When we used to pack a diaper bag, I came up with a list of four pairs we could check off to make sure we had everything. Diapers/wipes, bottles/food, bibs/burpies, clothes/toys. Since Cooper was a little over a year old, I’d been able to mostly skip the diaper bag. We didn’t have to pack bottles or food or changes of clothes as often, so I could throw an extra diaper, a toy and a sippy cup in a large purse and feel pretty normal.
Well, we aren’t calling this the “new normal” for nothin’. Thank heaven huge purses are in fashion, because I have all new stuff to tote around, and I’m not going back to the diaper bag!
Here’s what we pack in our bag of ‘betes…
Logbook, the Bag, Glucagon, Cake Icing, Insulin, Syringes, Carb Counting Guide, Alcohol Wipes, Glucometer
The "emergency" supplies -- cake icing corrects a low BG in 4 minutes. The glucagon is only for extreme cases and is accompanied by a 911 call.
Until he moves to an insulin pump, Cooper takes two different types of insulin each day -- Levemir (or Lantus) is a long-lasting once-a-day insulin, and Humalog (or Novalog) is given after meals and snacks, depending on how many carbs were consumed.
Because Cooper's so small, his dosages run in the 1/2 units. Not even as large as a teardrop. We have to order specific syringes to measure 1/2 units. The needle is smaller than mechanical pencil lead.
One thing that always gets me is how much waste is involved. You can only use the alcohol wipes and syringes once, then they have to be thrown away. Same for the glucometer test strips. The insulin comes in 1000 unit bottles and expires after 30 days. Cooper uses maybe 5 units of insulin a day, or less than 200 a month. So, we throw out about 800 units of insulin each month. I hate it.
We use the Aviva Accu-Check meter. I love it, because it's easy to use and needs only the tiniest amount of blood for a reading.
Everything but the logbook, which we don’t necessarily carry with us all the time, fits in that one medium-sized cosmetics bag, which then goes in my purse. Yes, my purse is a little heavier and a little bulkier, but it works. Everything stays in the bag at all times (except when it’s being photographed!), so there’s nothing to pack or repack. I just move the bag of ‘betes from the kitchen counter to my purse and back again. Pretty simple.
The plan is for Cooper to move to an insulin pump in the next few months, and when that happens, we’ll get all new stuff, and likely an all new bag. For now, though, this is what we work with and have with us at all times.
Your Cooper is just precious. I’ve always loved red headed little boys.