six year anniversary since diagnosis

Our sweetie is now 9 years old.  She was diagnosed the day after Valentine's day, six years ago.  How is she doing?  How are we doing?  She is joyful, and lights up the room she enters.  She always has a group of friends following her and she loves and anticipates every new adventure that she gets to have.  

She wears an insulin pump and a continuous glucose monitor at all times.  She carries a little backpack full of supplies and a blood meter.  At school, her friends take turns carrying her backpack for her.  This backpack which of course is in the shape of a pikachu, has given her freedom to participate in activities.  She always has what she needs in case she is low or high.  

She has grown used to the idea of having type 1 diabetes.  It has become part of her identity.  She excels in school and is quite the natural organizer but diabetes follows her, wherever she goes.  During Sunday school, I have to stop and check her blood sugar to make sure she is okay to be left for an hour.  At school, I pop into the classroom during the day at different times to check in on her until she is able to give herself insulin.  She can only be left with caregivers that are familiar with diabetes care.  and yes, we still get lots of confusion from well meaning people thinking that knowledge of type 2 diabetes qualifies them to understand type 1 diabetes.

Quick refresher:  type 2 can go away.  their body still produces insulin.  their blood sugar levels are still fairly stable, yet high at times.  

type 1:  will never go away.  their body no longer has a functioning pancreas and no natural insulin.  their blood sugar numbers have no floor and ceiling.  They can roller coaster all day, everyday, forever from as low as 30 upto 600.  (normal is about 90)  

One thing that we have matured about is feeling more comfortable with her numbers at 120, where they should be.  We used to always be so afraid that if she was close to 100, which is good, she could drop under 70 (which is dangerous) and therefore we would worry.  With her cgm, we are now more comfortable when her numbers are lower because, it can alert us if she starts dropping (due to exercise or needing to eat)  

We have become reliant on the cgm at night as it can sit by her bed and alarm us through the night if she goes over 200 or less than 70.  I always joke about the (not so funny) death sounding alarm of when she drops under 50, that mimics the sound of a pac man character dying in a video game.  That sound will make me jump out of a deep sleep and run down the hall to her room faster than anything!  I think the lowest we have had was a 40 which is really scary.  juice is given and then you wait for the numbers to come back up to over 70 where they should be.

do we wish there was a cure?  yes.  Taking my child out to eat that doesn't have diabetes is so easy.  Her sister just eats.  and that's it.  no thinking required.  The burden of diabetes follows our sweetie like its own entity and would love for it to go away and give her a new found freedom.  but for now, it is there, and in spite of it, she thrives.  

new blog for my ramblings

Hi!
I have started a new blog!

www.myobservationsandthoughts.blogspot.com

Please visit!

I love to write and continue to work on my graduate degree, so I created this new site to be able to just write my thoughts and observations!

regarding my family and two kids with type 1 diabetes...we are progressing in time.

Our son started first grade and daughter started third grade.  I am helping monitor them through their ccgms (continuous glucose monitors) and go to school when they need to be given insulin or for any other unforseen reason.  Their a1c's are close to their target range.  Our son has started  checking himself and both are counting carbs.  They both played soccer this fall and did well.  Our adventure continues.

 Thanks for checking in!

wearing red and heart failure

Here is my helper.  He blogs for me when I am busy. :)

February is the month to bring awareness to our heart health.

This is a perfect month for this as we are already buying chocolates and cards to express the love spilling over from our hearts.

Just like type 1 diabetes, I also knew nothing about cardiomyopathy.

my little guy is now 16 months old and the end of my pregnancy led to me learning all about heart failure:

When I showed my obgyn, my swelled ankles, he said that it was hot that day and typical in pregnancy.  I had never had swelling in pregnancy before, though.

When I said that I couldn't breathe or lie down after I had delivered my baby, the doctor thought that I was suffering from anxiety or needed more sleep.  They even ordered a walker for me to just get out of bed!

x-rays finally revealed fluid in my lungs.  pneumonia was diagnosed, yet that didn't feel right to me.

The doctor decided to order an echocardiogram, just in case.  heart trouble was unlikely and rare for someone like me.  I was only 41 and healthy.  no high blood pressure or health problems prior to this.

yet, my echocardiogram proved invaluable.  my heart was too large and leaking.  I always hear the narrative from The Grinch who Stole Christmas where it was a good thing that day that the Grinch's heart grew three times its size.  For the Grinch it was a good thing.

But in a hospital, in real life, this was very bad.

I was in heart failure.  diagnosed with cardiomyopathy.  then they sent me home a few days later, thinking I would be okay.  Because I was naturally thin, my extra 30 pounds of fluid looked normal to the doctor.

I replay that night at home, in my mind over and over.  I am so lucky I survived that night.  I  couldn't breathe or even sit comfortably let alone lie down.

I had my husband take me back to the hospital, the next day where from the emergency room, I was admitted to the cardiac floor.  A heart monitor was clipped on me and I was now an official heart patient.  Two weeks later, I went home after an angiogram, lots of medication and thirty pounds lighter.

I survived.  Just as my children with type 1 diabetes survive.  We are survivors.

Take a moment to educate others on what life really is for those of us living with diseases.

Be thankful for those that don't have to.

just be thankful.

and eat some chocolate.  

A natural article that was grossly misinformed about type 1 diabetes

There was an article recently written in regards to American Girl recently adding a type 1 diabetes kit to their store.  Many of us have daughters that have type 1 diabetes and have American Girl Dolls.  American Girl Dolls have been selling dolls for years that are made to be like your daughter.  The child gets to pick the hair color, the eye color, the skin color, glasses, and many other choices to reflect the child.  This has been a fun way for a girl to be able to celebrate herself rather than just with a Barbie doll that inaccurately represents what girls grow up to look like.  American Girl even sells dolls with history and educates girls on different time periods and cultures.  There are movies and books that tell these stories featuring the girls that are then sold as dolls.  

But what if your daughter breaks her leg? or gets braces?  Do they still feel as lovable as the girls in their class?  American girl has been selling little wheelchairs and crutches and  headgear for dolls to again validate what our daughters may be going through.  

But what if your child is suddenly diagnosed with a disease?  What if your world is turned upside down one day at a doctor's office when the doctor tells you that your child will be taken by ambulance to their nearest hospital because they may die if not treated?  This has happened twice to us.

Our daughter was diagnosed at 3 and then two years later, our son was diagnosed also at age 3.  No connection except for coincidence that they both happened to be age 3.  Our daughter had been a healthy girl that suddenly stopped  running.  She was too tired to finish riding her bike around the block.  She couldn't go to the bathroom enough.  four times an hour.  And yet she was still thirsty.  What had we done to cause this?  Nothing.  It is an autoimmune disease.  Her pancreas was dying.  Therefore her body couldn't produce insulin for her anymore and her body was beginning to shut down.  We didn't know anything about type 1 diabetes.  I thought it must be a bladder infection.  The doctor routinely did a urine test among other tests and that is what prompted an immediate call to the endocrinologist and an immediate trip to the hospital.  I will never ever forgot the picture in my mind of her sitting listlessly on the floor of the doctor's office, playing with a nurse while I tried in shock to reach my husband by phone.  

The picture on top shows the young girl that started a campaign with her mother to get American Girl also carry a diabetes kit like she wears so that her doll could also be like her.  Because any child like her or my daughter once diagnosed, is burdened with a lot of equipment to stay alive.  She no longer wanted a perfect doll that looked like her.  She wanted a doll that also still smiled while wearing a pump that gave her body insulin, a meter to constantly check her glucose levels throughout the day.  glucose tablets(smarties)  to prevent passing out from too low blood sugar levels and a few other items.

The next photo shows a woman's son and his devices that he wears to stay alive and thrive.  He is wearing an insulin giving device on his arm and his watch actually shows his glucose levels that is being transmitted by a different device.  

The third photo shows a new device that is being developed through research that is actually leading towards a cure for type 1 diabetes.  This involves introducing new cells into the body that the body won't reject since type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease.

The last photo is my son's continuous glucose meter that he wears and woke me up at 5 am this morning alerting me that his glucose levels were going too low.  Thank goodness for these devices and alarms that keep him safe and healthy, yet a tired mom I am.  

And this leads us to an article recently published by a natural health website.  The author decided to critique American Girl's decision to sell type 1 diabetes kits for dolls.  The author then decided to write as much uninformed propaganda that they could about parents of kids with type 1 diabetes, children with type 1 diabetes, and even that type 1 diabetes is already curable and caused by bad diets and bad parents and how could American Girl support such an atrocious thing??

Well...here's my rebuttal for anyone that takes garbage for fondue.  Talk to a parent of a child with type 1 diabetes.  Pay attention to the tears rolling down our faces as you ask us what type 1 diabetes really is and how it has affected our lives.   We might even tell you about some kids we know about that actually have passed away from not being diagnosed properly or going too low in the night before they could be treated or ending up in the hospital sick with too high glucose levels and kidneys shutting down.  Then we might tell you how amazing our child is.  And that they are our heroes.  They have taken hundreds of shots, site changes, blood work, lots of times  pulled aside at school or in the middle of a soccer game to be checked.  They survive and thrive.  And so do we.  

To: Natural News that thinks they know more than us; I hope you don't find yourself with a diagnosed child one day and have to join our club.  Your ignorance may cost them their lives.  The good news is that we would be there for you.  we are far more educated and we are more gracious too.  We would welcome you and support you as its not a fun club to have to join.  But in our club, we don't condemn, we share coffee and wipe each other's tears.   We keep each other going.  Because we know how serious this disease is and yet have to keep strong for our kids.  And this is why we love that American Girl has included a kit for our daughter's for their dolls.  It's just one small thing that a company can do to help our daughter's still smile in a tough world with an unfair diagnosis.  If you ever find yourself in this situation and across the table from us, drinking a coffee, we might even offer to  buy you a type 1 diabetes kit to go with your child's American girl doll.  

Because isn't that what it's all about?  Helping kids and families to grow and thrive?  

It easy to think that you have all of the answers until you are suddenly asked to live it.  

a fun find from Bath and Body Works

There has been a new discovery in the diabetes community that has been spreading like wild fire.  Bath and Body Works stores have designed and are selling these new cases to hold their soap dispensers.  However, those of us that have children that carry CGM's (continuous glucose meters), have discovered that these fun new cases work for these too!

Prior to this discovery, the only choice was the plain business man black leather case that comes with them.  When I visited the store the other day, the only two choices that they happened to have were blue and glitter clear.  Perfect for us as I needed one for a boy and one for a girl!

The kids have been having fun carrying them around now!

Thank you Bath and Body Works!  (Even though, I don't think they know yet what we have all figured out)

ice skating

and sometimes we just have fun!

homemade fudge fundraiser

our sweeties helped to make a sweet of homemade fudge to fundraise for their big sister that needs to pay to go to outdoor education in the Spring.  This is a required camping trip by the school that has the students go to cabins with their teachers and they learn all kinds of neat outdoor activities and education to bond as a group for several days, to get ready for middle school the next year.

Each family must pay for their child in addition to school tuition.

We made fudge and sold at a school fundraiser last weekend.  We still have more fudge!

It is delicious and we can ship!

We are selling each package for $3 each.

please help us send the sweeties big sister to outdoor ed!

please email me at jenes14@yahoo.com, if you can help us!

Thank you!

if you give a child with diabetes pancakes...

We started our morning with pancakes.  He started his day at 81 which is great.  However, going to school, I wasn't sure how much insulin to give him to go with the pancakes when he was already under 100.  I knew that I didn't give him enough insulin and planned to give him more at school to be safe.

Then I couldn't find my car keys.  I still can't find my car keys.  This delayed me.  My husband finally came back home and gave me his key for my car.  I packed up the baby and headed to my son's school to check him.  By now, the teacher was texting me that his cgm was alerting that his blood sugar levels were going up.  I figured.

When I arrived at school, His meter said he was 540!!

I quick gave him a lot of insulin.  I even rounded up a bit because he had started to eat a cracker before we knew he was that high.  But then he didn't want to eat and he was just thirsty.  Of course.

I went and got him a water bottle and let him drink that.  Then I waited and checked him in a bit and he was already down to 440.  I left and went to check on my daughter with diabetes and then came back to see how he was doing.  He was now down to 330 and still had a lot of insulin on board.

Now I was worried.  It was great he was coming down but he was coming down really fast and I couldn't leave him.  I quick took my baby to my mom, so he could play, and then I headed back to my son.  By the time I rechecked him, he was now 179.

He still didn't want to eat anything so now I was just worried he was going to go low at some point.

I hung out while he cycled through the centers in the classroom.  I learned about needs vs wants and some history lessons about how people used to get their food and water.

I had watched the clock move slowly while waiting and finally it was lunch time.

He was 97 heading out to lunch and I sat with him at the picnic table.  What I had been waiting for, finally happened.  He began to yawn as he took bites of his apple and then laid his head down on the picnic  table.  Another student came over and asked how he was doing.  When I checked him, he was 55.  and still going down.

I gave him a juice and meanwhile, he slumped down on the ground and laid his head on the bench.  I kept talking to him and got him to drink another juice.  He still acted low and ravenous.  I rechecked him and his meter said 79 yet he still acted low.  My mom had given me a jar of frosting, just in case.  He wanted some.  So I let him eat some and pretty soon he was just eating from the jar, unaware of anything going on around him.  He had frosting all over his chin and cheeks and shirt.  I checked him again and he was now 90.  I took the frosting and told him that he was okay now.  He ate a little of his lunch and then lunch was over.  It was time to line up.

He was now okay.

I was ready for a giant vanilla latte.

The book we read last night that inspired the pancakes, that lead to not enough insulin, that lead to too much insulin, that lead to a low low, that lead to lots of frosting and juice, that lead to an emotionally exhausted mama...can you guess?

the swinging pump and pokemon

We have two children that have type 1 diabetes.  They are both full of life and energy.  However, one child does not like to swing their pump like a lasso, and the other does.  This could probably be analyzed based on tendencies of genders or age but the photos above will give away the culprit.

He has had a cool bag in the past that neatly tucked his pump inside and he wore the bag around his waist.  But at some point over the last two years, he took off the bag and never put it back on.  In the meantime, he clips his pump on his pant waist.

This worked for awhile.  Until he discovered that the pump is actually really cool to play with.  He discovered he can fiddle with the grommet on it and the tubing attached to the pump can make a great lasso.  Hence, I will see him coming out of his room, swinging his pump like he is ready to saddle up and head to town.

He tried this cool trick at the doctor's appointment with his endo and she was not amused to say the least.  In fact, she reminded him that the pump could be replaced with multiple shots again everyday if he didn't keep that pump on his waist, where it belonged.

He may enjoy the challenge of playing standoff with his doctor but I do not want him to return to shots.  So, I began my search for a cool new bag for him.  Something that he might be willing to wear again.  I found this pokemon bag!  One of his new obsessions is pokemon.  The kids found their big sister's collection from years ago, one day, and ever since, all they want to do is collect pokemon cards and organize pokemon cards and trade pokemon cards.

I was so excited to show him this new bag that I went running into his room and interrupted a pokemon trading session to show him the photos.  He agreed.  He liked it.

We ordered it.  and here it is.  He is still warming up to the idea of wearing it but it was handsewn just for him per his request to have Bulbasaur and Charmander on the front.  It is a small victory in the diabetes life, when we see something cool for a precocious young boy that has to deal with such unfair medical dealings in life.

thank you www.toosweetboutique.net

if you would like to order a hand made bag for your child living with type 1 diabetes or even bless a friend,  the wonderful owner who makes each bag with love, will offer a 10 % discount on any purchase made by 1/31/2016  if you mention my blog with the code: JRichardsBlog

it's all about the silver linings

school

I was asked to speak at the kids' school yesterday.  They had their staff meeting and I was to be "the guest of honor".  Since the school that we have chosen for our kids is private, they do not have a nurse on staff.  Therefore, I have been the unofficial nurse to manage the care of both of my kids and their diabetic needs.

I have been working directly with the teachers of my kids but the rest of the school staff hadn't seen much of what we do everyday.  So, I was given the privilege of educating the entire staff about diabetes and the care that the kids require.

The meeting ended up being blessed.  It wasn't a dry, informative, mandatory educating time.  It ended up being very interactive and the staff was very responsive.  There were many questions and comments.  I brought in many items to show what we used to manage their diabetes.  I discussed their pumps, needles, insulin, sugars, and cgms.  Questions led to conversations about how was it to accept a diagnosis as a parent?  Will we ever get to sleep through the night again?  What are signs of them having low blood sugars?  and where is the positive in all of this?

I found myself coming to tears as someone asked the last question.  Because, WHERE is the positive in all of this?  not only ONE child, but two!  Is there any positive?  well, after I thought about it and a teacher in the meeting took a moment to reflect while I composed myself.  I said that I wouldn't not have any of my children.  If I knew that they would have developed diabetes, would I have decided to not have all of these children?  no.  Our second child's name means "God has heard our prayers."  We prayed  for each of our children and even with my last child that brought on heart failure in me, I still am thankful to have survived and have him today.

The silver lining in living with problems: is that we all have problems.  Some have different names and diagnosis.  We all struggle and are sad and some days happy too!  God is the problem solver for us and can show us blessings through our perseverance.  God has opened my eyes to childhood illnesses that I never knew about before and shown me how precious life is.  We take life for granted until we realize that life is a gift.  Every life.  Every child.  And sometimes we need those reminders.

tough times

Times are tough.  We are approaching the holidays and there are many things to think about.  There have been new terrorist attacks and more questions about safety.

Where is our security and provisions?  We believe in a purpose and a creator and a God who is the author of life and provider for all of our needs.

If anyone feels moved to contribute to us financially, we are always thankful for ways that God is able to provide through others.

a conversation with kids about diabetes

This afternoon the conversation came up amongst the kids as to what would happen with their diabetes supplies if a cure for diabetes was found.  My non diabetic son asked if we could return their pumps and meters and all the other supplies and get a refund!  What a nice thought!

I then suggested that if the kids suddenly had a cure for diabetes they might do more than just think about mailing back their supplies for refunds.  I suggested they might take everything they can find that is diabetes related and make a pile in the backyard and set it on fire!

I suggested that there might be such a joy and sense of freedom that they may dance and sing!  Imagine a life free of all of the duties and worries of diabetes!

My son then suggested that maybe the pumps could be shot into the air like rockets and explode!

But then my daughter said that she doesn't want to be part robot with an artificial pancreas.  She'd rather stay as is with her own body parts and  manage diabetes.

But then I shared that there are so many doctors working today that by the time the kids are grown ups the doctors might have a solution without artificial body parts and then we discussed all the work being done with cancer.  Then my son remembered a story of cholera from the book The Secret Garden and how so many people died from that disease and how sad that was.

I then reminded him that we have ways to vaccinate against these diseases and many diseases are not problems today and hopefully diabetes will be one of those one day too.

Such a conversation for lunch after church and for future problem solvers that are also compassionate as they live it everyday.

continuous glucose monitors for managing diabetes

This is some new technology for us.  Each of our children with diabetes at different times finally received a cgm (continuous glucose monitor)  that they wear in addition to their insulin pump.  This gives us a continuous reading of their blood sugar levels.  It gives us a range that they should be in and alarms us when their glucose levels go to high which makes them sick or too low which is dangerous and can cause them to pass out or worse,  This gives us some piece of mind when we are sleeping and while they are in school as we can text their teachers and ask how they are doing.  A good range for them is above 70 and below 200.  As you can see in these screen shots, this particular moment our daughter's on top was in range and she was holding at around 129 which is great.  Our son's on the bottom, was dropping fast and he was 69 and going down which is not good.  That is when he requires juice or smarties to get him back above 70.  We have had many episodes where he is sleeping at night or even in the afternoon where one of them drops and then we need to sit with them and get them to come back up with juice.  Most recently when  he dropped low, he refused juice and I finally had to grab frosting and put it in his mouth  to get him to respond enough to be willing to drink juice.  So here it is.  Some peace of mind with a little technology and a little more in depth look at life with type 1 diabetes.

I'm back blogging!

It's been awhile and a lot has happened since I last blogged.  I last announced that I was pregnant.  This was my sixth child.  My fifth pregnancy.  My third pregnancy was twins.  This pregnancy took a turn for the worst.  I was sick at the beginning as I always am, but by my 33rd week, I began to feel sick and slow down.  I had hoped to have a vbac delivery, a non cesarian delivery.  I found a hospital that would support this decision.  The doctor required a stress test to begin at 32 weeks.  This is probably what saved my life.  

They discovered that my blood pressure was too high.  I had never had high blood pressure.  I noticed that my ankled were swelling.  My ankles had never swelled before.  My doctor decided that it was pre eclampsia.  I needed to take it easy and be monitored twice a week.  But I had a headache and that worried the doctor.  They asked me to come in again and be checked.  When I was there my blood pressure was too high.  They found ketones in my urine.  This is a diabetes term that we watch for with our children.  But this meant something was wrong and my kidneys were having trouble.  I was taken by wheel chair to the hospital from the doctor's office.

They began to discuss immediate c section that night, but I began to respond to fluids and rest.  They waited a few days and actually suggested that I could go back home.  I refused.  A c section was performed 4 weeks prior to my due date.  I had to be put on magnesium for 24 hours during and after to prevent seizure.  I was heavily medicated and sick.  The baby was born.  He was good weight and only suffered from jaundice, some low blood sugar and later a heart murmur was discovered that has since been resolved.  I, however, got worse instead of better.

They thought the birth would alleviate my symptoms.  However, I couldn't breathe.  The doctor prescribed anti anxiety medicine.  Then they decided it was pneumonia.  They wanted me to take a shower and take care of my baby.  I couldn't.  I couldn't get out of bed.  I couldn't lay down.  I couldn't breathe.  A doctor finally agreed to look at my heart.  And there it was.

My heart was too large.  It was leaking.  It was beating erratically.  I was in heart failure.

They started medicines and decided I could go home in a few days.  I went home.  and barely made it through the night.  My ankle was very swollen again and I couldn't breathe.  I found the doctor's phone number after sitting up all night and they advised me to come back to the hospital.  There I was admitted to the cardiac floor and my baby was left at home with my mom.

For two weeks, I was given medicine, stopped breastfeeding, given lots of lasix to drain fluid and experienced an angiogram.  I was finally deemed okay to go back home.

That was a year ago.  I am still on medicines but doing better and my baby just turned one and is doing well.

so far now, we are adding cardiomyopathy to the list of the medical knowledge I now carry in my unofficial proverbial medical bag.

new pump!

thank you to donations from our readers and animas' financial assistance program, our little guy is now using  a new animas ping pump as of yesterday!! so far so good!  He is still not happy about having diabetes and still at times states, "I do not have diabetes!".  But I'm sure soon he will adjust to no longer having shots every time he eats and twice at dinner for his lantus shot.  He picked blue and a blue sleeve and custom ordered a pump bag with teddy bears.  (As you can tell by his shirt, he loves teddy bears).  Thanks again to all who helped!  He is now 11 months into living with type 1 diabetes.  no fun but surviving.

my eldest daughter just had a baby!

My daughter delivered a healthy little guy two weeks ago!  Our diabetes' sweeties are now an aunt and an uncle!  She is finishing a degree in psychology at UC Santa Barbara but took time out to become a mom!  (That's proud grandma) second photo down!  (But don't call me grandma!  I am far too young!)

fund raising for new pump for our sweetie pie

we are spreading the word that we would appreciate any help we can receive towards the co pay cost of the animas ping pump that we want to purchase for our son.  He is asking when he will get a pump just like his big sister.  When we received her pump, just a few months ago, we had insurance that paid the entire cost.  Since I went back to work, we had to switch to my husband's insurance that now has a copay. 

The pump costs $6000 which  means we need to come up with $2000.  So far, I see this as a great diabetes awareness opportunity.  Every person that we can educate about the seriousness of this disease and the difference between type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes is worth every penny. 

Please help us raise the money that we need so he can get his pump!  If 2000 people donate $1 each using our paypal link on this page, we will have the money that we need to order his pump. 

Spread awareness and please help our sweetie pie get his pump! 

 

new animas ping pump

Here is our sweetie pie with me and her nurse!  This was the day that she finally got her new pump!  It is waterproof, has a remote control and attaches to her through a site on her body.  This feeds her insulin continuously and then we can tell the pump through the remote to give her larger doses of insulin to cover the food that she has eaten.  This gives her freedom and no more bruises on her arms from all of the shots.  This was a very proud moment!  Thank you animas!!

keep reading

It amazes me that even when I don't get a chance to write on my blog, people still read!  Thank you for staying interested in our lives and my heart continues to go out to all of you googling type 1 diabetes because you know someone recently diagnosed.  Keep educating people on what life is really like with type 1 diabetes.  It doesn't go away, its not contagious, and its not caused by eating too much sugar!

I am considering going back to work after four years off.  I don't know how logistically this will work but I will keep you posted.   The position that I am considering is a special education teacher working with children that have been abused or are special education or both.  My heart also goes out to them.  When I was teaching before, I founded a bowling program that gave my at risk students a chance to earn trips out of their neighborhood and into the other side of town.  We drove them on a school bus and bought them nachos and let them bowl.  We partnered with another school and educated each group about each others neighborhoods that normally would be enemies. 

This potential job calls for an empathetic, creative teacher that can instill hope in these kids lives.  That's me.  I live it, have taught them, and have provided a safe home for neighbors kids and relatives.  It's who I am.  But am I ready?

When I was reading about the facility that is hiring, they also have a medical director, that works with the school.  She just happens to be a diabetes specialist!  I'm excited to meet her and refer her to our blog!

Anyways, who knows what will happen, but I am considering.  There is too much time too waste just sitting here typing...I love writing and will continue, but we must put hands and feet to our words.