Wednesday, June 30, 2010

June in Review


June flew by, it hardly seemed like we did anything but then I looked at our calendar and realized that we packed a bunch of stuff into those 4 weeks. We began summer with days in the backyard, looking for bugs and playing in our little pool on the patio. I got a bit of a tan, the girls even more so (with the heavy application of sunscreen even). We prepared for my mom to arrive from California - she and my brother drove out in a moving truck and then he flew back to Cali the next day. We celebrated Father's Day, unfortunately for Wayne it was a disappointment but I'm determined to make it up to him. I interviewed for a fantastic job and will be starting this Wednesday (SOOOOO excited about this). We are still having car problems and have decided to suck it up and just pay to have them fixed rather than replace them. We don't need a car payment right now, but how I loathe the cars we own. SERIOUSLY. Ms. J had her assessment to move into 1st grade (her birthday is 2 days past the cutoff) and it didn't go as well as we had hoped, but I'm working on getting some clarification for the testing that was done as I don't think it was what we were told it would be. Her math skills weren't what they wanted them to be, yet we were encouraged to get her tested for Gifted and Talented in the spring - say what? Her reading is off the charts, which we knew, but I find it odd that excelling in one area would make her a candidate for the gifted and talented program. We also have a new endocrinologist and we are officially leaving Children's Hospital of Dallas - thank goodness! It is not to the endo that I had hoped for, I was sad when we were turned down for an opportunity based on Little G's age, only to hear that someone else that we know was accepted with a child much younger than her. Not that I'm unhappy for the other family, just disappointed and a little jealous.

Wayne did have surgery on his left arm, he has some nerve damage, not all associated with T1, but it cannot be ruled out. They took the ulnar nerve, which runs along the outside of your arm down to your fingers and relocated it to the other side of his arm. They also did carpal tunnel surgery while they were at it. He came through the surgery well and is healing like a champ. He's in a cast up past his elbow and will get it off in 2 weeks and his sugars have been great considering his down time. He's a bit restless and annoyed that simple things like buttoning his pants are more difficult, but he's anxious to get his other arm done sooner rather than later so he can get back to playing guitar and working at full capacity. The right arm will be a bugger because the poor man cannot so much as pick up a fork with his left hand. Should be interesting!

My mom is here now and settled in - more settled in 2 weeks than we are after 10 weeks in our house. She is adapting well to life in Texas and is excited about learning about her new home state. She misses my brother and his family tremendously but knows they are but a plane ride away.

We have been shown an outpouring of love and support over these past few months and we appreciate it more than words can express. If you have thought about us, prayed for us or even read this blog or sent me a note on FB, you are very special to us and we have felt your support. Thank you all!

July is going to be a better month for us and the beginning of much better things for the Evans family. Here's to better days ahead!

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Ya Wanna Fat Lip?


Things are crazy around here. They seem to be a little crazy everywhere though. Lots of crappy diagnosises and medical procedures happening to people I care about and I'm wondering if it's something in the air.

Yesterday was a pretty eventful day at our house. Car problems seem to be the bain of our existence right now....three cars, 2 of them don't run at all and the 3rd is just humping along. Wayne has been fortunate to catch a ride to work all week with a coworker, but the stress is not fun. Since I'm not working right now, money is tighter than usual and having to fix or find another running car that's reliable SUCKS. I'm so tired of thinking and worrying about cars - it makes me physically ill.

Wayne's nice co-worker was also nice enough to take Wayne to his hand surgeon appointment. During this appointment Wayne was delivered some sad news that he's having quite a hard time accepting. He is suffering from neuropathy, not all is believed to be diabetes related and he will most likely not be able to continue playing guitar. His left hand is the worst, he has muscle loss on both the outside of his left hand and in that meaty part of his hand between his index finger and thumb. He is devastated. The right hand is not as severe, but there is still neuropathy present. They will be pulling the nerve that goes down the outside of his arm and re-routing it down the other side, he will be in a cast for 3 weeks. Left arm first, then the right. Light duty at work for the better part of 2 months or being home (not a great option for us right now given the previously mentioned financial status and short term disability is not too good).

Wayne's stressed and not sleeping, I'm sleeping too hard (I know this because I'm not dreaming) and eating too much. I'm always stressed, like most D-Moms, so this is nothing new but the level of stress is exhausting - my brain only shuts off when I sleep. Sometimes enough is enough and I'm saying enough.

The capper on the day was last night (I posted on FB about this already - thank you for the words of comfort, it meant so much). At 9:30, Little G said that she felt like she was low and ran into the bathroom to go potty - pottytraining is going pretty well for us - 10 seconds later I hear a scream and a horrible cry and run in to find her face down on the floor, blood everywhere and she's shaking. I ask Ms.J to get her meter and pick G up to see a HUGE busted lip. Get her tested and she's at 39 - WTH? Get some juice, wait 20 minutes and she's at 50. Wait another 10 minutes and she's at 56, again WTH? Call Wayne he advises a full on carb load with a PB&J - down it goes. Thirty minutes later she's at 145. Oh, and during all of this Ms.J crashes on me too....one juice, one PB&J and then she's around 180. I checked them at 1am and both were over 200. I was waiting for that rebound super high number and it never showed up. At breakfast this morning they were both hovering in the low 200's. I'm at a loss for what happened last night, but I think the dog was fed part of their dinner and I didn't realize it when I cleared the table. That's the only thing that I think can happen. I hate losing and I really hate it when D kicks my ass - but it did over and over last night. Diabetes sucks...and I cannot wait for the day that I can kick your awful ass to the curb.

I'm off now to fix lunch, get out of my pjs and go car shopping. Kind prayers always appreciated.