Lily tried the Animas Ping this weekend. We went to a friend's house on Sunday morning who is diabetic, as well as her daughter. Her daughter and Lily are the same age, in the same class, at the same school. She is on the Ping as well. Lily wanted to see if she liked that pump better. She liked the part that attaches to your body but didn't want to carry the actual pump. Ugh. She thinks the Pod is too bulky and the Ping is too big to carry. I think we may be stuck on shots for eternity at this point.
She was very nervous and kept asking me if it hurt. I told her no, I don't think so. I had tried the Ping myself when we were researching pumps. Now, I have a HUGE fear of needles. Perfect for the parent of a type 1 diabetic, right? So, Lily is nervous to try the infusion set and my friend comes up with the BRILLIANT idea of letting me try it first! Oh...yay! I held my breath and Lily held my hand and we attached me. It didn't hurt in the slightest. It felt like someone flicked me. I will say though, about two minutes after, it started stinging some and I just tried to ignore it.
Lily got very frustrated that evening when we discussed what she thought of the pump. She said, "I don't even need diabetes. It's so stupid." It is heartbreaking to hear her say things like this. It is heartbreaking to know that she has no choice but to have it. She asked when the cure was coming...again. How do I answer that? That is the toughest question that she asks. Birds and bees? Easy. How does a baby REALLY get out of you? Piece of cake. When is there a cure? Not so easy. I want her to have hope as we all do but I also don't want to give her false expectations. So, I just say, "I don't know but lots of people are working very hard to find one. In the meantime, we have to take care of you."
Her numbers have been decent but not nearly as controlled as with the pump. My only hope with all of this is that we are allowing her to have diabetes burnout without ignoring the diabetes. Hopefully, we are giving her the options she needs to deal with her disease in a positive manner. She is going to have this forever. I'm sure she will need a "break" every now and then from machines being hooked up to her little frame. She is even retaliating against the bracelet now.
I wonder how much of it has to do with being 7 also. It's a strange age. They are not babies really anymore but not actual KIDS either. They are entering a different level of cognitive development at this age. They are in the intuitive stage of development but about to enter the concrete stage where they see more logic. During the intuitive stage, children want to know WHY things occur. They ponder many questions. I studied kids and the stages of development in graduate school so you'd think I'd have a better handle on where mine are. It's so different when they are your own. So different. Everything I have learned goes straight out the damn window.
My 7 year old is for sure in the intuitive stage. She is constantly asking me questions....hate it when they are ones I can't answer! You are a great mom for including her in the decision making!
ReplyDeleteJoe is 7 too...He asks a lot of questions, but seems (knock on wood) OK with "D" right now. It is not easy and I truly admire all the hard work and choice making you have done with Lily. You are doing her so much good in the long run I think.
ReplyDeleteWe LOVE our Ping btw.
You are very wise to let her work through these feelings and not push the pump even though it is so much easier for you and her in some ways. One way you might get her used to attachment is to experiment with ways of wearing the pump so it is hidden, if that is what is really bothering her. Talliegear belt or pumpwear waist bands you can put the pump in. Or just wear it with the Animas clip, which is a very thin clip, attached to the outside of her underwear but under her jeans. That is how my niece wears it, with skinny jeans, and you cannot even tell it is there. Having the advantage of the Ping remote, she can leave the pump there all day and night if she chooses and you can use the remote to bolus. It does take a month or two to get used to, or at least it did with in this house, and I hope she will get used to it just the same. Very waterproof pump; she can wear it in the water. Good choice.
ReplyDeleteWe love our Ping, but my son is now going through what your daughter is going through as far as D. Our counselor told us that he just needs to feel some control in his life! We told DS he can't make a choice about having diabetes or taking care of it, but he CAN choose HOW he takes care of it. It took so much pressure off all of us! He is currently on MDI and knows we will support him on that as long as that's how he chooses to treat his diabetes. It's working for us right now. Of course it's not nearly as convenient for me, but anything to make him feel a little better. He just barely turned nine.
ReplyDeleteJennifer, I LOVE IT!!!! I think it's so important to give kids choices. I actually had to take a parenting class last night for my divorce to be final and there was a section on parenting styles and what is effective. It was very cool. Kids need to make choices for sure. We need to teach them to be independent thinkers. They don't get a choice of whether or not they can have diabetes but they do have a choice on how they manage it. Right there with ya on this one!!! I remember last summer at CWDFLL I was SO against her going off the CGM or pump. I was like the diabetes nazi and everything went to shit before I realized that I had to let her have a part in her disease. So important!
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