Unglued

(Alternately Titled A Loose Screw)

What goes up must come down and in this case what went in must come out.  Kate's broken arm was repaired by the placement of a screw to hold the dislodged bone with the growth plate to the rest of her bone.  Hardware obviously doesn't belong in our body and in this case, with the rapid growth of childhood, the screw was best removed before the bone grew over it and it could not be retrieved.

Kate had surgery a week and a half ago to remove the screw.  This time we just went to an outpatient surgery center (there was no room in the inn last time, so we were at the hospital).  She took Beary, the teddy bear that I fixed up with a sling and gave her after her first surgery, with her.  When she woke up, the nurses had wrapped Beary's arm to match hers.  It was very sweet.

This recovery (as promised) has been much easier.  Well, except for one thing, since she's not in pain, afraid of movement, and immobilized by splints much of the time, it is harder to get the incision to heal.  At her one week follow up, the surgical glue was peeling horribly and the incision was weepy.  The nurse fixed her up with steri-strips, we were given a script for an antibiotic due to some redness and a bump at the place the screw was extracted), and we were sent on our way.  Discharged from care unless she has a problem!

The next evening, as I was making dinner (one of 10 or so evenings Justin isn't home for dinner a year), she announces one of the steri-strips was loose, so she pulled it off.  I fed the littles dinner and headed out to the pharmacy to buy more steri-strips.  I wasn't even sure I could buy them, but thankfully they were there.  She's patched up with 'tape' yet again.

We'll have to watch her arms as she grows, but the doctor is confident that the growth plate was not damaged and it is obvious that her movement is not bothered at all thanks to all the physical therapy.

And that (loose) screw, it now lives in my curio cabinet.

Physical Therapy

Kate's appointments had dropped back to two days a week.  She has progressed to an active loss of about 10 degrees of use last Friday, but we could move her arm to straight!  That is a huge improvement from the days when we could barely pull her to 40 degrees.  As of last night, we have graduated from physical therapy.  She can completely straighten her arm!!

We had planned to put her in a splint to passively stretch her, but at this point, that will not be necessary.  Her therapist said Kate had the fastest elbow recovery of any of her patients ever.

I am so grateful for her huge gains.

PT, last week

Kate's graduation celebration!

Heart Attack in an Envelope

We've been getting bills, lots of bills, for Kate's elbow.  There are the ER hospital, the surgery hospital, the doctor, the anesthesiologist.  Then there are all the EOBs from the insurance company.  It's a lot of mail.

Yesterday I got two bills from the hospital--one was a first statement, the other dated the next day said past due.  Past due!?  One day later.  That doesn't make sense, but that isn't the thing that knocked the wind out of me.

$16,777.72 ?!?

So I called the billing office.  I called the insurance company.  It turns out the insurance company has an agreement that the hospital is supposed to write off almost all of that.  A mistake was made and we were billed it.

Something is horribly, horribly wrong.  Either the hospital is charging way to much (like $16,000 too much) or the insurance company is paying way to little and the hospitals won't be able to stay open.  I don't know.

I was told by the billing office to be sure the follow up regularly on a bill of this size, but we won't have to pay that--not that we could!    

The Bravest Kate

(FYI-Kate named this post and okay-ed all the pictures, since she's getting to an age I don't want her to be embarrassed.)

I am so going to brag on my brave little girl.  She was a little tearful before we left the house, we got up at o'dark early and I let her lay on my bed for a few minutes until it was time to go.  Justin and I were waiting downstairs for a few minutes when we heard a little sob.  She wanted Starbear.  I had intended not to take her because I was afraid she might get lost, but she tagged along anyway.  After a couple of, "I don't wanna goes," that I was echoing in my head too, she dried her tears and we took off.

Kate's arm after 2 days of ice and elevation--that is significantly smaller than when we unwrapped it the first time at the ortho office.

The gal did great with the waiting we did.  She was quiet, which is out of character for her, but I will also grant her that everyone we spoke with asked her for her name, date of birth, and what she was there for.  She got a little sick of answering those questions!  She defaulted to me, which was fine and sometimes just pointed at her arm band.  The nurses let her take Starbear back to the OR with her and even gave Starbear a hospital bracelet, in case they were to get separated.

Kate in pre-op

The anesthesiologist ordered sleepy medicine, despite the fact we told him it hadn't worked on her a week ago.  The nurses observered her in pre-op, and they thought she was handling it all great, so we opted to make it only if needed--and she was so brave she didn't need it.

When they rolled her away, she was waving and smiling.  We were quite thankful that they gave her a gaseous anesthetic before putting in the IV, so she didn't have to be awake for that.  The doctor said he was able to line up the bone just right without a problem and closing was easy despite the swelling.  He also said he was able to stay away from the growth plate.

The next time we saw her was much more difficult.  She looked lost and confused.  She kept crying, so the nurse gave her some morphine.  The tears remained until she had been awake long enough for her to have a popsicle.  Who knew grape popsicles were better than morphine?  She had been a long time without food or drink, so that perked her right up.  She was a bit upset when we had to get her up to go, but I'm sure she was still a little woosey and worried she would hurt herself.

Kate in post-op--she wants everyone to see her purple tongue.

We picked up a bear in a hospital gown at the gift shop.  I called ahead and knew they didn't have slings, so I brought what I needed to make one for the bear while she was in surgery.  Kate says that, "Mama broke the bear's arm."  It gave my hands something to do for a few minutes.  My aunt also stopped by to chat with us and to get some food for us.

She's been comfortable at home.  Her only complaints have been that she needed a sling (the pediatric sling won't fit over the two splints the doctor used to protect her elbow) and the pain medicine tastes awful.  We bought an adult sling today and I modified it (shortened the strap by half) so she can wear it and I took her medicine back to the pharmacy to get it flavored.  She said it tastes better, but still burns her throat.

Here is her new sling, which she though she hated until I shortened the strap.  She also uses the extra space as a purse to carry the bear.  Ha!

I think she's absolutely spectacular too because today she asked if the screw had to come out.  I idn't want to answer, but I also want to be honest, so I told her that it did.  Other than asking when, which we don't know, she's been fine with it.  I would be so mad I had to do all that again.  She is so brave!

She is to the point she can only wear pillow case dresses, since nothing else will fit over the arm.  I have made her two more today with fabric my mother brought her.  We'll meet with the orthopedist again next Thursday for follow-up.  Maybe then we can see if she can wear some more normal clothes!  But I am thankful to whomever came up with these dresses and that it is the right time of year for them.

Thankful

Today I am thankful...

I am thankful that we live in a place and a time where Kate's elbow can be repaired.
I am thankful, that even if her growth plate were to be damaged, she will still be able to bend and straighten her arm.
I am thankful that, as I write this, the swelling seems to be going down.
I am thankful for insurance that will help defray the cost of all these expenses.
I am thankful for grandparents, on both sides, who would be willing to drop everything to come and lend a hand.
I am thankful that though Kate is tall, she is thin enough that even I can still pick her up and move her when I need to.
I am thankful for a munchkin who has handled this with strength, grace, and even (almost all the time) with a smile.
I am thankful that we have a God who is greater than anything I can imagine, who promises to work everything, even this, to the good of those who love Him.

Kate says she's thankful for TV, ice, blankets, and StarBear.  Those are all things that have helped her through the seemingly endless hours of trying to get the swelling down.

Kate's Elbow

Just a quick update on Kate...

Her elbow requires surgery (Thursday morning)--a screw instead of pins.  She will be splinted again afterwards and expected to move it soon afterwards.  I'm not precisely sure when soon is...I was surprised, so I didn't come with questions for that scenario!  I'm sure they will tell us at the hospital.

Until then her arm is elevated and iced.  We're having Netflix marathons.

It could be a rough few days for her and us, so prayers are appreciated!

Kate in a new pillow case dress

Ouch!

The other day I took the littles to buy a second swim suit for each of them.  I've signed the girls up for swimming lessons in July and I thought it would be a good idea to have that extra one.  I hit upon a good sale and was able to get them all covered for $25, tax and all, not bad.

I was a good Mama, despite the very hot temperatures we've been having, I hauled out the little play sprinkler we have for them to play with and let them run through the sprayer in their new swimsuits.

And I'm so glad I did, even if I roasted.  Here's why...

Yep, Miss Kate will be missing out on the water fun the rest of the summer.

She missed her gymnastics class this week because the dentist office recommended we reschedule, so we did.  We took her on Thursday night instead.  We had plans to visit some friends for the weekend, so I stayed home to work on packing and Justin took the gal to her make-up class.

At eight, just as the class should be ending, I heard a knock on the front door.  I thought a neighbor was letting me know that Nate was standing in the window, or some such thing.  Instead, I found Justin on the front porch.  Kate broke her elbow and she wanted me to take her to the hospital.

It seems that Kate has inherited my sense of grace.  The child, who does some pretty impressive things on the high bar, didn't fall from there.  She didn't tumble off the balance beam.  Nope, she was running and tripped over her feet.  She was heading for the spring board, but wasn't there yet.  She straight armed in the fall and turned a somersault or two.  She told me, "I thought she was dreaming, and then I screamed."

A couple of minutes after we walked in to the ER, a father and his 13 year old son came through, also with an elbow injury.  They were a funny set as we walked down the hall together, one nurse stopped and asked if we were all together, the boy in his soccer jersey and Kate in her leotard.  Someone teasingly asked if they had been in a fight.

The people in the ER were wonderful.  She was treated very quickly.  X-rays, splint, and all in what must have been about an hour, as I look back at what time I left the house and when we got back to the van.  She was such a little trooper.  The x-ray was the hardest part, since the tech needed it to be as straight as possible (about 90 degrees was the best we could do) for the pictures.  The lady who brought the ibuprofen was impressed when she asked how Kate was doing and instead of a whining complaint heard, "Alright."  The man who splinted her arm got her a popsicle for doing a great job.  As for the other kid, he needed a splint and he will be as good as new.

She got sick in the night, we assume from the trauma since it hasn't persisted.  Poor child had to have my shirt that she was sleeping in cut off of her and dumped in the tub at two in the morning, groggy, sore, and nauseous.

She will have to see an orthopedist tomorrow to see what will be next.  I'm hoping for a simple cast and expecting pins, so I can be relieved if she doesn't need them.  The only complaint she has is getting dressed.  It isn't easy to dress when your arm is twice as big (with bandages and all) and can't be straightened.

I'm seeing a couple of extra pillow case dresses in her future.

Counting

I picked up a pedometer. I figured I wasn't taking nearly the recommended 10,000 steps a day, so I'd see where I was and try to get up to that goal.

I was wrong. So far I've worn it for 5 full days. I didn't reach my 10,000 steps on Saturday (I didn't wear it on Sunday because of church.). I guess that's not a huge surprise, since I had someone to split all those trips to change diapers, check on children, and other things that are done upstairs. Oh, and I slept in...you know, until seven.

Honestly, I was surprised by how much walking my daily life with the munchkin's affords me. I have passed 10,000 steps every week day so far. I do run an elliptical most days too, so that adds several steps to my total. I actually fit the 'active' range. Could someone tell that to my waistline, please?

It Comes in Threes

So Sunday Nate got that leaf up his nose. Wednesday morning he was pukey. He's had the normal diarrhea that follows that (more laundry). Then today he had a rash. And it kept getting worse. That was the proverbial straw, so off to the doctor we went.

They asked what he had eaten lately, if he used anything new. We ate a normal dinner last night--homemade chicken noodle soup and salad of things I normally put in salad--and nothing unusual for other meals. We ate lots of 'highly allergenic foods' lately: peanut butter, eggs, almond milk, and chickpeas, but all things we eat regularly. I make our laundry detergent, his lotion is the tried and true hypoallergenic he's used since infancy, I have no idea what could have caused his itchy rash.

We're looking at allergy testing at his well visit next week...assuming he is well then. Maybe he's getting it all out of the way now, so he can be healthy, you know, for those terrible twos that are fast approaching.

What's Cooking?

Our diet took a bit of a turn nearly two years ago when Justin was diagnosed as an adult onset type I diabetic. There is no longer garlic bread with pasta. We have to round out some dinners with extra carbohydrates because there just isn't enough in baked chicken and green beans to take a dose of insulin. We've mostly found our way through--finding a few foods that are filling without carbohydrates. A favorite being cheese. Snacks are virtually gone, unless of course he has a low, then look out!

A few weeks back we'd been dealing with diaper-y issues with the little fellow. We tried a day on the BRAT (bananas, rice, apple sauce, & toast) diet to give his system a break. When I added in yogurt the next morning, the issues were back. Wierd. Then it hit me--could it be dairy? We made a switch to almond milk that day. And 'fake' cheese. And even 'fake' ice cream. Any time he gets any dairy we are right back in copious numbers of diapers. The bigger problem isn't the number of changes that are required, it is that the poop then burns his poor little bum. Evidently that is a sign of lactose intolerance--the acid in the milk is not broken down so it is still there. I've read that lactose intolerance can be an issue for a month or so after a stomach virus, so here's to hoping we're going to pass through this faze, but Justin had about 10 years of lactose intolerance.

I've been making him some separate foods for him... He likes pizza, but obviously can't have it with regular cheese. I made him up some on french bread with soy cheese. Soy cheese isn't great, but it is miles better than plastic rice cheese. By the way, the cheese powder in mac & cheese boxes does have enough real cheese in it to cause a problem, even when mixed with almond milk.

I've put off the pediatrician, since we're handling the issue on our own without any problems and it may well be temporary. I'm not a fan of the appointments where the doctor has to tell me wait and see, and since that's what we'll likely get until after this has lasted awhile longer. I am hoping that we will be able to get an all clear on dairy before too long or at least a dosage for the lactase enzyme, when I get him an appointment for his two year visit, so the little guy can eat our normal foods again soon.

Until then I guess what's cooking is not a creamy soup or gooey casserole, at least not for the little guy. And Justin will have to keep sneaking his cheese.

I'm free!

Okay, I guess that could be taken the wrong way if you knew my in-laws just left, but that's not what I meant (We had a nice little visit.). I've been seeing an ophthalmologist since March because of...pink eye that wasn't taking treatment well from my regular GP. I know, lame, but at least it wasn't the amoeba I was referred for fear of! Anyway. He tells me that the inflammation that the little infection left me with has finally all subsided, and he is releasing me on my own recognizance to an optometrist. Great news.

The only real down part is that he recommends that I only use glasses or daily wear (wear one day and then toss them) lenses. Those my well be out of my price range, even with our vision insurance, so we'll see. He said that I could also do surgery, but I'm not really up for that one, nor is it in the budget either. At the very least, I can get myself a pair of back up glasses for the day when this pair gets broken. And I no longer have to put drops in my eye. Free!

So Apparently I'm (Viewed as) Incompetent

I happened across an article that has been bugging me (Breastfeeding Women Viewed as Less Competent). It states that the perception of women who breastfeed their children is that they are less competent. It is irking me... Not the article, as it is just stating the findings, but that people believe this. And from what I gather probably mostly young people (they are listed as students), so not a group of older ladies or gentlemen, who were taught that formula was better (which had been the teaching for some time).

I've never been one to be horribly outspoken on this issue. If someone had a question, I'd gladly answer it. I nursed three babies for just over a year each, so I have some experience on the topic. I know that it doesn't work for everyone, even those who try very, very hard sometimes struggle with it and switch to formula. For some women, there are reasons (good reasons) to never nurse in the first place. I get that, but to think that a woman is inferior because she feeds her baby organically (as one commenter on the article put it)...that I just don't get.

If it is free it must be broken, right? I guess...

Then the article introduces the idea that employers are opting not to hire nursing moms because of a perceived dropped productivity. I worked and nursed/pumped. I was wonderfully blessed that my daughter was in a daycare down the hall for the few months I worked as a mother, and I just spent my lunch break feeding her. I pumped in the little bathroom off my classroom during my planning period for 10 minutes each day. And I took 1 sick day in that 5 month period (it wasn't for her either!). I can not say that she would have been more sickly had I fed her formula, but since study after study shows that breastfed babies are healthier, it is a fairly safe bet.

There are benefits for the children in the short term. In the long term. To the mom. To the family budget.

This isn't to make moms who choose to/have to formula feed feel poorly, but to ask why, when a woman chooses the clinically better path (even though it may be harder), should she be seen as incompetent? Maybe if we all listed our degrees and GPAs on our nursing covers, we could turn this around.

I'm hoping that my beautiful, brilliant daughters will be able to feed their (sure to be adorable and brilliant) babies any way they choose without being viewed as less than their peers one day.

What's to Eat?

I've always tried to be sure that my kids like healthy foods. When I read that one year olds generally favor french fries over any vegetable, I banned french fries during that first year. My kids get steamed veggies at lunch nearly every day. They have fruit and crackers at snack times. Dessert isn't offered daily. We don't keep juice in the house (though they can have it if we are out and it is offered), and they aren't allowed Coke/soda/pop until they are five.

Don't get me wrong, my kids like Mickey D's as much as the next kid and we do have cookies and such from time to time, but they have been pretty good eaters over all. They don't always have to clean their plates, but they do have to try all the foods. And Kate, especially, is learning where there are carbohydrates in food, as we figure insulin doses for Justin, and learning that we need some of this and a little of that, but most of all a good balance in our foods. I'm not sure if the way we have offered food has set the stage for their eating, but I figure it sure didn't hurt.

When Kate turned five, we let her have Sprite, and she hated it. She also despised Pepsi--asked us to pour it out and get her water. Last week I served Chef Boyardee. I'd never purchased it before, and actually got it accidentally--it was sitting on the edge of the conveyor belt at the grocery and must have gotten put with my items. The girls were so excited to eat this canned goody, but once they tasted it, they decided it wasn't any good (Nate gobbled it up). I was shocked that they didn't like it. Today I served steamed peas, hummus on whole wheat pita bread, cheese chunks and milk and Kate exclaimed, "This is the best lunch I've ever tasted, ever!!" Gabby, who had originally looked at it with disgust, asked if we could have it again, and Nate ate all of his too.

May they always love to eat the good stuff!

My Eye...Again

In case anyone that I haven't contacted directly is wondering...my eye is improving. I saw a doctor (not my doctor, as he is off this week), and he tells me that the place where the old infection was is growing smaller and my vision is making improvement too.

The vision issue hasn't been a major problem, since one rarely closes her good eye to look out her bad, but I'm glad to know that it is improving. It also gives me more hope about passing the eye exam to keep my driver's license one of these days, since we hope to change counties at some point. I've been racking my brain trying to remember if I was tested both eyes at once, or individually, when we moved here. I was sure I could pass if it was both, but concerned if it was each. After today's exam I think I can pass it either way--whew! I didn't drive for awhile, though the doctors never restricted me, but once I could read the street signs again, I'd deemed myself fit--I just wasn't sure about the state yet!

Now if I can get over this lovely bug that my family shared with me, we'll be in good shape!

Because I Couldn't Make This Up...

So, last week I got the new script (it was another antibiotic, by the way). It was not nice stuff. Made my eye itch and burn, made my hatred of sunlight grow to near vampire proportions, and made my pink eye turn bright red and swollen. So I called an ophthalmologist's office, in hopes he will tell me to stop taking the evil fire drops.

I show up Friday afternoon. No, actually I'm dropped off on Friday afternoon, because I can't be in the sun, remember? Justin drives the kids to a nearby park while I see this doctor. He looks in my eye and sketches on a paper for a bit silently. Then he tells me that he thinks I have an amoeba infection. That sounds so much worse than a bacteria or virus, doesn't it? He won't treat it, but tells me that he's referring me to another doctor for Monday and that he expects that I'll have to have a biopsy of my eye--um, ouch.

I spent the entire weekend trying not to worry about the pain I was expecting and what it might mean as far as taking care of the munchkins, oh and that I'd be ruining Justin's spring break. And trying not to play on Dr. Google. I wanted information badly, but what little I could read through my fingers (it was too bad to look at directly), just scared me too much to finish any of the articles.

Monday I saw a new ophthalmologist. He did run quite a few tests. He assured me that they don't do biopsies anymore, they use a special microscope now which is less barbaric (his words). That scan was inconclusive, but based on the fact that we have city water, I've not swam in any rivers, and I've not worked in brush he thinks an amoeba is unlikely--whew, because the treatment sounded rough. He took four swabbings to plate out and two scrapings. This didn't hurt at the time, thanks to lovely numbing drops, but in the evening I could tell I had little scratches on my eye. Thankfully they were better in the morning.

His preliminary assessment was that I had a bacterial infection that was healing, which was what the other doctor saw, but that the drops caused a reaction that caused the mess that was my eye.

Stay tuned for more on this ridiculously long eye saga, 'cause I go back tomorrow and I'm hoping for a, "You're going to be fine now run along home," kind of report.

Oh and FYI--something I never, ever knew...you aren't supposed to shower with contact lenses in. That's my PSA for the day? month? year?

What is it Again?

I've had this rotten eye infection that just won't quite go away--it waxes and wanes, but after nearly three weeks it's still hanging on. Today I called to see if there was something else we could do about it.

The nurse who promised to call back forgot me, so I called just before closing time so I could try and get them to write me a script or give me some advice. I've arranged my day around these phone calls, but I'm understanding. My doctor is out of town and I'm sure the nurse has had a busy and out of sorts day. She was able to talk to another doctor and secure me a new prescription.

She didn't tell me the name of the drug, but told me that I would put a drop in my eye five times a day. So I asked, "Is it another antibiotic or an antiviral?"

"It's an eye drop."

Um, yeah... I really hope she's just had a long day. I guess I'll look it up when I pick it up. Hopefully we'll get rid of this pink itchy mess that makes me want to avoid light.

Go Away February

February has just not been my month. First a rotten cold, then an eye infection, then on Sunday I had the audacity to help in the church nursery. My back revolted. Seriously on the floor almost can't get up pain.

I am thankful for the chiropractor that they pulled out of worship to help me so that I could get home. I made another trip to the doctor who helped with my eye--that's two trips in less than 2 weeks--I don't remember having done that before, aside from midwife appointments.

I've spent a good bit of time on the floor. And my mom has made two trips down to help. I felt so well on Monday that I sent her home, just to wind up having back spasms that night that rendered me on the floor and unable to stand, again. Nate was the biggest reason for needing help, since he still needs to be picked up several times a day--to get in and out of the crib and the highchair.

Thankfully my back seems to be on the mend again, and I've sent her home once more, knowing that Justin doesn't have to teach classes tomorrow, if I were to get absolutely desperate. For now, though, I am grateful to be sitting in a chair again!

Thanks for the help Mama and Justin (and back doctor)!

We got a notice in the mail on Saturday evening. Technically it is a request for information, but the message rang out loud and clear. I've never had to change insurance with a pre-existing condition, but with Justin's new diagnosis, we're getting our first taste of it. We got a request from our new insurance company for proof of prior coverage after his more recent endocrinologist appointment. The point being, of course, if our coverage had lapsed the treatment for his diabetes would not be covered.

We triple checked the dates that our old insurance ended, and I am very thankful that we haven't had a lapse in coverage, but it definitely makes me think of those individuals who have been less fortunate than us, especially when we got the EOB for over $800 for that one visit.

Health

Justin saw an endocrinologist here the other day. His health is good and we're glad to have him at Vandy for his diabetes treatment. On the down side, we've been told all along that our children aren't likely to become diabetic because of Justin's age at onset. Evidently in the recent research they have done here, they have not found that to be the case. So we're ramping up the girls' vitamin D intake and we'll do the same for Nate as soon as he can take chewable vitamins too.

We are also going to be sure to get them more sun exposure. I know most people are constantly slathering sunscreen on their kiddos, but after talking to endorcynoligists, we've opted against this. We were concerned about the chemicals in sunscreen already, but when we found out that this relatively new continuous use of sunscreen is being implicated in the rise in type I diabetes, it further solidified our choice. Not to say we never use sunscreen, but we don't if we're not going to be outside for long enough to get a burn.

We switched health insurance with Justin's new job. We had a high deductible plan and we were excited to change to a more traditional plan, since he was diagnosed with diabetes right after we began our insurance last January--at least we got good use of our plan. We really felt like we'd made the wrong decision... Now we're seeing the co-pays on his meds and yikes! I think the high deductible plan will actually save us money.

It will run nearly $2000 a quarter for his meds, lancets, needles, and test strips! Of course we'll reach the out of pocket maximum during the second order. Now to decide if we stick with this plan (and it's higher rate) so we have better coverage for the rest of us, since it turns out it is not going to make a difference for him!

Lost It

See this cute little girl?

I've lost her.

Nope. I didn't misplace her at the store or pretend she wasn't mine while she was throwing a tantrum in public

Since I looked like this:

I've lost the amount she weighs.

I only gained 24 pounds while I was expecting Nate, so I expected it to disappear quickly. When I went to my 6 week check-up and got on the scale I found that I had only lost 14 measly pounds. I was dejected, sad, irritated, and I did something about it. I've lost 40 lbs.--the weight of my four year old.

My husband lost more than 50, but he cheated--getting diabetes isn't fair.

It feels pretty good not to be carrying her around anymore

Unless I want to, of course!