Our Changing World

We left the hospital after Elissah's Insulin pump activation and realized our lives had just changed!
We had been approaching that day with trepidation and excitement...
I had been weepy for days...let me explain.
My daughter has the appearance of being 'normal'...
I want her to be 'normal'.
With a device attached it makes her diagnosis more real...and she isn't so normal anymore.
(I should be used to this, as we have been dealing with this for 6 mo.)
I know God has a plan for her life, as he does mine, but I wont go into all that.
I want to share with you what a pump does as I feel many of you have absolutely no idea!
I know I didn't!

Its only been 24 hours, but we have already seen how much better controlled she is.
Because she is so small, she needs little insulin.  Less than a half unit per dose!
That is super small on a syringe!
With the pump we can give 0.025u.
Unbelievable!
The pump has  Bolus Wizard software.  That means I don't have to do the math!
One feature is, after her Blood Glucose is loaded to the pump via wireless connection from the BG meter,
 It gives us a suggested dose.
We than proceed and Act.  So simple!
It takes into account any active insulin she may still have on board.
So I wont have that 'stacking' affect of insulin which causes her to go too low!
After she eats we tell her pump how many carbs she may have eaten and the pump gives us a dose recommendation to infuse.  great huh?
Not only does the pump administer bolus doses, but a constant infusion of a low amount of insulin is being transferred at all times.  And she has 8 different time frames with different amounts of basal insulin being infused.  For example the amount being infused at night is at a lower rate than the amount during the midday or meal times.  That prevents her from bottoming out at night, or going real high around meals.
It automatically switches between the doses according to time frames.
When she is ill and her glucose is running high , we can program the basal rates to increase by a percentage for a temporary amount of time.
It is sooo amazing what can be done with this device!  We are amazed!
I'm so glad we don't have to use the 'poor man's pump' any longer!
(that was her 24 hour shots of long acting insulin)
Or give her multiple shots during the day:)
In 6 mo. she will be eligible to receive a sensor, that will give us a BG read out every 5 min!
So no more finger or toe pricking later this year:)
As far as the infusion site goes, they are like ports that we change once every 3 days.
The port is a tiny needle (smaller than her insulin syringes were)  attached to a butterfly-type adhesive circle bandage.  The second circular bandage is a safety.  If she were to yank on it, that would release first, and seal the tube.  That is also where we detach for baths or swimming.  Neat, huh?
There are alot of other cool features to her Medtronic mini-med Revel pump, but I just wanted to give the basics to help educate some people who haven't any idea how it works.

Dishwasher part 2

If you haven't read my first post about the Homemade Dishwasher soap, then you should read that here first.
It has the main recipe.
I have enhanced my recipe and want to update you~

First, my powders were clumping when I added the citric acid, I mean rock hard!
So now I have added a packet or two of the anti-caking packets found in vitamins and many other sources.
Works like a charm!
Second, I fill up my main detergent compartment to max, which is recommended for hard water.
I also shake some in the prewash compartment. I figure it cant hurt!
Third, The vinegar rinse is in a little cup on the top rack, and working out nicely.
I wonder how the vinegar washes out and the water remains?

Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

I appear to be on a roll in regards to making my own cleaning products!  It's addicting!  I keep thinking, what else can I make?  What I love most about making my own is that they are phosphate free, free of dyes and perfumes, and super cheap!!  The other products I've done also work really well!  Bonus!
I recently made dishwasher detergent in powder form and I'm still making changes to get it right~

 Here is my recipe:
1 c. Borax
1 c. Washing Soda
1/2 c. salt ( I used coarse Kosher salt)
1/2 c. Citric Acid ( I used canning citric acid)

Use 1- 2 tbls of mixed powder per load.

Rinse Aid is 2 tbls. white distilled vinegar, and that is a crucial step!

Now mind you I've only used this recipe once...
 
My thoughts are:
1- It would work better with soft water. You wouldn't get a hazy film on glass ware...maybe.
Not all my glasses had a cloudiness left on them, just some.  And honestly most of them had that on there long before I tried this!  The Melamine plates I have are black, and I could see some haziness on them also.  However they aren't meant to go in the dishwasher anyway...
2- The dishes that got rinsed off beforehand, got cleaner! Really? No kidding?  So that is a must with this recipe, or you will be rinsing them off after you run them thru the cycle....
3- The Rinse Aid is something I've never used before (which is why my glasses always had a haze on them).
After some review online, the vinegar I put in the rinse compartment wasn't a great idea.  With repeated use, the acid in the vinegar can break down the rubber components in your rinse compartment.  The amount of vinegar that was released during rinsing wasn't sufficient anyway.  You really need about 2 tbls and the rinse compartment only releases a little squirt or splash at a time.  Even if you turn it to max, it still may not be enough.  One suggestion I found was to put a small cup of vinegar, face up on the top rack and run as usual.  So I will do that next time.
4- Alot of people complain about clumping when making homemade powder, but I didn't have that issue at all!  Maybe it was the salt? Maybe it was the citric acid?
5- I used the Citric acid from Ball in the canning section at Wegmans.  It has an anti-clumping agent already built in.  It was about $4.  And you use half the bottle.
 However, as you can see from the picture above the recipe makes almost jar-full, which I guessing will last a month or more??

Conclusion: We have hard water and this recipe isn't great for hard water.  From what I read, home made liquid detergent would be better.  I am lazy though and wanted to use what I had on hand, without too much fuss and spending any more money!  I will continue to keep using this recipe.  Its better than some other "green-cleaners" Ive used,   and some not "green" dishwasher detergents.  I should be rinsing my dishes off beforehand anyway, so this forces me to do that!  If I'm not happy after a few weeks, Ill try the liquid recipe.
 Hope some of you found this helpful!

Homemade Scour and All-purpose

Now that I make my own laundry soap and love it, I'm addicted and moving on to other cleaning supplies.

I hate to clean the tub!  I avoid it at all cost.  Until I found this recipe...

All-Natural Homemade Scouring Powder
2 c Baking Soda
1 c Borax
1 c Salt ( I use coarse salt)

I mixed it all together in a bowl and poured it into a large canning jar.
(next time I may pour the ingredients directly into the jar and shake to mix)
With a large gauge nail and I punched holes in the lid, as pictured in the image above.

To use, I sprayed vinegar on the tub first, then sprinkled the powder. Letting it sit for 5 min. It was cool to hear the reaction taking place between the vinegar and baking soda. (You would use vinegar for a more dirty tub, as opposed to one that gets clean weekly).    I thought about taking a before and after photo, but I'm embarrassed my tub was so bad...
I used a scrub brush, like the one above, but felt I was using too much muscle power.  When I switched to the scrub sponge the grime came off easy!  Ive never seen my tub sparkle so much!
I tried it on the tile surrounding the tub and it too came clean, even in the grooves of grout.
The Borax is an anti-fungal, which is why it does well on mildew.  In the wash load, or the wall!

Another quick- easy to make- cleaner that I use every day is:

All-Natural All purpose cleaner
1 tbls Baking Soda
2 tbls Borax
2 tbls Vinegar
4 c water

I keep it next to the sink in a spray bottle.  The mouth of the spray bottle is small, so you have to use a funnel for the ingredients.
What I love about it:
1- Its natural
2- really inexpensive
3- anti-fungal and anti-bacterial ( from the Borax and vinegar)
4- versatile!  You can add essential oils, like lavender, or tea tree oil.
 5- I love the way it makes my counter tops feel.  I was pleasantly surprised the first time I used it, and haven't looked back!  They are smooth and less 'stained' as a result of the baking soda.

I don't claim to take credit for any of these recipes.  I find them online at my favorite blogs, or google till I find one I want.  I've been reading the comments from others under the recipes, finding tips on clumping, prices, improvements, etc...
Here is the website I used: http://wellnessmama.com/1348/all-natural-homemade-scouring/

Stay tuned for the dishwasher detergent recipe I plan to use.   Just need a trip to the store for citric acid...

Homemade Laundry Soap

I have been wanting to try making homemade laundry soap, but never found the time or recipe.  A friend of mine was showing me around her house and I saw the homemade laundry soap.  I mentioned that I've always wanted to try it.  So she sent me home with a container of it.  I loved it and have since made my own batch.
Why I like it:
1- Its free of dyes and perfumes. It smells great!  Light and fresh.
 I'm 'sensitive to fragrances, but this one I like.
2-It's gentle on our skin.  We haven't had any rashes from it.In fact I think my skin and the girls' is less itchy and dry this winter because of it.  
3- It works great!  I haven't been pretreating clothes with this recipe and they still come out clean.  When needed you can water the garment and rub the Fels- Naptha on it as a pretreater.
4- Its cents per load to make.  Super cost effective!  This recipe costs about 0.71 cents to make (depending on where you purchase your supplies).  It will give you 64 loads. That is about .01 cents per load
5- I used to have a mildew or musty smell in my washer when the water fills, but after I started using this soap its gone!
6- I feel great making something homemade and natural for my family.

This is all you need to make many batches...Borax, Washing Soda,
  Fels-Naptha, and water.

Homemade Laundry Soap
1/3 bar Fels Naptha or other type of soap, as listed above
½ cup washing soda
½ cup borax powder

~You will also need a small bucket, about 2 gallon size~

Grate the soap and put it in a sauce pan. Add 6 cups water and heat it until the soap melts. Add the washing soda and the borax and stir until it is dissolved. Remove from heat. Pour 4 cups hot water into the bucket. Now add your soap mixture and stir. Now add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir. Let the soap sit for about 24 hours and it will gel. You use ½ cup per load.

Let it sit for the full 24 hours or it wont gel properly.  The consistency a watery gel, not a solid gel.

  In the picture above you can see it makes 4 half gallons.  

The soap is a low sudsing soap, so If you don't see suds, its OK.  Suds aren't what does cleaning, its the ingredients in the soap.

July 31st

This has been the longest 2 months of my life...
July 31st. A day Ill never forget. A day that changed our lives.

This is the story of Elissah and her diabetes.
We had just come off of a week VBS every evening at church when she got a summer virus.  Kocksaki was going around the church nursery and it could have been that.  We know now that this illness was her body's 'trigger'. Trigger to attack her pancreas and start this disease.  She had a low grade fever for 6 days when I decided to bring her in to our family practice doctor.something wasn't right.  Couldn't put my finger on it, but she was much to sick appearing for a temp of 99 degrees.  I thought she was getting better because she still had energy, was drinking alot and still had wet diapers...too many wet diapers and too much drinking in fact. Now that I have looked back all the signs were there!  But on day 6 of her illness she seemed to take a turn for the worst.  Her breathing in particular bothered me.  It was a huffing and puffing pattern that was rapid, about 60 breaths a minute.  Normal is half that amount.  Her energy seemed to disappear and was practically limp in my arms. I would try to nurse her and she would just let the nipple fall out of her mouth!  I truly was concerned but her fever was only 99 still so I thought the doctor would laugh me out of the office.  I brought her in anyway and told him all my concerns.  He wasn't concerned about her fever, or her hydration status.  She was still drinking lots of water and having lots of wet diapers.  He checked her lungs and said they were clear and that she was breathing fast because it was hot outside and she has a fever.  Ummm. No. I wasn't happy with that answer.  You don't tell an ex-PICU nurse that her baby is breathing 60 because its hot outside! Hello- we were in air conditioning and live in AC as well.  Even a mom who isn't a nurse should see that as red flag!  He dismissed us as her having a virus and call if she gets worse.
Over the next few hours she took a nap in my ERGO and woke up vomiting green. Bright green toxic looking and the same came from below!  So I was seriously looking at what was coming out of my baby and thinking it looked metabolic.  So I'm pacing my house cradling her trying to sense of all this.  OK. So I knew she was metabolic and was breathing way too fast so as to try to burn off extra carbon dioxide...Then It started to all come back to me. My years as a peds nurse in the ED and PICU.  She was acidotic!  Now why??  Why was my daughter acidotic? This part is funny...
Laptop in one hand on my bed, baby in the other, kids downstairs creating havoc, and I'm googling metabolic acidosis!  what am I doing??  If I'm even thinking this is what she has, I need to get her to the ED! I slammed down the cover, called Mike and told told him to meet me there.  He had taken the boys to Darien Lake and was still an hour away. ( it was the last day to use our free passes)
Erik was also gone! ( at camp)  Thank the Lord! Sarah ( Erik's BF) was home 3 doors down and she  came to watch the kids while her mom drove us to the ED.  It was the worst thunderstorm of the summer and I was worried about our safety, I almost called the ambulance.
I sat in the backseat with her and watched her go in and out, talking to her, asking her to stay with me, I was afraid that if she fell asleep she might not wake up. Her lips looked so dry and she was so pale.  I was wondering why hadn't I seen this before?  3 hours before I was in the doctors office and he hadn't noticed either!  I prayed Dear God! Please keep her safe! Please keep her with me!  Guide Roseanne as she drives.  I was also trying to keep a clear head in case I needed to do CPR on my baby...
Once we were in the ED I felt relief wash over me.  I knew we'd be safe now and taken care of.  I used to work there and I recognized the nurses and staff.  It was a good feeling!  They rushed us back and began working on her immediately.  Her breast milk baby fat wasn't an advantage when it came time to get an IV in her...plus she was dehydrated in spite of the excessive drinking.  They had to turn off the lights and use a special light to see thru her skin and locate a vein that way.  Ive done all this on other children, but its so very different when Its your baby laying on the bed crying for you while they do their job!
They just finished putting a catheter in (on the second try) when someone yelled out her blood glucose number they tested at the bedside....538!
It took me a minute to register. I couldn't process what they were implying, what the NP was trying to tell me. My baby was in Diabetic Keto Acidosis! what? no way?'
The next few hours were a blur with Chest xrays,  more attempts at a second IV, and staff coming in and out...   At times Ive judged moms and couldn't understand why they left the rooms when their baby needed them... now I know.  Mike had arrived to comfort her and I used that opportunity to call my mom.
I couldn't leave that cubicle fast enough!  Standing in the hall looking outside I rang mom and as soon as I heard her voice I broke down sobbing as Ive never done before!
It wasn't just because she was diagnosed with Diabetes, but an accumulation of emotions over the past few days came to the surface...  I was mainly feeling guilt.  Although false was real at the time.
We didn't stay long in the ED because the transport team from the PICU came for us.  How bizarre it was to be riding in the back of the ambulance.  When I worked, I received  transports from the ED.  Weird moment for me.
We spent the next 2 days in the PICU and she was on an Insulin drip.  Ill try to paint the picture...
There she was now with a second IV, one in each arm, straightened and boarded down so the IVs don't bend in her arms.  Laying on the metal crib inconsolable as she was not allowed to nurse or have anything by mouth.  Her body ached from the high glucose- a side effect. I tried putting her the ERGO to sleep, as she liked that at home.  Wires, tubes and all! We were tethered by a 3 foot radius, so that was difficult...    And she was being poked for blood every half hour to an hour, either by finger prick or blood draw from her IV.  The IV draw involved putting the tourniquet on tight so the blood would flow back into the syringe. Even though there wasn't any needles involved she still screamed.  To top it all off they were worried about brain swelling from possibly bringing down her sugar too fast, so the nurse did neurological checks every hour.  Just as she would get back to sleep she'd be awakened by someone prying her eyes open and flashing a light in her eyes!
Oh lovely! And there I am pumping my breast milk in the corner while she is moaning in the crib.  No matter what I did she kept crying.  It's an awful feeling when you can't comfort your child.
All this went on for a good 12 hours.
She stabilized and her blood levels were reaching their goal marks so they backed off on the every half hour blood draws and went to every hour, then every 2 hours.
Finally I convinced them to let me nurse her...or at least I feel like I did the convincing.
I felt more human when we were finally able to leave the PICUs close watch and spend the next 2 days on a regular peds unit.  One IV came out, she was only getting finger pricks every 3 hours, they brought her toys,  her nursing had picked up, and she was getting back to her regular self! Smiling even! I hadn't seen that in over a week.

Reality was starting to settle in... As we were made to watch 12 videos about childhood diabetes, complete 7 learning modules, get quizzed on our knowledge, and demonstrate our abilities before we could leave.

Mike stayed with us every day and would go back home in the evenings.  We aren't usually together THAT much but it was nice being just the 3 of us for a few days.
The Lord was with us the whole time. I truly felt that!  He has a purpose for her life and mine.

I look forward to seeing how that all plays out!

Never say Never

That is one of my husbands favorite sayings... "Never Say Never".
I never thought we'd go Organic, but we are!  My husband and I would make jokes about 'organic' and 'in-organic' food.  Isn't all food 'organic'?
For a few years now Ive tried to stay away from high fructose corn syrup.  Then I stopped buying foods with MSG on the label.  (although we do love to get Chinese take out!)
A few months back I was talking with a co-worker of mine who is a dietitian.
She said "Do you know whats in peanut butter?"

I love PB!!  The hydrogenated oils in the PB make it essentially a 'Super Fat'!
Super Fat! I certainly don't need any of that! I already have enough regular fat hanging around...
So now Im addicted to natural peanut butter~
Then she mentioned that eggs from conventional farms have stress hormones and low nutrients.
In some places they cut off the beaks so they cant peck when they are in tight closed quarters.
So now they are stressed from not being able to peck, and that get transferred to us!
I don't know about you, but I don't need any more stress hormones! I'm good.
They also are fed not-so- nice foods and antibiotics to fight infections from being in too close.
Tip- You can tell if an egg is fresh by the way it sits up in the pan when you crack it.
And a healthy egg will have a nice deep orange to it. 
I now buy the cage-free chicken eggs when I can.  Like at the farmers market.
I have also bought the 'healthier' eggs at the local store...
click here for a good concise article on  types of eggs.
Our conversation then went on to milk products.  Not pretty.
I had no idea the milk industry was such a mess! 
Here is an article about organic milk.
My short conversation with her was very eye opening!
In general I'm trying to stay away from pesticides, dyes, preservatives,nitrites, and GMOs.
And when you go down that road pretty much the only way to ensure the foods don't have that stuff, you have to buy organic!
Definition of GMOs here
It can be challenging at times to stay within my budget, so I shop at BJ's.
They have a line of organic products that is their generic label.
They give coupon books every month to use.  and I'm not talking .50 cents here!
The coupons are for $2, $3, $4, etc...
AND you can use manufacturers coupons on top of the store coupon!
So Ive been searching online for the products I want coupons for and printing them off at home.
Another way I save money is by growing my own organic fruits and vegetables.
I have four 4x8 raised garden beds and another plot large enough for sprawling plants to grow.
(Currently I have cantaloupe there).  Raised beds really help keep down on weeds and pest control!
Ive never canned before, only froze, my veggies after blanching. 
But this year I plan on canning for the first time!
For meats, I try to buy vegetarian-fed, no hormones added, no antibiotics used, and uncured.
I do that because I don't want those chemicals passed down to my children or myself!
Antibiotics have a purpose but can cause yeast overgrowth in our bodies.
Yeast can cause behavioral problems, concentration issues, and immunity compromise in the gut.  Slowly over the past few years Ive been learning about yeast, I didn't learn all this over night!  In case some of you are wondering how does she know all this??
Ive found the best meat prices for 'healthy' meats at BJs also.
I also shop the organic meat counter at Wegmans looking for the meats that are discounted.
 The expiration date is close.  Our Wegmans also has $1 coupons around for their organic meats.
To save money on meat we buy a quarter Beefalo every fall.
 ( although we need to start getting a half!)

Another great website to find healthy growers in your area is Eat Wild.
(of course I had to put a nursing picture in this post)
That is where we found our beefalo dealer.
We have referred many families to our dealer and here is the info:

Beefalo, like their relatives the American Bison, thrive on the grasses and various legumes found in our pastures. We try to provide as much green grass, fresh air and sunshine as possible to our animals by employing rotational grazing to provide them with a fresh salad bar eating experience. This menu of grasses helps to provide our meat with more flavor and nutrition than found in conventional grain fed, feedlot beef from the supermarkets. Our animals are raised without implants, antibiotics, hormones and in most cases, no grain feeding. Various studies have shown that Beefalo is higher in protein, and lower in fat, cholesterol and calories than other meats and poultry. It is tender and tasty and cooks in less time than regular beef, with less shrinkage due to its lower fat content.

Our meats are processed in a USDA federally inspected packing house. They are dry aged in a cooler for two weeks to promote tenderness and a good eating experience. They are then cut and wrapped to your specifications and frozen, ready for your freezer and eating enjoyment. Available by the side, split half, or 50-pound mini pack.

If you have any questions or want information regarding current prices and available pick up dates, please phone us. We also offer a variety of handcrafted soaps made from Beefalo tallow and other fine oils.

Bennington Beefalo, Bob and Kathy Ott, 1990 Stedman Road, Attica NY 14011 (585) 591-2685.
E-mail: bobandkathyo@verizon.net