Getting Ready for School

School.  OMG!  School has me crazy.  So much to get ready for.  School plans, training, meeting teachers, supplies.  The list can go on and on.

Not sure how I feel about it.  Still worried about my little guy as he is not feeling his lows yet.

Got to 35 today and Nothin, nada..... He was the same boy.  Scary!

Here is a letter I copied most of from somewhere on the internet.  Thank you again!

Dear Teacher/Counselor/Coach,

I wanted you to know that I have Type 1 Diabetes, and to let you know a bit about what this means to you as my teacher and for me as your student.

As you may know, Type 1 Diabetics must manually adjust our blood sugars because our pancreas doesn’t do that for us.  This means that:

• 10-15 times per day I’ll test my blood sugar to measure my blood glucose.  You might see me prick my finger and then dab that drop of blood with my monitor to measure it.   Testing is normal, and is needed to “manage” my care. 

• Each time I eat (even tiny snacks) I have to give myself insulin.

• If my blood sugar is high I feel horrible, have trouble learning, and might appear “checked out.”   After I test, I’ll give myself insulin in order to lower my blood sugar.  (Insulin will help me, but it takes at least 45 minutes to start to help…. It isn’t instant.) L

• If my blood sugar is low, I also feel horrible.  In this case I need to correct it by eating candy, juice, or another form of fast acting sugar.   So if you see me eating candy you can know that I’m feeling horrible and I’m working to improve it.    Correcting a low only takes a few minutes for me to feel better.  It’s much more instant than correcting highs.

• I wear an insulin pump and use the unattached PDM.  It isn’t a cell phone. J

• If I am acting unusual (groggy, over-quiet, inarticulate, out of focus, or if I fall asleep) please do three things immediately:
1) Ask me to test my blood sugar NOW or do so for me.  Call for help if needed.
2) If I’m low or unable, give me sugar.  Candy.  Juice. Soda.  Quick!    

3) Call the nurse and my parents.

I’m proud of my ability to manage this disease.  I’m totally healthy and have no diet or physical restrictions.  I am very shy still in managing my care and may feel uneasy talking to you about it.  Please be patient with me.  I would so love it if you could be discreet as possible.  I don’t quite know how I am feeling all the time and don’t know when a low blood sugar is coming on.  I really need your help.  I know we will make an awesome team.

Type 1 Diabetes is a big part of my life and it is important for me that you understand a bit more of how it works.

My mom is very open to talking about diabetes and is very willing to answer questions about type 1 diabetes or how I manage it.  Just ask.  She loves it when you ask.

Zach Dettmers

Type 1 Diabetic, Knower of Cool Diabetes Stuff, Your Awesome Second Grader