Learning to navigate the often scary world of diabetes as the grandparent of a type 1. We share our experiences, things we found that work and things that didn't work so well.
I will never forget that day in June 2019 when our then 4-year-old grandson was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. The endless finger pokes just broke my heart. When his doctor recommended he start wearing a CGM that began our quest to discover what is the best continuous glucose monitors. So here we are almost … Read more
This past week has been a difficult one for us as a family. Our daughter’s dog, Buddy, was a beloved family pet and we are now faced with grieving dog loss. We have known for almost 8 months that this day would come. Somehow, that knowledge doesn’t make it easier when it happens. Buddy was … Read more
Independent T1D management, when is it time? Wow! That is certainly a loaded question. I mean there are so many variables involved in deciding when your child is ready to take over their type 1 diabetes management. At what age was your child diagnosed? Our grandson was only 4-years-old at the time of his diagnosis … Read more
As a kid growing up, I remember my mother and grandmother giving me a vitamin C capsule every day. Now that I am a grandmother I wondered about the effects of type 1 and vitamin C. I mean if I were to give my type 1 diabetic grandson vitamin C, what effect would that have … Read more
Until our grandson was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes we were completely unaware of what’s a D bag let alone what may be in one. First, let me clarify that I don’t in any way mean the slang version of a d-bag meaning dirtbag. I am referring to a Diabetes bag and anyone who has type … Read more
Can diabetes cause brain damage? We all know that diabetes is full of highs and lows and it can have a significant damaging effect on the body. What about the brain? How does that roller coaster of blood sugars that is diabetes affect our brain? I remember one time when visiting my parents, my … Read more
What the immune system is and how it works became important to me when our son and young grandson both developed autoimmune disorders. Our son was diagnosed with Celiac disease and our grandson was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. I became very curious about both of these diseases. Once I learned they were autoimmune disorders … Read more
Today we will discover the answer to the question “Is there a difference between anxiety and depression?” The reality is that we frequently hear both of these terms. Sometimes we hear them together. Other times only one or the other of these terms. I believe I have even heard them used interchangeably and wasn’t entirely … Read more
What does vegetable gardening in Canada have to do with grandparenting a type 1 diabetic? Plenty. Let me explain. I have mentioned in several previous posts that a healthy, well-balanced, vegetable-rich diet is an important part of diabetes management. So why not grow your own veggies, they taste so much fresher than supermarket veggies and … Read more
I spent several years working in Palliative care in a nursing home setting and am fully aware that caregiver burnout is real which is why understanding the treatment of caregiver burnout is so important. Prevention is always best but knowing what to do if you recognize symptoms of caregiver burnout is important. Since our grandson … Read more