Getting used to a new normal

My eldest daughter (who was 16 yesterday - how did that happen?) was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes a few months ago.  Not even three months actually, but it seems like forever to me!

Ironically, it was on "World Diabetes Day"   How's that for timing?!

Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease, and it can just happen.  It's apparently nothing she did or we did, and it's nothing to do with a poor lifestyle or eating too many sweets, which is what most people mentally link "diabetes" to (and the next paragraph will tell you why people think this).  It's not hereditary but her genetics could have made her more pre-disposed to get it.  Her pancreas just decided to give up and now she needs insulin several times a day.

And it is quite different from the more commonly known Type 2 diabetes which is what about 90% of people with diabetes have and which is frequently linked to lack of a healthy lifestyle and eating habits.  The huge rise in Type 2 diabetes unfortunately runs parallel with increased levels of obesity. It's not the only cause, of course, but it is the main story.

Here's a scary statistic.  In 1985, there were about 30 million people with Type 2 diabetes.  By 2010, that had risen to 285 million!  Oh dear.  And I think I might be a candidate if I don't get my unhealthy backside in gear.

At home, I have morphed into the "nag" - the mum who goes on and on.  I do try not to, but it's necessary right now so... well, so be it.  Her dad is trying to remain collected and be the reasonable one, and my other daughter (who is 14 next week) is feeling a touch of the green-eyed monster as her sister gets a fair bit of attention right now.  Again, we are trying to negate this, but ....what a balancing act for everyone!

The team at the local children's hospital have continued to be great, and supportive and I have been told, in no uncertain terms, by our GP to make the most of this, and to accept any service that is offered.  For when the child transitions into the adult health care system, it can be very hit and miss and there are gaping holes in the support system and the requisite health checks.  Luckily my GP's clinic also has an experienced diabetic team so fingers crossed that my daughter is able to educate herself sufficiently in the next two years so that she is able to manage her diabetes in a successful way.

What I have to remind myself on a daily basis is that this is ultimately her journey and health issue, and as the mum I will no doubt worry forever, but she is the one that must live with it, manage it, and suffer the consequences if there is a poorly-managed lifestyle.  Sucks really!  But it's not insurmountable, and nowadays there are tons of positive role models to prove that diabetes need not hinder you in your goals and dreams.  You just have to take responsibility for yourself.

I am impatient for her to "get it", to absorb the routines into her whole being; for it all to become a completely natural part of her life.  I need her to pack, organize and grab her kit by instinct. This is going to take a distracted and busy teenager a while to accomplish.  But it's kinda important. 

So I will continue to nag, nudge, suggest and harangue my daughter for a while longer. 

And we will all continue to work on the new normal.

Alberta weather being kind

It has been one of those beautiful clear winter days - the kind that is momentarily warm enough to undo your jacket, bask in some sunshine, and dream of Spring.

The snow is melting a bit - and boy, we have had a lot. December came in hard and fast and was the month that just kept on giving.  Inches of the white stuff.  My back garden is still 10 inches deep.

The dogs loved the opportunity to run today.  Dog outings have been mostly short, brisk and functional these past few weeks.

Honey relishes the whole back-rub thing.... 

... again and again and again.

However, during this hazardous sport, snow does get in your ears.

Smudge finds golf ball, one of those left-over-from-the-summer balls, as it emerges from the melting frozen course.

And just look how much fun you can have hiding a white golf ball in white snow.

You can pounce and dig for hours with this game.

And as ever on my blog, I insist on showing you the mountains.  You can't get bored of a view like that, can you?

And if you do, perhaps you can fly off somewhere new?

Visiting the home country

Belatedly, I hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year.

We spent a lovely couple of weeks visiting family and friends in the extremely wet and soggy and some-time flooded Surrey and South London area of the UK.  This was our first Christmas back here since emigrating six and a half years ago...

It was busy, wet, fattening, windy, wet, exciting, wet, tiring, funny, pretty, expensive, and did I mention that it rained occasionally? However, after flying out from the snowiest Calgary December on record for 112 years, I was enjoying the look of green grass, which was visible when it wasn't flooded! 

Visiting the UK often brings out my inner tourist, 

with an obligatory wander around London 

to see the Christmas lights.

This is Covent Garden, an indoor market/mini mall of fancy goods - with a delightful glitter ball and giant decorations - it looked so pretty even though we were freezing our arses off during yet another storm of sideways wind and rain.

We arrived home yesterday to -21 degrees and tons more snow.  Hmmmmm.

I am wishing you all a very lovely, peaceful and fun 2014.  Buckle up folks - here we go!

Big changes at home

There has no been no proper blogging for quite some time. For the past 8 weeks or so, my 15 year old daughter has been struggling with life, school, anxiety, pressure and a growing fatigue and withdrawal that has been worrying (to say the least), frustrating for us as parents to watch, and when she refused to go to her dance classes two weeks ago, we knew something was up.

Last Friday she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

It was not exactly good news, but it was at least a partial answer to what has been going on with her.  And just a bit of a shock really.

I cannot praise the staff at Alberta Children's Hospital enough.  We have been back and forth to that facility quite a few times in the past couple of years (broken foot, concussion, inability to walk last year following the concussion, counselling - all for the same child!) - and as soon as the diagnosis for the diabetes was in, they wasted not one minute.  The slick operation in place as they welcomed her into the Endocrinology/Diabetes clinics was clear, professional, informative, and importantly, non-frightening.

Our routines must adjust to a life of finger prick blood tests, sugar levels and 4 to 5 insulin injections a day.  Our meal planning now comprises counting carbs (and seems a remarkably similar concept to counting Weight Watchers points, just with a different emphasis!) but the biggest adjustment will be for my daughter.  I can't be more impressed right now - she has so far taken it all in her stride, but I'm waiting for the big crash of reality to hit....this is it, what, like forever?

Next important bit of business will be to choose a medic alert bracelet.  

And even in the face of adversity, she has to be up to date and stylish.  Look at the one she likes!  A Hunger Games Mockingjay pin - she will be my brave heroine now.

Memorial Drive, Calgary

Memorial Drive is my favourite road in Calgary, for a variety of reasons.  And most of my reasons  would showcase much better in the summer time.  So I'll save my thoughts for another day.

Bearing in mind the road is called "Memorial Drive",  I can tell you that this a tree-lined urban street, that runs mostly parallel with the Bow River from east to west, and was dedicated to the soldiers who died in World War I.  Every tree planted is a living legacy to those soldiers.  And there are many.

From our cold and snowy visit last weekend, I just wanted to show you a sombre but very cool acknowledgement of some 3000+ Albertans who died serving their country.

Plus a few others.

Every cross has the name of the soldier and the date that he died.  The heart-breaking majority were in 1917 and 1918, and then a sizeable minority were from around 1943 and 1944.  I saw two others representing soldiers from 1950 and 1956.  There were too many for me to see every one of them, but I like the acknowledgement, effort and taste of this (far too large) mark of respect.

Devonian Gardens, Calgary

Come with me into a tropical oasis.  I know it's November - let's dream and just ignore the snow that is falling outside.

My husband and I had to be in Calgary city centre at an unearthly hour this morning to drop our two girls off at a dance convention.  We decided we would hang out in the downtown core, which is pretty deserted on a weekend.  Excuse quality of photos - just the cell phone this week.

 It started to snow as we headed inside one of the malls.

We had a leisurely breakfast, and did a little shopping 

and as we walked through an overpass, we could see that the continuing snowfall was starting to settle on the branches of the trees, which always looks pretty - but it was not settling on the roads or paths (yet!).

At lunchtime we wandered up to the top level of The Core shopping mall off 7th Avenue in the heart of the city.  Here we munched away on our lunch, sitting among a lovely chunk of indoor tropical greenery.

The Devonian Gardens were originally opened in 1977, but  were closed for several years and re-furbished.  They opened again in June 2012.  There are over 500 palm trees up here.  I don't even want to think how much that weighs, or the stress it puts on the floor and ceiling joists!

The Devonian Gardens is the only indoor urban oasis in Calgary.

On a quiet Saturday lunchtime, there were plenty of seats and not many people, but during the week the office workers descend and the place is hopping.

There are living walls of plants and flowers

and water features provide an interesting distraction 

from the commercial hubbub of stores.  

Little children are particulary enamoured with the koi.

Wooden carved masks adorn the walls

and parents bring their small people to burn off some energy.

And then you are back out into the mall again,

 and look how much snow has gathered 

on the curved glass roof.

It's time for us to go and pick up the girls and check out how pooped they are after dancing for 5 hours.

That snow sure wants to settle on these gentlemen.

And the trees provide glistening, feathery silhouettes 

to the urban scenery.

And winter begins in Alberta.

Linking to Our World Tuesday this week.

Autumn skies

For the week that is Canadian Thanksgiving, 

I am grateful to see this array of skies in my world.

 

Linking to Our World Tuesday and SkyWatch Friday.

I hope you have had a thankful week too.