Awesome A1C

7.4! That's incredible because that's a mix of syringes, basal testing, and pump. His average bg is now 104 and he is on target 78% says Dr. Hathout. He's grown 1.5 inches and gained 4 pounds so he's absorbing nutrients that's he's consuming. He's healthy! I'll take that as an awesome appointment. Last A1C was 8.9 ... This is a huge improvement. His diabetes is under control and he is safe and healthy. Life is great for Daniel. No restrictions Dr. said. She was very proud. 

The little joys of type 1 diabetes only a diabetic or type 1 parent understands. Let's keep this A1C going! A longer healthier life for my son. God bless all the type 1 kids out there in the world and my friends and followers in the community. 

Proud T1D Grad Day

It's 6th grade promotion day! It's a cloudy day here in Upland. You can see a peak of my Daniel in the middle of this picture. Behind his friend Ashby, in the polka dot skirt. What an exciting day it turned out to be. 

Landon found Daniel pretty quick. We got seated in the third row. Lucky us. I came prepared with snacks for Landon and toys for him to play with. Of course, he kept waving at all of brothers friends, trying to talk to big brother on stage. A toddler at his best! 

We took selfies to try to keep him busy. That lasted about two minutes. How did I truly expect to keep a toddler quite for an hour and a half in a chair? The laughs on me. Well, the ceremony started and it began beautifully with a memorial to Iasiah. The lost of Daniel's friend in the beginning of the school year will never be forgotten. 

Then the math and science awards were given out. The Principle, Mrs. Benson, gets on the microphone and says she chooses her choice for the best science project for the school. This student's project is personal and also affects millions of people. This project deserves this award because this student studies this project and its results on numerous people and wants to find a cure. Insulin is just a life saver, but not a cure. This student is and then she pauses and calls ... Daniel Sosa. 

Daniel was in shock. The audience was so loud. He couldn't even look up and smile. He was so shy. I am so proud! He deserves the award. He lives this disease   everyday and wishes for a cure for everyone not just himself. He's an awesome patient and follows his doctors orders. He's come a long way this year. He's smart enough like Principle Benson said to find the cure. Congratulations my son! 

Daniel also received the Presidential Academic Excellence Award from President Obama for students who maintain honors all school year. Congratulations son! 

I'm so proud of him. I'm running out of frames and wall space in his room. He tells me not to put them up on his wall anymore. I suppose it's not cool in Jr High. 

And he's graduated. He was too cool for a dress shirt and tie he said. He told me I'm not wearing that until Jr. High or High School when I have a cap and gown. A mind of his own already. Of course. Next to his football team mate right after. 

His 6th grade teacher Mrs. Cushman. She did awesome teaching him considering he missed so much class time, spent lots of days in the nurses office, is unorganized, and talks a lot. I'm glad she taught him all she did. He's ready for 7th grade. 

Principle Benson photobomb with the boys lol 

And now a serious picture. Daniel says this is his favorite Principle of all time! 

And his nurse Miss Monique who cared for him all year long. From injections to his pump. She's been there the entire way. She even went to his football games. She became a great friend and truly cares about Daniel. Now it's off to Upland Jr. High! 

You had an amazing school year and I am so proud of you. I can't wait to see what else you can accomplish. You impress me son. You continue to bless me with more and more. I can't believe I'm am so lucky to be your Mom. I love you with all of my heart! 

New changes in pump supplies

His June pump supplies have arrived. We have changed his new catheter and infusion sets. He was having a reaction to the others. Don't let the boxes fool you. The boxes hold 10 per box, but we only get one full box. The other contains only 5. There is no room for errors, high blood sugar changes, broken insets, bad sites, insets that fall out, or clogged catheters. The stresses of being a type 1 parent as all of my friends in this type 1 community know. 

I met a follower this weekend. This post is for you! She says my posts about Daniel have inspired her to try the pump after 15 years. So, I promised to share more about how it's honestly been going for my followers who have been wondering. I realize I took a break to share family things just to show that diabetes doesn't mean we don't live a normal life as much as possible. We do or at least we try. I don't like only posting the sad news. It gets depressing and sad. Plus, it is personal to post only the bad news or pictures of my son ill. I hope my followers understand.

With that... He is now on the Cleo 90 inset. It has no cloth of any kind on the inset. He seems to be allergic to the cloth. It would itch, cause hives, fall off, and stay that way for days at each infusion site. 

The Cleo as you can see inserts straight into the skin as a circular object with just a type of medical tape. The infusion set itself can clip anywhere around the inset. It's actually nice. It can clip in a circular location so he can clip in forward, backward to his back pocket, basically to whatever he is wearing at the moment. It's convenient. 

Daniel says it's very comfortable. He prefers it. He tried the 6mm metal syringe straight into the skin, but he said after a day he could feel it. This is a 6mm as well ,but he doesn't feel it. 

He does have sensitive skin and it still leaves a little redness and the tape leaves a ring that we use alcohol to remove. But, he says it does itch and in about an hour the redness is gone. 

This was the original insets that came with the T-slim insulin pump that he is allergic to. It wouldn't stay on after a week. His body would reject it once his skin hived up and itch horribly. His skin would also start to heal around the injected site so we get an occlusion blockage error and insulin wouldn't enter his body. His body was rejecting the inset. 

We tried 3 different insets, different skin preps, prescription creams, allergy medication, and with his sensitivity we only have the mental syringe as an option and he doesn't want to wear a needle in his skin all day long. That's the reality of pump therapy. It's not a perfect cure. But, his blood sugars have been in the 100's 68% last week and that is a vast improvement in his quality of life.

His eye exam came back well. He has some sun damage already. Optometrist recommended he wears sunglasses always when outside. But, blood vessels inside his cornea from high blood sugars are beautiful. Thank God! 

I'll enjoy the little things. His pump therapy has been a steady 10% improvement in blood sugars weekly. As a type 1 parent I'll accept those percentages as a huge blessing. 

Wishing everyone great numbers and healthy kids this week. And to my follower I met this weekend ... It's worth all the nights of testing, no sleep, stress and worry. Thank you for approaching me and introducing yourself. I share my story to inspire. I'm glad I inspired you! Good luck on your journey. Call me anytime with any questions along the way. 

Type 1 Mom's and the Type 1 community stick together :) 

Skate Express Graduation Trip

On the first of two buses filled with two classes of 6th grade classes and its #selfie time! This is going to be fun and loud. Four classes total. Nothing but fun times for the next week. They deserve it. They'll be in Junior High soon. 

There's my hockey player flying by. It's hard to catch a picture of him. I skated with him, but he's too fast for me. I'm an old school roller skater. I like roller skating to the music and dancing. He's just way too fast! It's fun to have some quality time with Daniel today. 

On our skates. He gets embarrassed to take pictures with me now. He's too cool now. Not in front of his friends he says. So I skate with his friends and hang with his friends. The girls are sweet. The boys are at that I'm cool age. 

His best friend at school and football teammate. Stuck like glue and the only picture I could get of the goofballs together. Except on the football field or in football gear. Anthony says skating is much harder that football and he'd rather be on the field running drills lol. 

Headed to Upland Jr. High and Upland Pop Warner. Football season coming up and that's all I hear about. Boys will be boys. Daniel has grown this year and has caught up to Alesia finally so he's getting taller. Hope this is the summer he sprouts. 

Proud of him for all his accomplishments this year. You enjoy your end of year activities Daniel! Mommy loves you!!! 

End of Year Honors Assembly

What an awesome school year! Honor roll all year long. I'm extremely proud of you Daniel. 

That is a great achievement and a lot of hard work. You deserve all the recognition. This is something you can be proud of for yourself. You earned it! 

A full auditorium just for 5th and 6th grade. Landon and I found seats next to his teacher and Mr. Ramos was kind enough to give up his chair for us. It was a standing room only awards assembly. 

Oh and Landon found his brother and always wants to sit by him. 

He seems to think he's one of his brothers buddies. He sits very patiently during the assembly. And when they call Daniel's name he goes up too and stands right next to Daniel and says hold my hand brother. The teachers and principle thinks it so cute. The students giggle, but Daniel thinks it is the most embarrassing thing in the world. 

Once Landon gets his picture with his big brother he gets down so we can get the big picture with his teacher. 

Miss Cushman is an awesome 6th grade teacher and has taught him some great skills for 7th grade. I'm looking forward to her skills mixed with his AVID program. It's going to be amazing to watch him grow next year. 

Next he won the Scholar Award from Principle Benson for earning Honor Roll all 3 Trimesters the entire school year. I'm so PROUD! I'm so lucky to be his mom! 

Even with beginning insulin pump therapy this school year, waking up all night long, missing many days of school, feeling sick from uncontrolled blood sugars, to finally being controlled on his pump... He was able to maintain his grades, keep up with his assignments, projects, tests, study, stay organized, and somehow just be a kid through all his medical issues. God bless my son with a gift. Thank you Father John and Deacon Gregg for all your extra prayers when he was ill. It took his school nurse Monique, his nurse Patricia at Loma Linda, his three doctors, my dedication to his nighttime routine and following the crazy schedule and lots of prayers to get him through this school year. 

He deserves all the credit! We are all her to support him. Diabetes is just a disease we manage for him. We are all proud of you! Your scholastic achievements are all yours!!!! Congratulations! GO DANIEL! Don't ever let diabetes stop you.