Saturday 19 February 2011

Awesome

Let me explain:
I am English and I do not, I repeat, DO NOT, us the word awesome easily.
A few years ago a Canadian cousin came to stay and when I offered her a cup of tea in the morning said "Oh, that would be awesome". I distinctly remember going downstairs to put the kettle on and thinking "No, love, it'll be just a cup of tea. A good one, I make good tea, but it won't be awesome. The Grand Canyon is awesome, a cup of tea isn't".
So, I trust it is now clear that I don't use the word awesome unless something earns it.
Enter our (yes, it's ours!) Medtronic insulin pump, which Frank has named Lucky Pump.
He has been wearing it full time and live with real insulin and everything (!) since Wednesday morning at the hospital.
It is AWESOME.
So AWESOME.
I have not had to give my child an injection for three days now.
No cheeky Lantus to sting him every morning.
No getting his buttocks out for injections on the sofa or in cafes.
Naive I must be, as I hadn't realised how draining injecting had become.
I feel much lighter of spirit already dealing with this pump malarkey.
It's complicated in some ways but so logical in others and I can already, after just three days, see the details that will make micro-managing blood sugar so much more possible.
We are still in the very early stages of tweaking those basals and testing every two hours, right through the night.
I am tired but boy, oh boy, do I want this to work out.
The night before last Frank said "Mummy, two questions." I look at him and he went on "One: will I still be Diabetes when I'm a grown up?" "Yes, Frank, it's just who you are like having those long eyelashes or being good at running".
He smiles and I well up.
"Two:", he says "is there anything stuck in the bed covers 'cos I need to rescue them!" and he dives into the covers on the bed and goes searching for lost socks to rescue, Lucky Pump just trailing after him and him barely aware of it.
Something in that conversation grounded me.
The first question so seemingly huge from an adult perspective but the answer accepted so readily by a child who really just wants to do some bed clothes diving.
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Frank is awesome.
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11 comments:

  1. You are awesome and Frank is awesome! I knew you would love it!!!! It changes everything and for the better. Frank is a lucky little boy to have such an awesome Mama. And I'm from the States, so we say awesome all the time :0)

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  2. Oh, thank goodness. So happy for you!

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  3. Yes, you AND Frank are truly AWESOME! It was a huge relief for me as well when we went on the pump. I didn't realize how draining all those injections had been either. The pump is really liberating. Glad things are going well for you all!!

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  4. Yes, yes he is! And you are too Jules! I remember answering the very same question asked by Joe a couple of years ago. (((HUGS))))

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  5. OHHHH AWESOME!!! I am sooo glad it is going well! Ellie still asks me every few months why she has to have diabetes. Stress and/or changes usually spark the question I think. Glad to hear you are feeling good about the pump! Happy days! ((hugs))

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  6. Really pleased it's working and making your days a bit easier and more enjoyable. Lovely story too. Happy bed clothes diving forever more for Frank!!x

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  7. I abuse the word awesome. Really, I do. I use it all the time . . . . so much that my children make a mockery of me ;(

    I LOVE the use of the word in this post, however. T-R-U-L-Y Awesome.

    Great update, Jules!!!!!

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  8. Ha! Awesome!

    I remember my first morning with the pump (I was about 22). I woke up at 10:30 in the morning (late), and checked my blood sugar and it was almost perfectly normal.

    I'm pretty sure my reaction was the same: "Awesome."

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  9. Just found your blog, this is such a sweet post, It made me feel all tingly : )

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