Why do we get up in the middle of the night?

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A friend of mine asked me recently if I still get up in the middle of the night to check our children’s BG numbers? My answer was only if we feel there might me circumstances that happened during the day that might add to the possibilities of them running low.

SInce she asked me that question I have been dealing with another thought that I cannot seem to shake out of my brain:
So that means that I’m no longer afraid of them dying while they sleep….right?

When Kaitlyn was much younger I once crossed my wife in the hallway at about 3 a.m.–I was later than my usual 2 a.m. check and she was earlier than her usual 4 a.m. check. Turns out for over a year we wer doing ‘our thing’ and didn’t know our partner’s routine.

You see, if I checked and needed to treat a low, I did—-I guess I was supposed to write down what I was doing…….Duh (as I said a million times as Diabetesdad, no one has made more mistakes than I).

I eventually got it correct and did as I should have been doing all along.

But now at this almost 20 years, and now with 2 kids with T1, have we just accepted the fact that they will wake up in the morning? Is that wrong? DO we finally have it down to where we think we understand diabetes? Is that a dangerous way to feel; are we playing craps with their lives?

Last time I was home I got up at 2 a.m. to check if they were breathing…….at age 22 and age 17; they were not in bed yet.

I wish I could go back to when they were kids. I knew what I was doing then……..or did I?

Do we ever REALLY know?

I’m a Diabetesdad.

See all my other blogs at www.diabetesdad.org

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Hey Tom,

I know what you are talking about. My son is 41 and living back home after living on his own for 17 years, hopefully temporarily until he gets a permanent job. I worried about him living alone for 17 years, wondering if he would wake up in the morning (lots of times he had overnight lows, but learned to deal with them on his own). Now he has the CGM, but when it keeps alerting lows I ask him to treat it. I probably drive him crazy.

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I think if you asked my son John Does mom bug him all the time his answer would be hell yah. Parden the french:) He's 22 and married a year ago but I worry about the Lows still and pray he will be good to manage it. I visit and sometimes see Lows that really scare me. I often check him to see if he's breathing and scarely sometimes it doesnt look like it so I wake him to check things out. Caught him @ 46 blood glucose that time. Mothers instint I guess! He's only been diagnosed since 2005. Went from type 2 to type 1 last year. Do I understand? No I learn still every day. I try to teach others what I've had to learn and try to watch out for other diabetic friends.
So many variables to watch that can affect the balancing of sugar!
Some days are :)
Some days are :(
Some days are :0)
It affects the moods, the way they feel, and every aspect of there day!
Blessed to be a mom of a Diabetic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Thanks for another great post Tom. Saying I admire you parents doesn't nearly suffice.