Leighann Calentine's Blog, page 38

{Type 1 Tuesday} 01.06.15

Here are some tidbits that I have found interesting and wanted to share…

CGM (AKA Nightscout) and…a DIY Bionic Pancreas?

Our family has been using Nightscout here and there (mostly during play practices, which are currently on break). I know some families use it basically 24/7. Here’s an interesting article on how Nightscout came about and a possible bionic pancreas hack. I think we’ll wait for the FDA-approved bionic pancreas!

Read “Diabetes Patients Are Hacking Their Way Toward a Bionic Pancre...

{Giveaway!} Disney Books From Lilly Diabetes

Reminder, enter to win an Osmo iPad compatible game.

If you didn’t already know, Lilly Diabetes and Disney teamed up to create a series of books for younger kids and tweens about diabetes. Even my son who doesn’t have diabetes likes the Coco books. We have used the Q&A at the end to help him understand his sister’s diabetes a little better.

These books should be available in pediatric endocrinology offices, but I’m finding that not all of them have the books available. If your pediatric endo do...

{D-Mom Tested} Osmo Review and Giveaway!

File this post under “there is more to life than diabetes.”

My son and I received an Osmo iPad game system from the company. He was very excited to try this out since we had seen videos of the game in action online when it was first available. I downloaded the three games to our iPad.

My son is into STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) so the Osmo was of interest to him. He quickly got family members involved playing the Words game against one another and drawing different lines an...

{Type 1 Tuesday} 12.23.14

Here are some items that might be of interest to you…

Choosing a Pump (don’t let someone else make the decision for you)

I remember when we started looking into insulin pumps, the CDE’s at the endo office wouldn’t give me a recommendation. They told me to look at all the features and do our own research and decide for ourselves. Unfortunately many families are steered in one direction to a particular pump or steered away from another. It should always be your choice and you should choose based...

Happier Holidays…some posts that might help you get through the next few weeks

Here are some posts that might be helpful as you navigate the holidays with your CWD.

My best advice: Don’t let diabetes be the focus of your holiday.

Stocking Stuffers and Gift Ideas

10 Holiday Gift Ideas For School Nurses

20+ Non-Candy Stocking Stuffer Ideas

Non-Candy Stocking Stuffers…for teens!

Holiday Gifts For Kids With Type 1 Diabetes

Holiday Decorating

Holiday Decorating With Medical Waste

Carb Counting and Christmas Candy

Carb Counting At Thanksgiving

Pez,...

10 Holiday Gift Ideas For School Nurses

Some of us are lucky enough to have a school nurse to care for our d-kid during the day. At times we’ve only had the nurse at school at the end of lunch to give insulin. Now we have a nurse who is in the school off and on during the school day, checking in on Q several times.

Because diabetes care is needed throughout the day, d-kids often get to know the school nurse well.

To show appreciation at the holidays, some parents choose to give the nurse a gift. Alternatively, you might choose to rec...

Non-Candy Stocking Stuffers…for teens!

I shared my 20+ Non-Candy Stocking Stuffer Ideas with you recently. Because my kids are in grade school, it was geared more toward younger kids. A reader asked for ideas for teens and here are a few I came up with. These would also be great for college-aged students.

Non-Candy Stocking Stuffers For Teens

1. iTunes Gift Cards

2. Fast Food Gift Cards In $5 Increments (great for open lunch at school)

3. Book Store Gift Cards

4. Gas Station Gift Cards

5. Starbucks Gift Cards

6. DVD’s

7. Lip Balm

8. Lip Gl...

{Type 1 Tuesday} 12.09.14

Friends for Life 2015

Registration is now open for Friends for Life 2015 in Orlando, Florida.

Go to the FFL 2015 registration page for more information.

Read about our FFL experience a few summers ago.

When Type 1 Diabetes is Too Much for a Child to Bear

This is a very difficult read, but I think it’s an important one. Not that I think each of our d-kids is destined to have these severe emotions, but maybe we think our kids are coping with diabetes better than they actually are.

Read When Type 1 Di...

20+ Non-Candy Stocking Stuffer Ideas

Update: A reader asked about ideas for older kids. Please read Non-Candy Stocking Stuffers…for teens!

My kids’ stockings usually have a combination of candy and small items. I know many parents of kids with type 1 diabetes or food allergies prefer to include non-candy items in stockings, so I’m sharing some ideas of easy-to-find and not-very-expensive toys and trinkets.

Tip: Look near the Christmas/holiday aisle for displays of specially packaged items which are often the right size to stuff in...

My Kids Couldn’t Save Tinkerbell

Image courtesy NBC.

(This post has absolutely nothing to do with type 1 diabetes or food allergies.)

Despite its flaws, Q and I really loved watching the live version of The Sound of Music together last year.

When we heard that there would be a live version of Peter Pan, I marked it on our calendar. Finding out that Pan would be played by a female, my husband and I told Q of the famous women who have played Pan and how great it is that they are being traditionalists in this production.

We rarely...