On My Bike!

I've got my bike! No time like the present, so we decide to go out for a ride straight away. I put on my safety helmet and we adjust the seat, which comes up to my waist! We plan our route - nothing too ambitious for my first ride, along the brook to the garden centre for a coffee then back again. I practice by riding up and down the road. Suddenly I feel 10 years old again, riding around the estate on the boy-next-door's bike which had 1 white and 1 black wheel. Luckily our road is a cul-de-sac. People only drive down here if they live here or visit people who live here. So there's no traffic and I feel confident. Then off we go down to the brook.I almost collide with someone's conifers then when we arrive at the brook I really focus on trying to avoid the brook on one side and stinging nettels on the other. This great, I love it! My daughter amazes me with her own skills. She's so confident on her own bike now and whizzes along happily, stopping occasionally to make sure I'm OK. We pass some pedestrians and I ride confidently past them. Years ago I would have stopped until they had gone past. We at the garden centre and enjoy coffee while daughter has an ice lolly before cycling home. Now I'm working out new routes and thinking of how much bus fare I'll save as the cycle paths go all the way into town. I love my bike and can't wait to get out there again!

Omnipod Update

It's been 5 days now since our daughter first got her omnipod. And I have to say it's amazing! Her blood tests results have improved phenomenally and not having to inject any more is wonderful. On Sunday we changed the pod (which lasts for 3 days). This was a simple process. We had a slight mishap on Monday when she climbed a tree in a nearby park and manage to knock the pod off, but she came home and we put on a new one. I was surprised it came off as the rep had assured us people play all sorts of sports including rugby and they normally stay put! This did remind me of the importance of the need to carry a spare pod and insulin if we ever go any distace away from home. But after 8 years we are used to carrying all sorts of diabetes management kit around, so that's not really an issue. Apart from that one incident it's going well so far and our daughter has adapted well to the new system and is confident in using it herself with supervision. Result!

On Yer Bike

Today was another first. I've been thinking for a while I'd like to get more exercise. I'm not really a sporty person although I do enjoy Aquafit sometimes. The rest of the family enjoy cycling and them and some friends have been suggesting for a while that I might like to join them. I've been thinking I might not as I am a little nervous of being in control of anything on wheels (well, apart from a shopping trolley). But riding along the brook on a lovely sunny day does have it's appeal, as does the idea of feeling a little fitter. True, I've not cycled for around 6 years and hate cycling in traffic, but there are lots of cycle paths and wide pavements around here. And I did OK at Centre Parcs, so why not give it a try? So off we go to the bike shop. Apart from the kiddie's ones all the bikes looked huge, with massive wheels and the ground looked a long way from the seat. I begin to have doubts about this idea. "I'm not sure I'm ready for this yet...." I mumble. As my Howard my husband points out, "If you're not ready now, you'll never be ready." He replys. "How about a folding bike?"
Folding bike??? No way on earth! It might fold while I'm riding it. We look at some others and eventaully find some with pink & mauve painted frames. Obviously the ladies bikes. "Ask If you can try one" says Howard. What, and wobble all over the shop making myself look stupid in front of the assistant who looks possibly young enough to be my son. "Don't worry, they're used to people like you" (whatever that means)! We asked the assistant.
"I'll be with you in a minute, just got to find my stapler," he says, looking all round for it, eventually finding it and stapling whatever it was that needed stapling. We asked if I could try some of the bikes, which were all connected together by a cable for security reasons. "OK, just got to find the alarm key" Don't they know where anything is in this shop? Meanwhile, our daughter is busy trying on cycle helmets and finds a nice white one with flowers on for £30.00. The assistant eventually finds the key and gets out one of the bikes I want to try. "This one? It needs tightening, just got to find my spanner." They really don't know where anything is. Once that's been done I sit astride the bike and peddle with my feet on the ground to a wider space. I need a lot of space in order to balance for long enough to get both feet on the peddles at once and don't want to crash into the deplays of cycle helments and reflective clothing. After a few failed attempt I get both feet on and cycle the length of the shop. This is fun!! Suddenly my fears are gone and I can't wait to get out & along the brook, into town or anywhere really. I try to have a sensible conversation with the assistant about how I might need to hire the seat after I become more confident, while daughter messes about standing behind a flourescent jacket pulling silly faces in the background. The assistant tries to sell us a warrenty "Puncture repair as often as you need for £30.00 for year" As Howard points out, a puncture repair kit costs £1.00 in the Pound Shop. We decline. Surely even I won't manage 30 punctures in a year. Then we choose a cycle helmet. The two she likes are white with pretty flowers for £30.00 or a white one with a smashed skull with blood pouring out of it for £19.99. We opt for the pretty flowery one and leave. My bike's being delivered tomorrow!

The First Day.... No More Needles!

Today was a significant day for our family. Eight years ago, shortly after her second birthday our daughter was diagnosed with Class 1 diabetes. So for the last eight years she has been using insulin injections to control her blood sugar levels. We have recently been exploring the possibility of using a pump which automatically issues the insulin - no more injections! After doing some research online and discussing our daughter's needs with our healthcare professionals we attended a session which included a demonstration of the Omnipod. Our daughter was gripped by the concept and we were very proud of her as she asked lots of intelligent questions. She was full of enthusiasm and wanted to try the Omnipod as soon as she could. A few days ago it arrived in the post much to our excitement. Today we went back to the hospital and for a hands on session, learning how to load the pod with insulin, set up the monitor and finally use it. The pod sticks onto her skin by adhesive and delivers insulin by wireless when you programme the amount needed into the monitor. So there are no tubes and the pod is quite small and can even be worn during sport or swimming. Even I can understand it and I'm not too good with anything technical! This evening at home we programmed it ourselves before our evening meal. Later we will test her blood sugar levels and see how things are going. This is an exciting new start for us all and I hope and pray that it will go smoothly and keep her sugar levels under good control. NO MORE NEEDLES!