Fuzzy Running

I've been running since the sixth grade.  I absolutely love running.  It's my way to relieve stress.  I get up at the crack of "even the early bird is still sleeping" so I can go for a morning run.   Crazy, no?
 

What keeps me motivated?  Deciding now is a good time in your life to have a puppy with more energy than a power plant. My distance went from a few consistent miles to I'm ready for a half marathon.  No joking.  My boy Fuzz the Golden-doodle loves to run. 

I spent months leash training him in the yard, then on the driveway, and finally the country roads.  When we run he knows where I want him to move if a car is coming.  Four door car: move a foot over.  Four door truck: move two feet over.  Stupid fast dump truck that doesn't know how to follow the speed limit: hit the ditch (country roads = a lot of ditch running).

I used to run my consistent miles at my consistent pace and just could not break the consistent.  Then Fuzz came.

There is no consistent with Fuzz.  From the moment we hit the road, it's full on speed work until he decides an immediate stop is required, to which I have to hurdle his body to avoid a collision.  He will then proceed to either smell the roses (not really roses), or leave a rose (not really a rose).  When all the gardening is done, we're back to full speed.

We eventually fall into an agreed upon pace and just cruise.  Best. Running. Partner. Ever.

I think he may actually be smiling in our after run selfie:)

When we brought Fuzz home we were actually hoping we could train him to be a diabetic service dog to Madeline. Sure.  I hadn't trained a puppy in a looooong time, so just getting through the basic training was enough.  Fuzz is still in his silly puppy stage (one and a half years old) and has the attention span of a flea.  He could still amaze us.  Then again, I have the attention span of a flea, and I'm sure not one and a half years old.

Life with our Fuzz is never dull.  He does something everyday to make us laugh, yell, or just shake our heads.

I have just started to teach him to chase the geese that have decided to take up residence on our road, driveway and yard.  Geese multiple faster than rabbits and leave a trail of mess everywhere they go.  Fuzz loves to clean up after them.....yeah, I'm a lucky girl.  So instead of clean up duty, he's now in charge of running full speed until every goose is airborne and honking obscenities at him. 

We love our Fuzz and all his quirkiness.  He's a family member, a protector and a great fuzzy friend.

A fuzzy friend that could use a couple mints once in awhile. 


 

 



    



  








 



   

My little Calapitter

It's been a long time since I've blogged.  I have blog posts rolling around my brain constantly, but you know, life.  Writing my thoughts and concerns helped me get through a pretty rough time.  I could still easily post a crazy WTF blog post daily about our regular day, but our diabetic world has changed so much in the last couple years, it has just become "normal" to us.

Madeline will be 8 in just a few short weeks.  Wow.  My little baby is almost finished with second grade and heading to college soon.  Ok, I exaggerate a bit, but where did that time go?  June will mark 6 years since she was diagnosed.  Looking back just makes me tired and irritable.  Or is that premenopause?  Whatever, moving on.

There will always be diabetes care.  Madeline has taken on the responsibility of testing, learning to count carbs, and entering numbers into her insulin pump.  There is still so much more she needs to learn before my little calapitter (as she says) can fly away from the cocoon (that's me apparently) as a butterfly.  She needs to learn pump set and insulin changes.  Insulin dosage via syringe in case of pump failure.  She will need to learn how to S.W.A.G. bolus (scientific wild ass guess), even though I never do this myself......cough, cough.  Night time alarm clocks to test, prescription orders and doctor appointments.  So, so much more to learn.  I need a nap just thinking about it.

My cell phone has become Madeline's freedom.  Play dates are actually happening.  I no longer need to rely on the adult in charge to freak out take care of the diabetic kid.  My instructions are simple: Madeline just needs to call me.  No more "Now at 3:00 she needs to test and, what?  No, she can't have super fudge extra chocolate double scoop ice cream for a small treat ....".  Now it goes down as "Hey sweetie!  What was your number?  Ok, snack carb in pump and have FUN!".  My little calapitter is growing her wings.  Unless it's a sleepover.  The thought of her going away on a sleepover scares the bajeesus out of me, so " we would love your child to sleep over!".  Again.


School is a big love of Madeline's.  She is an exceptional student and loves learning.  We have been blessed with the best school nurse we could have ever asked for too.   Madeline is allowed to test in the classroom and calls the nurse with her numbers (less health room = less germs= Mama happy).  Lunch is just a pop in and out of the nurses office for the supervised lunch insulin dose.  No more missing important class time.  

Our world is getting easier for us.  Routine is super important and Post-it Notes are the bomb.  What did the world do without those bad boys?  I used to have the memory of an elephant.  I retained everything like an encyclopedia.  Age?  Hormones?  Just don't give a shat syndrome?  I can't quite pinpoint the problem, but I have a lot of sticky notes.   An outsider looking in would think "how can you possibly do that every single day?".

My answer?  I'll get back to you as soon as I find that particular Post-it.