Saturday, March 1, 2008

Home

Before we were discharged yesterday, I took Annie down to the hospital playroom, and in past the tables set up for painting, coloring, and playing with bubbles. I pushed her wheelchair over by the door that leads outside, and stopped in front of the long mirror so she could see the little girl in pink. We were good until I stopped instead of opening the door to go outside. Loud yelling and big tears. Great--all the playroom supervisors grabbed their walkie-talkies to report the mom making her kid cry.

So we went outside. Children's garden area is pretty cool. Of course, any garden on February 29th in Seattle is cool, especially when the sun is shining. What was I thinking with the mirror? We started up the paved path, and stopped beside the blooming hellebores. Now I know why my friend, Debbie, likes hellebores--soft purple-to-green blooms. Around the circular path to where the creeping thyme was overtaking one corner, I reached down and twisted off a tiny bunch so Annie could smell the lemony scent. "Here, Annie, this smells good." She sniffed her nose. "Hmm," I thought. "she sniffed on command!" This kiddo is tracking with lots more than I think.

We were discharged around 2 PM, and came home to a clean house, (thanks, Donna!), and pizza for dinner, (thanks, Sue!). We are so glad to be home.

Now, here's our current dilemma. Her Addison's medicine keeps her blood sugar up to a nice range of about 95-110. However, the goal of the diet is to slowly decrease her blood sugar to around 50-60, which, of course, gives me hives just thinking about it. But that's when the diet works. So--please pray that her blood sugar go slowly down, and her ketones--don't ask me what they are, I would say I flunked chemistry if I ever took it--go up.

Thanks again for checking in and for every prayer you say for Annie. God really is answering each one. I'll repeat myself--I wish I could read your prayers and tell you, "Yes! God answered that, too!" Your prayers are hard work, and my prayer today is that God would show you that He hears.

Jean

"Short prayers are long enough." Charles Spurgeon

5 comments:

Tracey said...

Thank you, God.
Please don't stop.

Tracey said...

A ketone test checks for ketones in your blood or urine. Ketones are substances that are made when the body breaks down fat for energy. Normally, your body gets the energy it needs from carbohydrate in your diet. However, stored fat is broken down and ketones are made if your diet does not contain enough carbohydrate to supply the body with sugar (glucose) for energy or if your body cannot use blood sugar (glucose) properly.

Newer home blood sugar meters can also measure ketones. Home urine tests to measure ketones are available.

Why It Is Done
A blood test is the most accurate method of measuring ketones. It is recommended for all people with diabetes whenever symptoms of illness are present, such as nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pain. These symptoms are similar to symptoms of high blood sugar and may mean you have diabetic ketoacidosis, a potentially life-threatening condition.

A urine test is the most commonly used method of measuring ketones. But it is less accurate than a blood test. It may be done to:

Monitor a person on a very low-carbohydrate diet.
Monitor a pregnant woman who has diabetes or has developed gestational diabetes.

Find more on webmd.com

Anonymous said...

clean house
pizza
fragrant flowers
sunshine
friends who pray
a God Who answers
more than that is luxury for sure.
Love

Anonymous said...

Jean - of course you know there will be folks who will tell you that spilling ketones is abnormal - as indeed it is - but in Annie's case, desireable.
It is amazing that God has designed our bodies in that even ABnormal can sometimes be beneficial!

God be praised!
pam.

Gretchen said...

Much love and prayers. Praise His holy name for all the improvements, for the journey yet to come, and for our faith in Him. May He add to it each day.

xxxooogretchen