CDYA, day 4

Has it really bee two weeks since I last posted? Perhaps it was two days and the calender is just lying to me?? Alas.

My last day of camp is tomorrow. The past couple of weeks have been very busy and very fun. My diabetes 2 campers were 16 year old girls and they were a blast. Because we were in the oldest unit (they all graduated at the end of the week) we got to go on a camp out. They don't usually do camp outs during diabetic weeks so that was a special treat! I got more bruised and abused because we were so active all week. I scraped up my leg tipping out of a kayak during kayak soccer then later nailed my shin on a picnic bench that I couldn't see in the dark. That left quite the bruise! I also bruised my arms playing some really intense games of volleyball!

And just when I was thinking that Diabetes 2 was the best week, I found myself taking on 22 and 23 year old adults with cognitive disabilities--six, to be exact. These girls are fantastic! They have so much love in their hearts and they just love to laugh and joke around. So far this week my favorite moment has been tandem biking and singing camp songs with Kristin, who now can't stop talking about our time together. This will be a short week--the adults go home tomorrow after dinner. We will be having the dance tonight.

I wish I could post pictures of the campers so you could see what I'm really up to--I hope my words are enough. Here are a few more pictures of what I've been up to.

Sports Week Dance. I'm Chelsey's #1 Fan!

I got Sneaky again and had to dress up like a clown and do a circus routine!

Splatter paint banner our unit made two weeks ago.

Our Unit Director, Jake, let the girls paint his toenails.

Albert and I at the banquet! He was on American Idol this past year!

~SJ

Diabetes 1, Day 3

"People who don't have diabetes are so lucky," my camper, Gemma, told me today. I didn't know how to respond. It really made me think about the things that we all take for granted, from feeling safe in our own town or workplace to having good health.

Before each meal, which is served family style, the campers need to check their blood sugar, then fill out a sheet of paper that says what they are going to eat. They have to use measuring cups to dole out their food, and count carbs as they go. To offset what they have eaten, each camper takes a shot of insulin; some have pumps that they wear, some use the good old syringe method.

Every two hours we have snack, which means another blood sugar check. And if they feel "low" or "high" we take them to the lounge where the ADA staff hang out to get checked yet again. A normal blood sugar level is anywhere between 70 and 120. This week I've had a camper go as low as 38 and as high as 331. And for them, this is completely normal.

I'm having a lot of fun with these kiddos; they are just your typical 9 and 10 year old girls. It breaks my heart a little bit to know that I see just these five days out of their whole year--and it's not even the half of what they go through. One of my girls was in the hospital just last week for ketoneacidosis. When their blood sugar goes too high they may develop ketones in their. Ketoneacidosis is like the danger zone where your body is really not happy about that.

I'm learning so much, yet again, from these kids. But in the meantime, we're having some fun. The weather was rainy this morning so we played indoor dodge ball then had some relay races. Once the weather cleared up this afternoon we were able to head outside for some water balloon launching and a water fight. We had a great time!

~SJ

Out with CD3, in with Diabetes 1

Frog friend outside my cabin!

Signs to warn the ADA staff not to test my blood sugar at midnight and 2 am

Fire safety!

Superhero week dance

More fire safety fun!

First aid lesson

Celebration