Clinic

Every 3 months Betsey has an appointment with her endocrinologist at Yale. It's a lengthy appointment, going over any printouts I remember to bring in for her sensor readings, we bring her journal with her numbers I record, go over her pump settings... She gets weighed, measured, has to do a finger stick for a special test called an HbA1c.

We go into a room and meet with either a nurse or the dietitian and discuss all aspects of diabetes and any questions I have - Betsey remains mute at these appointments. She actually doesn't like going. She doesn't have a good reason for not liking it, she says she "just doesn't like it." She loves all the women we meet with, one time we even met with the Dr. himself, early on in Betsey's diagnosis. I think she gets nervous about her A1C, honestly. Maybe I put too much stress about the A1C on her for the 2 weeks leading up to clinic. I say things like, "oOooO Clinic in "X" # of days... wonder what that A1C is?!" like it's a game and we have to win. Win against her non-working pancreas. Beat the thing at it's nasty game. Always prove to it that the pump will suffice because it decided to stop working on her all of a sudden.

"In the blood stream are the red blood cells, which are made of a molecule, haemoglobin. Glucose sticks to the haemoglobin to make a 'glycosylated haemoglobin' molecule, called haemoglobin A1C or HbA1C. The more glucose in the blood, the more haemoglobin A1C or HbA1C will be present in the blood." (I pulled that from a webpage {http://medweb.bham.ac.uk/easdec/prevention/what_is_the_hba1c.htm} because I couldn't have said it any better!)

The A1C measures the sugars in Betsey's blood over an 8-12 week period. Based on the # we get, it tells us how well controlled her diabetes is. When she was diagnosed, she was 10.something%. A non diabetic is around 5-5.5% and diabetic strives to have this # less than 7% for optimum health. Betsey's last check up we had gone down 2 points again and if I remember correctly, it was a 6.4%. I always get a little antsy before the appointments, try to reel her in a little, not that 1-2 weeks of super tight control will affect it that much, because it goes out as far as 12 weeks. But I get all worked up about that number-I am a 'numbers girl.'

Our last visit was primarily about healthier eating. Betsey has always been a challenge to feed - super sensitive gag reflex since she was about 2 and beyond picky. One time, when she was about 3 years old, the mean parents we are, she started to gag at the idea of having a strawberry and we thought it was so funny.... this little tiny person gagging looking at food. So I grabbed a strawberry, smooshed it and smeared it on the chair right where she would grab to get down. She was done at the table, grabbed the chair, realized there was strawberry goo on her and immediately started to gag and dry heave. It was so funny!! It's ironic that this is the child who now has to have so much of her life revolve around food - more so than the rest of us. And it's crucial for her to eat those strawberries now, as it is for all of us, but for Betsey, she has to be more diligent because of the chances of leading into health problems should she not be conscientious of her habits.

Needless to say, Betsey is doing much better with her eating since our last visit and we are pleased to say she eats broccoli.........with her nose plugged. Hey.... she eats it!

Our clinic appointment is next week, and as much as I look forward to the visit, Betsey does not. I always leave it feeling refreshed with information, a slight bit more confident in being able to help Betsey manage her diabetes, and content with the hands she is in.