Dexie and an Unexpected Surprise

Before I get started on this, I just want to say sorry for my disappearance over the past week or so. I've been crazy busy (as I'm sure many of you have been too) with the end of school year, dance recital, and trying to get ready for Children's Congress in just a few more weeks! Hopefully now that the dust seems to have settled from the girls finishing up school last week I'll be more organized and able to post a bit more....goodness knows that with all we've had going on I have plenty to write about!

A few weeks ago we welcomed Dexie (our Dexcom SEVEN PLUS CGM) into our home. She has been well-behaved for the most part...although I will admit she's given us two sensor errors already. The first error was on Day 6 of our first sensor session...it was the morning after we had spent the previous day at the pool. I'm not so sure I troubleshot (is that actually a word?) the error correctly and ended up getting frustrated and pulling the sensor site. With the second error (3rd sensor session, day 2) I did a little more research and was certain there wasn't anything more I could do before I pulled it...it was an "Err 1". I ended up calling Dexcom's Customer Service and they were awesome! After going over what had happened, they agreed to send out a new sensor right away. So...we're currently on our 4th sensor and everything is going along just fine for the moment (hang on a minute while I find some wood to knock on)...hoping I can get a full 7 days at least out of this one!

I will say that I was a little nervous when Dexie first arrived. I had thought that I would have immediately started a sensor on Charlotte. But I actually ended up waiting a an extra two days while I read through the manual and made excuses to hold off...can you say procrastination! Honestly I have no idea why this anxiety had taken over me. I mean really, I'm a nurse for crying out loud...this should be a piece of cake, no different or worse than doing a pump site change or an IV or the like! I guess it was just the idea of me starting the sensor on my sweet little girl for the 1st time! I'm glad I finally did it though...and she said it really wasn't any worse that her pump site changes...whew! I have to say my little girl is amazing! She didn't fight me or act scared or anything....and all this as I am literally reading through the steps in the book as I'm doing it....as a kid I would have thought my mother had lost her mind if she had attempted such a thing with me!!!

Ready for her 1st night with Dexie

So what do I think about Dexie so far??? While I'm not particularly thrilled with some of the glucocoasters I've seen on the screen, I'm glad to be able to see the constant stream of data...these "in-betweens"...so that I'm able to be a better pancreas for Charlotte. I love not only seeing the number on the screen but knowing which direction it's heading and how fast. I haven't made any major adjustments yet...but plan to sit down with the information in the next few days and do some serious tweaking -- hopefully it won't be too overwhelming.

There has been an unexpected benefit that Dexie has provided for me too. On the first night, after starting her sensor, I brought out our old baby monitor and hooked it up in the girls' bedroom so that I would hear if Dexie alarmed overnight. I didn't really think much of this...and neither did the girls. But, this has turned out to be so much more than a safety precaution. You see, each night when I turn on the monitor at my bedside I'm able to listen to my girls' conversations with each other. (yes, I do suppose I'm technically eavesdropping...but they know the monitor is there) They don't really talk about anything in particular, just silly little girl stuff...it's heartwarming to listen to their sweet little voices giggling and talking softly as they drift off to sleep for the night. Funny how if it wasn't for Dexie, I'd be missing out on these special little moments!