New Year Opportunity

[EmmasPapa]

I have just about given up on getting a group pf grandparents to participate here - but I am going to give it one more try! What a great time to resolve to spend more quality time with your grandchildren - especially those "D" grandkids. Yes, it can be hard, but it isn't rocket science either. Taking care of a D child just requires diligence and the knowledge of how to handle various situations. Your sons and/or daughters will gladly instruct you on the proper procedures for highs, lows, etc. The actual instructions will vary from child to child and whether or not they are on a pump. Remember they are just a cell phone call away if you aren't sure of what to do.

Mimi and I are going to host Emma & Brenden for the night of New Years Eve - heck, if you are like us partying is too much work and you will be home anyway. We are going to have a Kids' New Year party with decorations, noisemakers, snacks, etc. We will also have some other kids there until 9:00PM or so. I think it will be a blast!!

Look for pictures in the next few days.

[Brensdad]

It looked like they had lots of fun. When we left they were tossing confetti and blowing horns! :eek:

[sammysmom]

Sounds like they had a great time. My parents are not very involved in diabetes care but my brother and sis in law are. They routinely offer to come and get both boys and say "don't call us, we'll call you"! It is nice to have other family members that can step in and let me and huuby go out and be "real adults" every now and then. You are wonderful grandparents, keep it up!:)

[georgia]

HOw wonderful for you to do that Emmas Papa!! My husband and I are very blessed in that his parents are very involved in our daughters care. They jumped right in after she was diagnosed. Amalia and her twin brother usually sleep over once or twice a month, it is awesome. They too hosted their grandchildren for new years!!
Cheers!

[ampb9755]

Hi to all the grandparents,
I am new to the forum. My granddaughter, Alyssa, was diagnosed with type 1 at the end of Oct. She is only 5. It is a sad thing. No one in our family has ever had type 1 diabeties, so we were shocked. She was so sick. Her blood sugar was 750 when diagnosed, but she is much better now. We are waiting on test to see if she has Celiac disease, another heartbreak. The doctors tell us that 1 out of 20 children with type 1 will also get Celiac. I had to learn how to give Alyssa shots and do the formulas for her insulin. I was really nervous the first time I gave her a shot. It was a hard thing to do. But she is a trooper. She seems to be doing fine now with all the daily shots and finger pricks. :)

[EmmasPapa]

Hi to all the grandparents,
I am new to the forum. My granddaughter, Alyssa, was diagnosed with type 1 at the end of Oct. She is only 5. It is a sad thing. No one in our family has ever had type 1 diabeties, so we were shocked. She was so sick.

So sorry about your grandchild's DX. It does come as a huge shock. I will never forget driving down the street with my grandson in the car with me when I got the call from my son at the hospital telling me that little Emma was a T1. It was all I could do to hold back the tears for the sake of my grandson.

You have come to the right place. Your story has been repeated on the posts of this forum hundreds of times. You will learn to deal with the situation and you will learn a LOT from the parents on here. My daughter-in-law, Emmasmom, and several other parents here are as knowledgable about this disease as most endos. They are a wonderful source of information and moral support.

Hopefully you will stay active in the Grandparents' Forum as well as the Parents' Forum. I am only an indirect care-giver for my granddaughter, but I have used sources on this forum to help me with issues that have cropped up during sleepovers.

My heart goes out to you and your family, and I want to assure you that things will get better.

[badshoe]

EmmasPapa rocks out loud.

[mamawofsingingdiabetic]

I have just about given up on getting a group pf grandparents to participate here - but I am going to give it one more try! What a great time to resolve to spend more quality time with your grandchildren - especially those "D" grandkids. Yes, it can be hard, but it isn't rocket science either. Taking care of a D child just requires diligence and the knowledge of how to handle various situations. Your sons and/or daughters will gladly instruct you on the proper procedures for highs, lows, etc. The actual instructions will vary from child to child and whether or not they are on a pump. Remember they are just a cell phone call away if you aren't sure of what to do.

Mimi and I are going to host Emma & Brenden for the night of New Years Eve - heck, if you are like us partying is too much work and you will be home anyway. We are going to have a Kids' New Year party with decorations, noisemakers, snacks, etc. We will also have some other kids there until 9:00PM or so. I think it will be a blast!!

Look for pictures in the next few days.

Hello, I am a grandmother of a teenage diabetic and I have lots to learn and she lives in NC and I live in IL so I am hoping to learn by listening and reading. If you have any ideas please let me know.

[momofsingingdiabetic]

Hello, I am a grandmother of a teenage diabetic and I have lots to learn and she lives in NC and I live in IL so I am hoping to learn by listening and reading. If you have any ideas please let me know.

Well, lookie here. This is Danielle's Mawmaw. She will be staying with Danielle and Matthew while we are on vacation in October and I told how great everyone is here.:D

[EmmasPapa]

Hi MaMaw! It is good to see a grandparent stepping up to the plate. I think you will find this forum to be invaluable to you in caring for your granddaughter. I learn something new almost every day here.

I would like to recommend a book "Understanding Diabetes" by Dr. Peter Chase of the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes. This book has been very helpful.

You can order the book here (http://www.uchsc.edu/misc/diabetes/books.html)

I am very sorry that you have to be here, but I am glad that you choose to help. Feel free to message me at any time.

[BettyB]

I have just about given up on getting a group of grandparents to participate here - but I am going to give it one more try!

Hi EmmasPapa, Here's one more Grandma for your thread. The numbers of folks attending the Grandparents' Track at the Friends for Life Conference has been growing steadily. Wonder how we can get some of those folks to sign in here and share their thoughts? Are any of you guys lurking out there?