Christmas in July

Over the last year or so you have heard me mention my sister. She is an amazing supporter of us and our journey with Type 1.  What you may not know is she is married to an amazing man.  They live in New York State and he is a Peds resident.  He has just started his 3rd year.  He loves my boys 100% and is an amazing uncle for many reasons.  They love Uncle Rob and ask about him often. He is the kind of man you dream your baby sister will marry.  Well Uncle Rob has a special place for Joshua. You see last year when Joshua was dx, Rob picked endo as one of his rotations.  He also volunteered to go to Diabetes Camp!  He had a great experience and sent us lots of goodies last year!



goodies from camp 2010 Jackson loves his sleeping bag!! I was neglectful last year and forgot to post how awesome it was to get this box of goodies.  It didn't go unappreciated I was just so overwhelmed at the time with things on our plate. 



This year Rob volunteered to go back to camp as part of the med staff again. He said he told a lot of the staff about Joshua's story and they started donating things to him. He said one of the staff actually donated some things that she had gotten instead to Joshua.  I was so surprised when this box of goodies arrived. I cant tell you how much the supplies meant and how wonderful it was that so many people wanted to help Joshua out. 

PS Rob has the most amazing handwriting you will ever find!

last year we got a keytone meter. This year we got strips to go with it and 2 back up accuc chek avaias a free style lite to try.



Ive never had a sharps container... we use a wipes bottle :)



With Brian and Joshua both using the Accua Chek Avia we go through a TON of test strips!! In addition we also got 2 bags of Joshua's needles and a new lancing device to try. THANK YOU just doesn't seems large enough!



Rob, I don't think words will ever be able to describe how much it meant to me that you shared Joshua's story and that you connected with people who were so willing to give.  You are an amazing doctor who cares about your patients. I appreciate you always being a sounding board when I need to talk something through.  You are a wonderful person and I am proud that you are my sisters husband! 

Pumping???

Okay so we just got back from the endos office to discuss the move and she wants to move us to a PUMP!!  My emotions are all over the place right now from scared and worried to excited and anxious. Brian has moved to Richmond already. We wont join him until our house is rented.  He will be coming home on the weekends.  Our Endo office normally has 1 class at the beginning of every month. Our awesome Doctor doesnt want to wait that long so she is arranging a class with our CDE so that we can get started soon!  (like Friday)  So as I was walking out of the office what did I do?? I called my BFF who is a scientist by birth and trade and she is figuring out some facts and option for me to help with the decision.  I have alot of research to do and a ton of reading to do. But Id love to hear your advice too. I know several of you have blogged about your research if you can share any of that Id appriciate it.  But I want to hear to would you make the same choices. Do you think you would have liked one pump more then other? What can I do to make the transition better for a 2 year old? If I have a tubbing pump how do you keep a 2 year active playing boy from pulling it out??

THANKS so much for your support already!!

Blog giveaway winners!

I am so happy with how my first giveaway went! THANKS so much for all your sweet comments! I hope you will love Stick me Designs as much as I do! They really are wonderful!!  WE LOVE our bag and am anxiously awaiting new prints so we can give Brian our black bag and I can get a fun funky color :)  Rickina really is amazing and I hope you will consider purchasing a bag from her and make sure to mention Joshua's Rock Stars or my name so that she will credit us with a percentage to go toward our walk team!  Now on with the show.  First let me acknowlegde that there is Misti out there who I entered in the drawing because she was the first to comment but when I was cleaning up some things it was deleted. I tried to find her and get her to recomment I got the wrong Misti. Im sorry for that. so she was #1.  Anyway... The winners according to Jackson my 5 year olds random picking was #100100 and since we didnt have that many comments he repicked  Alexis Nicole of Justices misbehaving pancreas  for the black one and Hallie of the Princess and the pump for the Aqua Deco one.   Ladies if you will please email me at shannondaviscmc@gmail.com with your contact info so I can send these off to you.  I am so excited for you and hope you will loce them as much as we do!!

Stick Me Designs and my first Giveaway

1st let me apologize this post is about 3 weeks overdue.   I have been so caught up with everything that it took a back burner.  Now on to the post

You know how sometimes things are just meant to be? Well that is how I felt about this company. As mentioned in my previous post. My mom and I went on a search for a new Diabetes Bag. I really disliked mine although I was attached and have kept it because it was familiar.  (ever hold on to something to long just because...) My mom discovered this great company called Stick Me Designs. Now to make it even better she lives right near me! I'm an instant gratification kind of person and I really want to see the bag and love it before I purchased it. With her being local this was easy.  We met at a local book store one rainy Sunday afternoon and spent a few hours talking. Rickina had Gestational Diabetes. She didn't like the bags that were out there so she created her own. This lady is smart, and has a million ideas running around. She is like the kind of people you see on Shark Tank.  Anyway I fell in love with her bag and purchased one. While I was doing that she agreed to let me give 2 away!!  In addition to that she said if anyone purchased one from her she would give 15% back to our Walk Team. In the comments section you just tell her you are from Joshua's Rock Stars or mention my name.

I told her I would offer up my opinion on the bag and be very honest.  I want to make it clear I purchased my bag and she gave me 2 to give away. Also check out her site because she has other products she has created and has some special clubs and great opportunities for you to get involved too! Also she has even set up special pricing if you join her VPS (Very Special Prickers club)

The first thing that I loved is the fact that everything has a place. Joshua is currently making the switch from Diluted Insulin to full strength insulin plus he has his lantus pen (he and Brian share one pen) It had a place for the glucagon pen and his meter. there are spaces I haven't used that are for remotes and such for a pump.  You cant see it but in the middle of the 2 sides is a pocket as well and that is where I keep the lancing device.

 there are so many compartments.  I love the zipper pouches. On one side we keep the needles and extra pen needle for Brian.

In the mess pocket I keep the smarties, the used needles extra test strips and lancet pieces.

on the back there is a zipper pouch that fits my fruit snacks emergency, my out of the house log book and calculator.

there is an insulated pocket!!

and yet another zipper pouch. This is where our keytone meeter and strips live. 

PROS: it is compact. When I am just running in the store it has emergency sugar options, and all the supplies I need with out my giant blue bag.  Remember Joshua is 2 so we still have a "diaper" bag too.  I love that it has the insulated pocket with it. I can put the little "frozen ice cubes" in the packet with the insulin when needed.  I also love that when I open the bag nothing goes flying out!!  THIS IS AMAZING!!  I also love that it has some room to grow with us. We have added Brian's extra supplies to it which has saved us a few time and there is room as Joshua moves to a CGM and Pump (one day). I also love that she is right here in Va Beach, VA and is a Navy Wife.  More than that I LOVE Rickina and her story.  Cons: Right now, it only comes in limited boy colors. She is working on this. They have the most adorable owl print right now though that I would buy if Brian wouldn't kill me.  I really cant find fault in this bag!

Also while you are on the website check out the other bags. She has an older bag that I am using as a wallet right now! I loveeeee it too!!

So how would you like to Win ONE?????

Aqua Deco bag

Here is what we are going to do. This is my first give away so bare with me but I think I got the rules down. 
The entries will close on Sunday night the 17th at Midnight.  The winners will be announced on Monday the 18th.  You will have 24 hours to contact me or I will move on to the next winner.

When you leave your comments please let me know which one you want to win. You may enter to win both bags but you will only be chosen one time. Your choices are Aqua Deco or an All black one (Joshua's is all black). Here is how you get entries

• leave a comment here on my blog
• Blog about this on your blog
• Facebook my blog site then leave a comment here
• "Like" Stick Me Designs on Facebook and tell Rickina I sent you over then leave a comment here
• I dont "tweet" sorry :(

Im super excited and cant wait to see who wins!!
 

Whats in your bag???

A few months ago there was a post going around about whats in your bag. well we wanted to participate but it never happened. So I took the pictures back then but just got overwhelmed with everything going on and never blogged.  I thought I would share today.  Please remember that I have a 2 year old. Our bag has to hold a ton more.

 Our blue bag we dont go anywhere with out!

 inside is our green diabetes bag, our diaper change bag, a 31 insulated tote, toys and extra supplies

 The green bag that was given to us in the hospital. This thing is like a pit I cant ever find what I need.

 it does hold a lot but I end up having to search for through everything when I need something. 
Inside is our meter, glucagon pen, keytone meter, calculator, needles, alochol wipes, insulin, smarties, log book for when we are out, testing strips, icing gel

 my adorable little boy pointing to his keytone meter

 Wipes, Gold fish and snack bag

inside snack bag

                                      
Note all the extras, extend bars for Brian, calorie king book, forks spoons, toys, bandaids, back up meter, the list goes on and on. 

What do I want in a bag? Something organized, something neat, something where everything has a place.  SO I went on a search. My mom got involved. We searched high we searched low.  And guess what we found it. Turn in tomorrow to find out what we found!