Thursday, April 25, 2013

Pearly Whites

Yesterday was a very big day for Madeline...she had her first dental cleaning!  All this time she has had to sit and watch from the sidelines as her sister got to sit in the special chair and have fun things done in her mouth (at least that is what we have been telling her).

As I sat filling out the paperwork for Madeline, I realized I have never had to write out her medical history before.  I have filled out paperwork many times for the doctors office, but they know the deal with her Type 1, and just need to know if there have been any changes.  This was different.  I actually had to list her insulin medications, hospital visits, and the biggie, diabetes.
 
As we waited in the waiting room, I could see the receptionist talking quietly with the dentist and pointing out her medical history.  Yeah, a 4 year old with diabetes,  that will for sure create a little "what the whaaaat?".

As Madeline climbed on the fun chair that moves up and down, the dentist looked at me and said: "so, I see Madeline has diabetes?  Type 1?".  Wow, at that point I realized I had just wrote "diabetes", not "Type 1 diabetes", on her paperwork.  Why, I have no idea.  So I am incredibly happy that he knew what type of diabetic she was, I nod my head wildly and blurt a surprised "yes!".  To which his reply was "so you control her diabetes with food and exercise?".  My happy face fell off my face in a nano-second when I had to say "no, she is insulin dependent".  He then realized that her listed medications of Humalog and Lantus must be insulin's.  I'm betting there was a little internet surfing going on after we left the office.

It is very frustrating when people are confused about diabetes.  Meri at Our Diabetic Life explains this perfectly. 

I still love our dentist.  He made Madeline's first cleaning so fun and exciting, we were all laughing.  I don't know what was funnier, Madeline keeping her mouth wide open the entire time she sat in the chair (impressive), or the dentist cracking up at Madeline discovering new uses for the suction tube for spit.  I must say, the girl is creative.

It was so nice to have an appointment that didn't require blood sugar numbers, finger pricks or a million questions.  Our only instructions were "keep up the good work with brushing and flossing!".   How refreshing.

Madeline will be back in 6 months for another cleaning.  Next time she will be wearing her new Medtronic Revel insulin pump (more on that next post).  I'm sure that will create a few new diabetic questions, that Madeline, will be more than happy to explain.

That is if she closes her mouth long enough.