I know I still haven't finished typing our story about how the Lord blessed us with Ruby, please bear with me. I have to tell you a story of how she saved Faith tonight, though.
Thank God for sending us Ruby. What a blessing she is to me. She allows me to treat lows conservatively, because I know that if Faith's bg doesn't come up (like it's not tonight) she will let me know.
We had spaghetti and garlic bread for dinner. Before the meal Faith's bg was 248 (too high). Faith ate really well. I was very careful to weigh and measure all her food. I dosed her insulin AFTER her meal, and dosed conservatively. I didn't give her an entire correction for the high and I treated her for 35 fewer carbs than she actually ate. We've been having alot of lows overnight lately so I wanted to err on the side of caution and let her run a little bit high.
As Faith is getting down from the table, Ruby alerts. I know Faith must be crazy high because of the fact that I bolused her AFTER she ate THREE servings of spaghetti and garlic bread, so I tell Ruby that we would check in a little bit. We went about our evening routine of baths & pjs. During Faith's bath I noticed that her pump site was looking a little red, so I decided to change it. I took her to my room and Ruby alerted again. She was being very persistent and intense so I decided to go ahead and check Faith. Now, mind you, it had only been about 20ish minutes since I'd given Faith her insulin. I check Faith's bg and she was 73!! Wha?? Huh??? How??
The scary part - Faith has 1.66 units of insulin on board (in her bloodstream). Let me put that into perspective for you. That much insulin should theoretically bring Faith's bg down roughly 600 points!!!! You know, just enough to kill her....a couple times...
Faith wasn't displaying any low symptoms at all (not that she always does), so I reasoned that maybe her body was breaking down the carbs a little slowly and she would surely be crazy high in a minute. (She ate THREE servings of spaghetti, after all) I decided to finish putting in her pump and watch to see how Ruby reacted. Not quite 15 minutes later I hear Ruby whining from her place in the living room. Faith and I were in a completely different part of the house finishing up her pump change.
I recheck Faith's bg and she'd dropped to 55!! I grab a juicebox and have to force Faith to drink it. (She was full from her THREE...T.H.R.E.E. servings of (carb loaded) SPAGHETTI and garlic bread.)
15 minutes later Ruby alerts again. Recheck: 95.
Ok, she's coming up. Good low, Ruby, we're gonna watch her.
10 minutes later, Ruby gets off place, walks across the living room to get the bringsel, comes to me, gives me the bringsel, goes back to grab the meter..
Ok, Ruby we'll recheck.
Faith's bg had dropped back down to 85, but now she is starting to get shaky.
3 pkgs of Smarties later and Ruby alerts yet again. Recheck and Faith is only up to 97.
So, now Ruby and I sit here waiting to see what Faith's bg does.
Where did all those carbs go??? I have checked and double checked myself. I have looked in her seat and under the table. AAaaaaggghhh!!!
Good save, Ruby! Good save!
Normally, after nights like tonight, I would sleep in the floor next to Faith's bed or be running to her bedside all night. Tonight, I will not have to do that. This is why...
Thank you, Jesus.
