TWO YEARS AGO

December 14, 2011 -  A day that will always be significant in our family.

As I reflect back on that day, many questions go through my mind.

 The Main question - Why us?  Why Olivia?

I question this often as my emotions boil and my anger increases....and then I think, why are we so special that we should not be dealing with T1D?!  I'm sure there is a major underlying reason why this was put upon us. I say "US" because this has affected our family in a huge way - but don't worry - I am not going to go on and on with a sob story - this is quite the opposite.

As I sit here and think about the past two years and the "why Olivia?" goes through my head - I look back on how this has changed her and how she has been such an inspiration in the T1D world.  Too many finger pokes to count (really I don't want to count) - Pump site changes, carb counting, and reading ingredients so nothing contains wheat, or gluten.... on stage at Starlight Theater - many doctors visits to monitor and ...through it all Olivia has grown and thrived with a smile on her face.  

Olivia is strong and healthy with a heart of gold.  But Olivia also has feelings about T1D that she will never show.  In a previous blog I had mentioned that we have not become friends with T1D - which is still true - but we have come to learn how to co-exist.  - certainly not by choice but by necessity.  

We have teamed with the JDRF with our walk team Olivia's Journey and have helped to raise awareness, educate and fund research.  It still amazes me that if you ask, people will help.  Our Rock the Cure event was a huge success and we are in the "thinking and planning" stages of next year's event.  Olivia's classmates and teachers at White Lake Middle School have taken on the JDRF as one of their fundraising efforts. How great is that?!

So as we celebrate - YES Celebrate the TWO year anniversary of Olivia's Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis we keep this in mind:

IT'S NOT HOW HARD YOU GET HIT, BUT HOW HARD YOU GET HIT AND KEEP MOVING FORWARD!

This picture shows Olivia's new "normal" with her friends at Camp Midicha last June -
THIS IS WHY WE CELEBRATE TODAY - HEALTHY HAPPY GIRLS BEING SILLY AND SUPPORTING EACH OTHER.

Olivia at Starlight after being on stage..... 

Olivia and her friends, Olivia, Sydney and Cait at the JDRF Walk To Cure - Olivia's Journey raised over $4,000!

And....they may not admit it - But this is Olivia's biggest supporter and best friend.  Carly you too are my hero!

So as I start this day of celebration, I ask one more time...  Why Olivia?   and answer...   WHY NOT......

And now Olivia and I are off to Biggby coffee for a peppermint mocha!  A great way to Celebrate!

Time to catch up on a few things.....

Wow!  It has been quite a while since I have been on here - Time to catch up...

Since May - really May?  Have I been THAT busy?  Well yes, yes I have.  Last summer flew by - 

Carly started High School at Lakeland and also joined the Girls Golf Team - she took to it naturally and had a great season - At the end of the season banquet she was awarded the medal for Most Improved Underclassman with 18 strokes shaved off of her game. Impressive. 

 

Carly also had the opportunity recently to team up with Chef Dave at Black Tulip Grill and learn the ins and outs of a real restaurant kitchen. She assisted in preparing food for a large party and even cooked for her Mom and Dad.  What a great way to get started in her future endeavors.





Olivia continues to shine at the Starlight Theater - She had the opportunity to perform in the adult production of Fiddler on The Roof along with several other plays. She is currently rehearsing for The Secret Garden in which she will be The Cook.   She is now in the 6th grade at White Lake and has a great group of friends.

We recently went to see The Blue Man Group with the school choir and band. Can you see her in this picture - look at all the friends around her :) 

Olivia and Type 1 Diabetes have not become friends yet - although I don't believe they ever will - There are struggles every day but since September when she started using the pump, she doesn't have to poke herself quite as many times anymore.  

She and I are still frustrated by the questions..."can you eat that?" - Yes! "you're ok now that you have the pump, right?" NO! We continue to educate our friends and family - and each morning when I go into her room to wake her for school, I thank God that she opens her eyes!

ME?  oh yea - I do have a life also :)  I changed jobs in August and work for a wonderful company.  I still feel "new" to the position and every day have to remind myself that I don't know everything yet. I work with a great team of ladies and the owner/boss couldn't be more understanding.  I always say, things happen for a reason - after being in the office for a few weeks I found out that the owners son is a T1D - we chatted about it and I was so touched by their support.  

I am venturing into the JRDF Mentor program this week - I feel a need to educate and support other families affected by this horrendous disease along with gaining more knowledge for everyday living.

So as I sit here on a beautiful Saturday morning while my girls sleep in, I look back over the last year ..through the trials and pain come great successes that are too large to measure - whether it is a golf swing to win a game, a bow at the end of a play, a hug good night or sleepy eyes that say good morning - I can truly say Life is Good and we will carry on.......

Busy Busy Busy

Wow - the Month of May has been crazy busy so far.  We went to the Today Tomorrow Conference hosted by the JDRF.  What a great place for information and support. Olivia was in the kids camp and had a ball.  It was quite moving to see all the kids sit down for lunch and pull out their meters at the lunch table.  Then the kids either adjusted their pumps or injected insulin. It was actually a nice experience for Olivia - Sad to say, she is definitely not alone.

We then sent Carly off to Chicago for a band trip.  She was gone for 2 days and came back with some great stories.  Four bus loads of kids going to Chicago - hmm - I gave the chaperones credit - they had a big job and pulled it off.

We - and I really mean "we"  - made it through 5th grade camp.  I was a little nervous at first. Did Olivia have enough supplies with her? - Did she have enough emergency food with her? Would the chaperones really know what to do in an emergency?  Well, I am happy to say, she survived (and so did I) and she had a great time.

May 11th , Carly turned 14 - Happy Birthday my independent child.  We celebrated at Black Rock - her favorite place.  Side note:  if you haven't been there, GET THERE!  It's fantastic.

Carly just got back from Washington DC with the 8th grade. What a trip!  I am continually hearing a new story about something that happened on the trip or something she saw. It was a long trip and  a lot of time spent on a bus, but I think she really had fun and learned quite a bit.

While Carly was in DC, Olivia, Al and I went to the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House in Grosse Pointe and went to the Making Tracks for Celiacs 5k.  It was a beautiful sunny spring day. The outpouring of support was immeasurable.  What a great event for a great cause close to my heart.

This weekend is a holiday weekend and we aren't stopping yet - Olivia is Fa Le in Mulan at the Starlight Theater in Waterford.  She really enjoys the stage.  She will be performing three of the four day. 

So...  Do you see the pattern here?  My girls are traveling and doing exciting things, and I am writing about it!  But that's ok - I am so happy that they are both able to explore and have fun.  We are all going to Hershey PA the first weekend in June - maybe I can write about that and put me in on the fun!!

- Bits and Pieces for now!

Carly - My Culinary Artist!!

I woke up this morning appreciating the beautiful girls in my life - Carly is my sweet intense gem.  She is preparing herself for high school and college.  Yes she is almost 14 and is already thinking that way.  


We were shopping a few weeks ago and went into Sur la Table and met one of the culinary teachers from Schoolcraft College who happened to work there for fun. (her dream has been to go into Culinary Arts) He was a very nice man and engaged in quite a conversation with her.  He was giving Carly tips for cooking and also gave her the "in" to be truly prepared for classes at Schoolcraft. He also gave her his email - I told her to hang onto that - nice to have a contact so early on..... We are looking into her taking a culinary class at the college this summer. WOW! Can't believe I will be sending her there.  


Carly continues to amaze me - she looks up recipes and makes everything from "scratch".  Her Dutch Great Grandma would be so proud.  I came home from work about a week ago and Carly was making cookies - flour, sugar and eggs all over the counter :)  I asked her where she got the recipe and she said she made it up.  She then told me that all you need is flour sugar, butter, and water....  oh and a pinch of salt and you can make anything!  We didn't have enough flour so she substituted pancake mix for half of it and the cookies turned out GREAT!!


The nice part about Carly wanting to go into Culinary Arts is that we get to experience all of her creations.   She is going places......  :)

A little bit of T1D

I'm new to blogging  and thought it would be a good place for information and updates on our new  "normal".  so if you can hang in with me, you can learn about what's been going on in the Shay household.


For those of you who know - I apologize for the repeated information. Some of this may be redundant and some may be new.  


Olivia was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes (referred to as T1D) on December 14, 2011.  This date will never be forgotten.  Imagine the shock when I thought I was taking her to the doctors for a bladder infection and was immediately sent to Royal Oak Beaumont for an extended stay to be treated and taught about T1D.  All I had ever heard about ANY type of Diabetes was Type 2 - which will be clarified later, and it is NOT at all the same thing.  Also my adult nephew was diagnosed some 25+ years ago and was told not to eat sugar!! REALLY? Was that what I was going to deal with.


Surprisingly after meeting with the wonderful team of doctors, we were informed that they wanted us to wrap T1D around Olivia's life - not wrap Olivia around T1D. What that meant for us was that she can enjoy her birthday cake (which was 2 1/2 weeks after diagnosis) and we "cover" (give) it with insulin.  Wow - not so bad right?  Well, not so fast........


Olivia was able to enjoy her birthday and Christmas, CAREFULLY!


Fast forward....  It has been almost 4 1/2 months since Olivia was diagnosed. We have had our highs and VERY lows.  Some extremely scary moments that seem to last a lifetime.  Ha... lifetime.... nice segway to my next tidbit of information..


We have also unfortunately added Celiac Disease to her life - she is now not able to eat or touch anything containing gluten (wheat - barley - oats) Thank goodness there are new options available.  I have also started a gluten free life with her.


T1D is not curable (yet) I feel like this needs clarification from T2D.  Type 1 is an incurable autoimmune disease that affects the pancreas.  There is no diet plan to fix it and Olivia will be taking insulin and checking her glucose for the rest of her life.  Type 2 diabetes is curable and manageable with correct food intake and exercise.  These are two different things.  


We look forward to the day we are given the "OK" to try a pump for her bolus insulin - she will still need to administer her own basil dose and poke her finger for monitoring her blood sugar levels.


We have made many new friends along this journey that have picked us up when we are "down" or frustrated - most are in the same situation and can understand the emotions and terminology. 


Thank goodness Olivia is happy child ......  and the sun is shining today!




**next up......  Carly Shay!