The "LOW" down on a 13 year old's Party weekend

What a weekend! Friday, my son came home from school and wanted to go to the fair with his friends that evening. Where was the fair? At the other end of the city of course! Well, the school year is coming to a close and some of these boys will be going to a different school from my son in the fall, so I agreed to allow him to go.  He had glucose, meter, pump, cell phone and was set. 

As I picked him up later that evening I was rather amazed. My baby had been out in a city without me or his older brother, walking the streets at night and I had allowed it? He was with a crowd of a dozen or so other young people so there really was no danger involved. It was just scary that he was old enough to have this sort of responsibility.  He had tested and all was fine but I knew that after walking for five hours on a fair ground and goofing around with his pals that Diabetes would get its revenge.  It had behaved while he was out.  There were no lows to worry about so you know that the night would be rough! 

This was one night that I decided to be proactive. I put on his "low" basal was sure I would give myself a small reprieve.  When I tested him at 3am he was perfect. I gave myself a mental high five and went back to bed with a small glow of victory. I had beat Diabetes at is own game this night!! Oh yeah!!

My victory was short lived however. There was to be no sleeping in on this Saturday morning. I hadn't extended that reduced basal rate and Diabetes took advantage causing him to be low.  We all got up, showered and headed out to breakfast instead. Take that Diabetes!

Later that night was party number two for my social young son.  This party I knew would be active.  A group of boys were headed off into the woods as we arrived but I was more concerned with making sure that he again had all of his supplies so I didn't think to adjust any basal rates. After a few hours, I sent him a text and asked if he had tested. He said he was just about to do it.  I waited.  An hour later I received a second text..

"I am 3.4.  Took 4 tablets."

3.4 (62) Crap! but at least he had treated. I called him back and told him to retest and put that "low" basal rate on.  I waited and sent another text asking if he had retested.  He assured me that all was okay. 

We got home after midnight that night and once again I double checked to see if the temporary basal rate was on. This time I also made sure that I reactivated it when I tested during the night. I was going to beat Diabetes this time! Wrong.  I may have delayed things but Diabetes continued to send my son low multiple times during the rest of the day. I was really getting tired of this.

Sunday evening I sat down with the meter, pump and my son. I got out the log book and got serious.  I made carb to insulin ratio adjustments. I analyzed basal rates.  I changed profiles to allow for summer late nights, later mornings and increased activity levels.  Once again I was confident that we would at least see a few days of good readings.

Wrong.  Diabetes kicked my butt once more.  The night was fine but by 8am things were going down hill fast.  3.0 (54), four glucose tablets....3.0(54) another four glucose tablets and a few choice words...5.6 (100) victory but by then I was wide awake. So much for sleeping in on a stormy Monday morning. My son got up as well, complaining that his mouth felt like he had eaten a tonne of sugar...well you did!

I have more changes to make before my son heads off to visit his father for a few weeks. If this keeps up, my nerves will be shot before he heads off on his own.  The reality of diabetes is that once I get these rates just perfect, he will have a growth spurt and we will be fighting highs for the next two months. I so love this windy, twisted road of life with Diabetes...grrr! Give me strength!