“Summer Love’n….Had Me a Blast!”…….Oh Yeah?……Where are Your Kids??????

John and OliviaIt’s summertime.

I guess you probably have noticed.  School is over.  You have gone to the nurses office and collected the 9 million things s/he utilized, ensuring your child would be safe through each and every school day.

But now it’s done and there’s a new situation now and I seek your input to help those who may be dealing with their first summer with diabetes; or dealing with the fact that their child will have new-found freedom now that they are a year older.

In as much as we would like to keep our children in ‘a bubble’ of protection, there comes a time that they want independence to: go down the block, go to the mall, hang out at the school yard (which I always found fascinating as they would never be in the school yard one minute longer than needed during the school year–what changes that school perception every 22nd of June?), or go anywhere where they are no longer under our watchful eye.

They’re growing up. 

We need, of course, to give them that freedom.  But it surely is so much ‘safer’ knowing that for 8-10 hours every day they were be in the same building with those who ‘should be’ keeping an eye on them.  Once those school doors swing open for the last time, your kids will be……….uhmmmmm……well where will they be?

Truth is we really don’t know.  Chances are your kids will be in a list of different places during the summer for that same 8-10 hours.  How do you keep track without ‘smothering them’?  Please share by replying to this article so others can read ideas that might help them.

I remember when our kids were growing up that they needed to ‘check in’ during the day.  What made this more palatable was that my oldest (without diabetes) had to do the same thing.  They had to call in or stop in the house during certain times; first miss was a warning; second miss there was a ‘price to pay’.

Not a major price, perhaps made to stay home for the afternoon and if it continued the penalty was more severe.   We did not just arbitrarily make this rule in our house, we explained to our kids that we can get more done if we were not worrying what is going on where they are.  We would respect their time to be with their friends if they worked with us on making us feel better by checking in.  In actuality, our kids were very good at this for the most part.

Now with cell phones, it’s even easier.  Most teens have a phone and checking in should become much easier.  I have to imagine that the possibility of losing one’s phone for the day would carry much weight as a punishment;  hard to believe that we did not have that luxury in 1999 or even through 2002.  Now phones are everywhere. 

Greater freedom.

Summers ARE exciting times as we watch our kids grow-up right in front of our eyes.  So let them enjoy those summer days and summer nights………but stay in touch with them…..and as the songs says; they will have (singing) “Summer love’n had me a blast”.

I am a diabetes dad.

Please visit my Diabetes Dad FB Page and hit ‘like’.

There’s Hot….and There’s Diabetes Hot……..Be Prepared This Summer

boiling sunSummer.

Well here it comes fast and furious.  Blockbuster movies, warmer weather, HOT weather, graduating seniors, beach trips, summer trips, and…………diabetes.

Those of us with experience know the many pitfalls surrounding heat and the havoc it can play on blood glucose numbers and diabetes.  There is hot, and there is ‘diabetes hot’.

Both hot weather and high blood sugar can cause dehydration—and they will play off each other constantly; so keep those fluids around in plentiful and keep them flowing.

Wear foot wear AT ALL TIMES, sometimes those ‘nick-cuts’ can turn into something so much more.

Workouts should be where there is air conditioning; and outside work and work-outs should be toward the cooler parts of the days in the early morning or in the evening.

Watch your insulin and the extreme heat which impacts its potency. Never store insulin in the freezer, in direct sunlight, in the car or the car’s glove compartment.  Also know that with the heat comes humidity which can impact glucose strips and meters

Pump users–sweat, extra sweat?????–not a good friend to pump wearers. Various preparations for the skin might help but keep an eye on the adhesive.  Also–buying one of those cold-gel-packs and placing your pump in pump pack alongside of it might help (this is only a problem rarely but if concerned, this is a possible solution.

Know that heated insulin should always be watched to make sure the potency is not weakened; if constant highs are ‘creeping in’ it may be time to change your insulin; speak to your medical professional for specific warning signs.

You will be more active in the summer time which could also alter your absorption rate–again check with your medical professional but know this fact from the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologist: Hypoglycemia episodes and hospital emergency visits can rise by 30% in heat waves and summertime….so be alert.

With the summer months comes hurricane season; make sure you have an emergency kit ready to go, with everything you need to last you a good 2-3 weeks; just in case.

These are just a few things to keep an eye on for the summer.  It is such a GREAT TIME of the year which should be enjoyed to the maximum.  So take a few steps now and prepare and be ready.

PLEASE FEEL FREE to add and share any summer tidbits you have…..we can all learn.

Enjoy the sunshine.

I am a diabetes dad.

Please visit my Diabetes Dad FB Page and hit ‘like’.