary. Families all over the US and the world are affected. When I read about a little girl who is nine and how she is learning to take responsibility for her care, I am moved. I am moved as I learn about the mixed feelings of a mother learning to accept the changes in her daughter. Not only is she preparing her daughter to live in the grown up world, but she is preparing her daughter to live in this world with diabetes.
I am always impressed with the fortitude of others. I am lifted up with their courage and character.

I like to read about teens and young adults who are facing life with diabetes. I am interested to learn how diabetes effects a person in high school or college. How does diabetes affect a young mother with a new baby? Or, the struggle of a young father with children? How does diabetes affect the person in the working world? By reading blogs, it allows me more understanding of the world of diabetes and how it affects people across the life span. It gives me a perspective of the future for Addy. It allows me understanding. It gives me an idea of what Wendy and Jason will face as they prepare Addy for living in the world. I have a better understanding of the the life adjustments that will be necessary in caring for Addy in the future.

To everyone who takes the time to express their feelings and share their lives, I want to say thank you. You will never know the impact that you have made upon my life as an individual, as a nurse, as a parent and as a grandparent. I want you to know that I celebrate your accomplishments, and your challenges. Keep up the good work. Please know that you have a Grandma in blogsville who carries each of you in her heart. God Bless!

This picture was taken at my house on St. George Island, MD. Addy was just 2 weeks old. We had no idea what was ahead of us in the world of diabetes. How grateful I am that God has blessed our family so abundantly. Life is super good, even with the added challenges of diabetes and celiac.