The Olsen Update

 This is one of the saddest posts I've had to write in some time... Two weeks ago I got a phone call from my brother in law, Brad.  He started the conversation with a little laugh and "I think your Alana has rubbed off on Reed" I was perplexed.  Oh no.  What did Alana do now?   "It looks like Reed is a type 1 diabetic too" I was floored.  I had just gone to Alana's school to give a talk on T1D, now we have another child in my husband's family who is insulin dependent. (My pancreas prop) Reed and Alana were born a year and two days apart. Reed had to go to the hospital in DKA on his tenth birthday.  It's the worst birthday present EVER!!! I felt hopeless and all I wanted to drop everything and fly out to Utah to help out.  But Alana was turning nine the next day and there was just no way I could make it happen.  So we scheduled to skype that night. While laying in his hospital bed, we talked to him, c...

Today is Alana's 2nd "Diaversary".  I'm so proud of her and how far we have come. I remember sitting in the ICU with my 6 year old, who was dying before my eyes.  She was weak and not there.  Alana was so brave.  She saw the pain  in my eyes and would tell me that she was going to be Okay. Jen (Alana's first DIAbuddy) and Wendy where the first people I called. I know they came into our lives when they did for a reason.  With out them I may have fallen apart. It seemed like a whirl-wind. Dr.s, nurses, educators.  I felt like I was in a dream land.  There's no way that this was happening to my child. She was perfect.  After four days in the ICU we were left to medically care for someone who's life now relied so heavily on us and insulin.  Alana was thrilled to go home.  I on the other hand was scared to death.  As we drove away from the hospital, I half wanted to turn back. As I look back at these events, I think ...

Here's another!

(This is an old image of two of our cats.  Thought we could have some fun)

I'm so proud of Alana in her decision to be baptized.  I admit, I cried several times during the day.  The talks were beautiful and touching.  The blessings, heart warming.  The spirit in the room was absolutely amazing.

While at fundraising event for our Walk to Cure team, I was asked the same question several times.       So who's Alana? After pointing her out their response to her was... But you don't look sick. How many times do you look at a person with a handicap permit and say... They don't need that.   They look fine. I'll admit.  I've shamefully said it before.  So many of us look at people with a disease or disability as if it's something you have to see for it to be real. If you don't see Alana's insulin pump or see her check her blood sugar, you might not realize she has a disease at all.  She's a pretty healthy kid, diabetes aside. She rides her bike, swims, climbs the monkey bars and gets good grades. But we're that family.  The one who's counting every single carb that enters Alana's body.  Always referring to our Calorie King app for the right numbers.  We're that family who dreads pizza night because we know that it make...

Please join Alana's Brave Crew as we walk and raise money for JDRF. The goal is to find a cure for Type One Diabetes. This year's theme is "The Greatest Show on Earth". That's right... It's circus themed! So we'll all be donning our best circus attire as well as our walk to cure shirts (I'll be posting soon).  Sign up today to be a walker/virtual walker . Our goal is to have everyone raise $100 each. Saturday, October 26, 2013 at Reliant Park Registration: 7:30am Walk: 9:00am

Tonight I met Mrs. Darring at a vendor event/fundraiser for Alana's Brave Crew.  She was sweet and kind and I could tell that she has a huge heart.  She asked if she could share a little piece about us one her page Anne B Darring For Judge .  It warms my sole to read this.  Thank you Anne. And Good luck in the election.   The Face of Juvenile Diabetes This is Alana Olsen with her mom Carina. Alana has juvenile diabetes and has to wear an insulin pump at all times. Her brave battle is undetectable through her enthusiasm and cheerful energy. The thing is,  juvenile diabetes is incurable at this point. Research is the key. We must find a way to bring an end to this suffering. This is a life-threatening autoimmune disease in which a person's pancreas stops producing insulin - a hormone essential to the ability to get energy from food. It strikes both children and adults suddenly and changes life as they know it forever. On October 26th there is Walk...

Just a few days away  from celebrating Alana's first "DIAVERSARY", we received the news we had been waiting for.  Check out the video for our results... YIPEEE!!! YEP!  Ariana is not likely to EVER develop an auto immune disease.   Thank you God! It's likely that both girls had a virus that was causing their blood sugar to fluctuate.  Testing will eventually be done on Amelia as well.

When I watched this video I cried like a little baby.  Tears ran down my face.  Janet's video is a great message to ANYONE battling ANYTHING.

This is what we did instead of getting work done today. Happy Spring Break EVERYONE!!!

Some days like today, I wonder what my true calling in life is. When you have a love for one thing...  The thing that has devoured your life since your youth.  Then this new thing... something totally out of left field hits you and you begin to question yourself. Was my passion just a passion? Is this NEW THING your life's calling? It has been waiting to hit you like a ton of bricks. You just didn't know it.         ... and then it lands on you like the anvil from the Wile E Coyote cartoons. I'm really not sure what's bringing this all on right now.  There's a little flame in my head that's burning away at me. Call it Mothers Intuition... I'm not sure. Maybe I'm waiting to see what happens.  There are several things just UP IN THE AIR right now... Time will tell. I'm living in limbo... or maybe on the TV show LOST.  There's this smoky monster called DIABETES lurking around the corner and in a flash....It's eaten up an...

I know a lot of people have been waiting to hear from me since yesterday.  To be honest  I'm not  sure what I'm supposed to think at this point. To lighten the mood.  Here's a pic of Ariana in what she wore to the DR. appointment. It went a little like this... Dr. Riley sat Ariana and I down.  He gave her a look over and looked at her charts and results from the test done by  Dr. Sim. He then quickly jumped in telling me about the different studies he had worked on for over thirty years. Two of which was geared towards us. The first was a study where they tested siblings of T1D patients for the markers of T1D.  Those who had the markers (classified as T1D Dysglycemic) would be tracked by the Doctors to see what happened with their blood sugar leading up to going "full blown".  What they found was, in the weeks, months or even years before they were full blown, their Blood Sugar would do this little ...

This morning I woke up frustrated.  Both Ariana and Amelia's blood sugar both are up... AGAIN.  I hate waiting for results. Ariana's morning fasting BG: 134 Amelia's morning fasting BG: 138 UUUUUugggggghhhhh!!!!! Today I took Cupcakes to Ariana's school to celebrate her birthday.  She wore yellow.... AGAIN.  I'm guessing it's a yellow kind of week. There is a tention in the air in the Olsen home.  Not understanding whats going on in these girls bodies. Is this what Alana's blood sugar did before she was diagnosed? The ideas keep rushing by us so fast and no one thing makes since. ...still waiting for test results...

I got the sweetest email that was being sent around my Granny's church.  We feel so blessed to have people all around the world praying for our girls.  From the bottom of my heart, I thank each and everyone of you. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Here's her message... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- And he [Jesus] took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them. Mark 10:16 I have 3 great granddaughters. They are sisters. The oldest was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes last year at age 6. Now her two younger sisters ages 5 and 2 are having the same symptoms for Type 1 Diabetes. Please pray for these precious little girls that these tests will be negative for T1D. The family would appreciate your prayers. This little family are believers and the oldest said prayers at dinner the o...

After yesterday's testing, Ariana wanted to wear her favorite color to school.  Can you tell what it is? It's so weird that I'm bloging about Ariana and Amelia on Alana's blog.  I hope this doesn't become habit. Ariana's Morning fasting BG: 124 Amelia's Morning fasting BG: 108 Still waiting for test results. What the heck is causing them to flux?

FACT. I'm sure this will ramble a bit but I have a lot on my mind I need to get off my chest.  Lets start this story off at last week. FRIDAY: My 2 year old Amelia was showing a few signs of T1D.  The most important being that she was going to the bathroom a lot.  So I checked her blood sugar and it was 134. Mind you, to this point we have checked her sugars were always under 100.  So we decided we'd call the Dr. and take her in.  A urinalysis was done and everything checked out with no sugar spilling into her urine  The Dr. wanted to do a blood panel on her as well but it had to be fasting.  Plans were to go in on Monday for LAB work. SATURDAY: Morning blood sugar on Amelia 119. SUNDAY: Amelia's morning blood sugar 94. Normal.  We went to church and I started to notice something strange going on with Ariana (our soon to be 5 year old).  She was very sleepy in her primary class and even fe...

Like Tony Stark, Alana's Insulin Pump keeps her alive... Copyright  www.AlanasBraveCrew.com In honor of Alana being on the insulin pump for a whole day, we decided to mark the event with a mini photo shoot in my studio. Alana an her sisters all love Iron man. This image only seemed fitting. Enjoy. (feel free to share this image but please give credit/link) Lets find a cure for TYPE 1 DIABETES! www2.jdrf.org/goto/ABC