Momma bear came out

I really need to update the day to day stuff so there is more fun uplifting stuff on here!! sheesh it seems so depressing lately :)

Yesterday I had an experience that brought back all the raw emotions of parenting a type 1 diabetic child. Starting school I was so nervous to leave Parkers care in the hands of others for 6 hours!!! I am so aware of the stressful toll it can take on the caretaker. Luckily his teachers and staff have been so amazing and his A1C is the best its ever been!! Parker still struggles with the disease though. He isn't embarrassed by it in any way, but hates having to halt his life for it sometimes. He hates having his pump site changed every 3 days. He pleads for us to wait till he is asleep because it causes him so much anxiety. Sometimes the site falls off and we have no other choice. He doesn't like his Dexcom site changed either. We change that every 10 days now. If we can't wait till he is asleep he kicks and screams and squirms around to avoid the shot. usually it takes 2 people to get the job done. I can't even imagine the fear he feels and it breaks my heart as a mom to put him through this. He yells and screams that he hates his diabetes and sometimes us for what we are making him do.  For everything he easts he has to take into account his blood sugars and take appropriate action. We have done our best that nothing accept poison :) is off the table as to what he can eat, he just has to take insulin for it. I feel his low A1C proves we are doing a pretty darn good job with his care!! Yesterday I was driving to Pocatello for a dr appointment for Carter when I got a text saying Parkers sugars were high. I replied to correct him. They then called Grant at work and wanting him to come get him and take him home. Grant had a meeting to go to so this very difficult as to what to do. I was very irritated!! I called the school and they said the district nurse was involved and claimed it was the law and we needed to pick him up. I explained that they have signed legal paperwork as to how to treat Parker and this "law" was nowhere in that plan. I refused to pick him up until he was given a correction and given the appropriate amount of time for his blood sugars to drop. I also asked if Parker was experiencing any symptoms or if he felt fine. He replied to the secretary that he felt fine. I instructed them to send him back to class and have the nurse contact me if she had issues. I was furious! How dare you pull my son from class and place him in the office like he did something wrong! How dare they pretend there is a law when there 100% is not one!! Yes I was angry and I let them know very well that I was.  I know this doesn't sound like much of a big deal right??? It shouldn't, unless your a diabetic who is always being pulled from activities to check and treat sugars, or can't go to recess because your too low. Yesterday was his friends birthday and he wanted to stay for the cupcakes. Luckily the nurse finally gave in and let him stay. ( his sugars dropped just fine afterwords too) This morning I find out that another little diabetic girl was sent home yesterday too and missed a field trip. How heartbreaking for this girl!!!!! Obviously my emotions are very high at this point! Parker is 6 years old for heavens sake! Why can't he just have a normal childhood like every other kid??? Sometimes I forget that even though we make every effort at our house to make him as normal as possible, this won't always be the case when he is away from home. Recently we started counseling for him because he is just so angry all the time. Part of it is just his personality, the other part I feel is having to adjust to a life long change at such a young age. Thankfully I feel it is helping him and his dad and I too. I have emailed to have a meeting with our district nurse as well as the school and any other t1 parents to discuss this issue, and hopefully make sure it never happens to another child again. I have also spoken with educators at Parkers dr office to ensure my rights. I feel that any parent of a special needs child can see my perspective and understand my grief and frustration. Its so hard to educate. I know Parker and Grant and I will surely face many more times in the future where we will have to re educate people on his rights. I hate that I have to, but grateful that I know I will never give up fighting for not only my child, but the rights of other special needs kids. I am also grateful that I have a large group of supportive friends and family who have my back and are ready to fight if  necessary to support Parker.