And Seriously, What Was In Those Cookies? Ranting From The Sleep Deprived

I could write a book, I think. 

But then, because I am so sleep-deprived, I am not sure that I actually have the energy to sustain the amount of writing that a book requires. 

And I know I am not alone with this.  My local JDRF coffee group peeps as well as the DOC talk a lot about sleep.  We miss and crave our sleep.  Or at least I do.  In fact, in one online group, I banned the answer to ‘ The number one holiday item on your list’ as SLEEP.  Yeah, we know.  We ALL want that (and a cure too).

Boy, do I sound cranky?  Blame it on the lack of sleep.

In my most recent lack of sleep story, it all started around 8:30 p.m, the time of day, where my energy is depleted and I am ready to zone out.  Parenting requires a little bit of Energizer Bunny in all of us, but by then, my batteries are usually done.

As part of the Naturally Sweet Sister’s nightly tuck-in routine we kiss-kiss, check the teeth to make sure they have actually been brushed, listen to any last minute conversation about the day and of course, check blood sugars.

Beep.  238. 

“Really?”, I said with a bit of surprise.  Going quickly through my mental checklist, I noted carb-free chicken for dinner, then later, carbs for milk and Christmas -- Cookie counted for AND dosed (because sometimes in the real world, even that dosing part of the routine can go astray).

 “What does G4 say?”  I asked while pointing at the new G4 receiver our youngest daughter is wearing under her super adorable holiday jammies (total sidebar but jammie wearing kids are hands down the cutest EVER!).

Flipping over her shiny pink G4, she shows me a “240” with double arrows pointing up.

Loudly, I sigh.  Then, I feel like a jerk because the sigh sounds like something that my youngest did to make that 240 happen.  So to cover my jerky-ness, I start tickling her adorable little jammie covered body and snuggling her as much as I possible could.

Because type 1 diabetes is NEVER a fault of anybody.  Stupid Diabetes Monster.

I set the G4 on her nightstand and put a correction dose of insulin into her matching pink Animas Ping, then gently close her door while giving last minute good-nights to the millions of stuffed animals scattered on her bed.

Flopping myself onto my own bed, with the ever present baby monitors, I soon hear the unmistakable buzz of the G4.

“Again? “, I think.  I am already tired and contemplating on how this night is going to go.  Since it is a “school night”, I know that I am responsible for the challenge of getting blood sugars back in range.

I shuffle back down to our youngest daughter’s bedroom, all the while thanking my lucky stars that our oldest is not having blood sugar alerts.

Sometimes, the little things make the situation better, I remind myself.

I check the G4 again, noting that the blood sugars barely moved from our last check.  I test again, enter another correction dose and hope that my offering will appease the Diabetes Monster, who appears to be in full rage mode tonight.

It does for little more than a couple of hours and then sends another signal alert just when I am drifting off.

Buzz. 

Buzz.

BUZZ! 

I finally drag myself out of bed and stumble into our youngest daughter’s room.  I am half asleep and as I look at the CGM, it takes me a minute to realize that her blood sugar IS actually back in range. 

Shaking my head, I am confused and unsure if I actually heard anything or if I was just dreaming.

BUZZ!

The alarm sounds again and I finally realize that it is now our oldest daughter’s matching pink G4 calling to me. 

Seriously?  What was IN those cookies?

Without waking her, I note the high blood sugar and use the meter to confirm the number.  Then, I correct her blood sugar via her green Animas Ping, listening for the beeps that confirm insulin went into her body.

At this point, I am wide awake and debating if I actually need to go back to bed because at this point, I feel refreshed!

The clock on my daughter’s bedside stand shines out with the time of 11:30 p.m.. 

Of course I need to go back to bed.  So I do.  But it is hard and once again, just as I am finding sleep, another “buzz” occurs.

And so it goes on, all night long.   Buzzing, waking, testing, correcting and sleeping. 

At one point, I actually curse the CGM, then curse my husband who is comfortably sleeping and then send curses to our kitten who thinks charging at my ankles  and biting them in the middle of the night is fun.

Before long, it is time to get up for the day.  My girls are happy, healthy and awake with no real memories of the night before.  My husband, not exactly sure of the frequency to which I was woken, knows only that he must be kind and makes me a fresh pot of coffee.

As I sip my first cup of “sweet nectar”, I start to giggle.  The entire night is so nutty, that all I can do is laugh when I think it through. 

This story of nighttime escapades is replayed in every single home of someone living with type 1 diabetes.  It happens.  Sometimes for a reason, sometimes for no reason at all.

And really, what was IN those cookies?