Maddie did very well at Kings Island. Her blood sugar was high but she did text msg me her numbers and made the correct adjustments. Fear and excitement can raise your blood sugar. So can eating foods without knowing the carb count. Always guess on the low side so that you don’t bottom out. Unfortunatley, Kings Island and Cedar Point have decided this year that Diabetic customers do not qualify for the “fast pass”. A few years back we were in Sandusky for a dance competition. While there, we decided to go to Ceday Point for our very first time. We stood in line for a ride for over an hour and then had to weave our way out of line because Maddie’s blood sugar dropped. Between the heat (90+ degrees) and the “guessing” on the carb counts of the foods that they sold without nutrional information, she bottomed out. The young man working the ride sent us to the main office to get a “fast pass”. This allowed us to get a time stamp for a ride and then show up at that time to ride. We didn’t ditch anyone, we just didn’t have to wait in the long lines./ This made for an amazing experience for us. We could keep her blood sugar in range and still ride the rides. Unfortunately, they have changed their criteria for this pass. They only allow people with mobility issues to use this pass. I called their customer servie office and sent them links to various JDRF sites that explained Type 1 Diabetes and the effects of heat/fear/excitement/etc. I received a letter in the mail a couple days later telling me to make sure that she packs snacks to keep in a fanny pack. How condescending. They didn’t even take the time to research what I had sent to them. They have no idea what a trip to an amusement park does to a child with type 1. By law, fast food establishments have to know the nutritional information for the food that they sell. This is not the case at these amusement parks. How can I keep Maddie in range if I don’t even know the carb count of what she is eating. Am I supposed to pack her meals as well? I just wish that Maddie could be a kid! A kid that eats what they want, when they want, and doesn’t have to worry about evry morsel that goes into their mouth. Maddie wears an insulin pump and even has to make sure that it is inserted in a place that won’t be bothered on a roller coaster. So where should we put it? On her arm? She certainly can’t wear it on her hip, thigh or tummy. We would then run the risk of it getting bumbed and then not delivering the insulin at all. People with Type 1 Diabetes look like everyone else. Why do they need a wheelchair to be considered for this “Fast Pass”?
Baby Steps to Giant Leap
Today was a giant leap for me. Maddie’s friend Lizzy invited her to go to King’s Island which is 2 hours away. This was actually a birthday present to Maddie from Lizzy. Lizzy’s parents have always been amazing at counting carbs and cooking healthy meals for Maddie. If anyone could keep Maddie in range, it would be them.
Since they were going to leave early in the morning, Maddie spent the night at Lizzy’s house. She woke up with a blood sugar of 69 (a little low but at least we know her pump site is working) and then they were off. She text messaged me when they were almost to Cincinnati and her blood sugar was almost 300. Must not have calculated her breakfast right. An insulin correction and an hour later she was 190. The rest of the day she was within range and had a FANTASTIC birthday!
I know that she is almost 14 years old and deserves the independence most teenagers take for granted. It’s just that so many things can go wrong and she was 2 hours away from home. She was diagnosed over 4 years ago and I’m wondering when it will get easier. When will I stop worrying?
JDRF Power Performers Luncheon
I was invited to attend a luncheon today at Brio for team captains of MidOhio JDRF’s Walk To Cure Diabetes. I guess Team MadDog was considered a “Power Performer” from last year’s walk. Although I was flattered that we were included in this luncheon, I was quickly reminded how unorganized I felt during last year’s team building process. Team MadDog’s growth makes this blog all the more imprtant to the success of this year’s walk. It will be a place for team members to receive updates and information. It will be a place for suggestions and comments.
This year we would like to have a “Design the Team MadDog T-shirt” contest. The design chosen will be featured on over 100 shirts worn at the walk and will have the artist’s signature on the shirt as well. The artist will receive a free t-shirt and a shout out on this blog. I will post pics of the last 4 yrs walk t-shirts soon (that means I will ask one of my teenage girls to show me how tomoorrow).
We will also be having a cookout the evening before the walk to hand out team t-shirts and discuss where to meet at the Ohio Stadium. On the day of the walk we will again be tailgating at the Shoe. We’ll have a grill going (compliments of John and Russ Kempton) as well as our OSU cornhole games.
Looking forward to seeing this team grow!
My daughter, Madeline, is an active 13 year old girl . At age 9 she was diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes, also known as Type 1. She was diagnosed on March 16th, 2004. That following September we formed a Walk Team to participate in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s Walk For A Cure. There were 12 of us. The next year our walk team grew to close to 30. The next year we had over 50. The next year we had close to 100! This blog has been created for Team MadDog. We will be walking again on October 5th and we hope for an even bigger team. The outpouring of support from our friends and family (and even strangers) never ceases to amaze me. Actually, it overwhelms me.
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