"I'm Not Afraid of Low Blood Sugars" - Did I Just Say That?
Yes, I actually said, "I'm not afraid of low blood sugars." And I said it to our new prospective endocrinologist!
A little context: We were discussing strategies for our upcoming trip to diabetes camp. She suggested a decreased temp basal around the clock (as well as a few other things) to compensate for activity, and said that if he is running low, especially at night, to decrease basal further. I'm not sure what made me say it, but "I'm not afraid of low blood sugars" rolled right off my tongue. As soon as I said it, I started clarifying lest she think I'm apathetic about diabetes management: "I mean, I know how to manage them at camp. I've used mini-Glucagon. I feel confident in my abilities. And I'm prepared."
The words kept rolling around in my head the rest of the day. I'm not afraid of low blood sugars. Is that true??? Sort of. I now have what I'd consider a healthy respect for: the nuances of diabetes, how quickly things can change (I've watched my kiddo drop 250 points in 30 minutes), and the immediate action required to prevent or manage a low blood sugar. But do I live in fear of them anymore? Absolutely not.
In part, I owe my attitude to diabetes camp (thanks DYF!) and the knowledge I've received there. They have instilled the idea that numbers aren't good or bad; they are just information that inform decision-making. I heard repeatedly that parents/caregivers who fear low blood sugar often have kids that fear low blood sugar. I've also learned from their protocol of using mini-Glucagon to treat overnight lows - it's become their standard of care. I've only used it twice - when we were dealing with a stubborn low blood sugar and my kiddo didn't feel as if he could eat or drink more - and it resulted in a nice rise in blood sugar.
I've treated hundreds of low blood sugars over the past three years, and now it seems routine. Does my heart still race when I treat a low, check again and he is lower, and has a lot of insulin on board? Or when Dexcom shows that his blood sugar dropped 50 points (from 120 to 70 in five minutes)? Absolutely. But those more gradual drops in blood sugar truly don't phase me anymore. I tell him how many carbs I think he needs, and he chooses from his favorites, which are allergen-free for him: Skittles, Sour Patch Kids, and today - Swedish Fish. Then we generally go back to whatever we were doing. It's a far cry from when the entire world stopped when he was low. I literally made him stop whatever he was doing (even if it wasn't a lot of activity) and sit on the couch with me until his blood sugar came up. It certainly makes sense to stop activity in some situations when treating a low, but I was a bit overboard in MY approach for MY kid. The place I'm at today seems balanced and grounded, and I'm feeling pretty proud of myself for the progress I've made!