Awesome and inspiring young girls

Leah(9), D-B (11) , Candy (11)

I am so proud of these 3 beautiful young ladies.  They have decided to cut their hair and donate it to #locksoflove to help provide other people who are suffering for cancer, that have lost their hair.

Just being ponies :-)

Not only do they desire to help others who live with Type 1 Diabetes they also want to help others who are suffering from cancer.

AMAZING young ladies!!  LOVE you gals so much!

Very exciting day in PEI - Government announces insulin pump funding for Islanders

Female diabetics...

Ok so we have been dealing with "growing up" the last few months and the challenges it brings to diabetes management and I have to say it really is a rough battle.  We have been struggling with highs lately and also crazy girl emotions...

Site changed today after a whole day of sitting in the teens.  So very frustrating.  I sure hope today is a better day for her.

It's amazing what hormones does to BG levels.

I really wish i could just switch pancreases.  I would give her my pancreas any day and be the diabetic for my girl.  Oh man if only that was an option.

Just having a "Hating Diabetes" moment!

Thanks for reading!

Living with Type 1 with Candy Wolf

World Diabetes Day!!

So I have decided to go with donations toward the Canadian Diabetes Association and directly to dcamps, a summer camp for children living with Type 1 diabetes.   Candy was able to go to dcamp, camp redfox,  this past summer and she has met long lasting D friends there.  

Everything is in place.  The school is on board, the newspaper is all a go, we have the exercise class, UFIT,  on board and a healthy snack, provided by Atlantic Superstore,  for all the students. 

One last thing is to confirm our local news to be on board and print off the posters to give to the school!

If you would like to show your support, wear BLUE on Thursday November 14th.  

Candy's Type 1 Diabetes Diagnosis Story

Hello I am Alisha Wolf the mother of Hannah Wolf from Mme. E grade class 6, at home we call her Candy. Candy is a very happy, horse loving little girl. Candy was born July 2002 and was a healthy baby and toddler. 

Type 1 diabetes is a form of diabetes that results from autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. 

Type 1 Diabetes runs in our family and therefore In 2006 I decided to have Candy screened for the Trial Net Study at the IWK, to test for genetic markers for Type 1 Diabetes. 

TrialNet is a study that screens close blood relatives of people with type 1 diabetes because relatives of people with type 1 diabetes have a 10 to 15 times greater risk for developing the disease than people with no family history.

These blood tests came back with results that were not so welcoming, Candy was labeled HIGH RISK for developing Type 1 Diabetes. 

In the summer of 2009, following one of her bi-yearly blood tests, she was given a 90% chance for developing diabetes within 5 years. This news was very upsetting but at the same time I was able to prepare myself for what was to come. Candy continued to have bi yearly blood tests at the IWK. 

The IWK performed a test called an oral glucose tolerance test(OGTT), a standard dose of glucose is ingested orally and blood levels are checked two hours later to determine how quickly glucose is cleared from the blood, this shows the pancreas’ functionality. When glucose is found in the blood at high levels after the two hour mark the patient in then consider a diabetic. 

February 2012 Candy's OGTT came back in the the abnormal range but she was not diagnosed diabetic at that time. Candy was having some bladder tests done during this time and there was glucose found in her urine, The urologist that was seeing her said "you need to get Candy’s diabetes under control” the urologist was unaware of Candy's medical history and increased risk for developing Type 1. Her paediatrician and family doctor did not believe she was a diabetic at this time and therefore did not do any further investigations at that time. 

June 2012 Candy had her scheduled OGTT done and it was in diabetic range. She was then officially diagnosed as a Type 1 diabetic. At that moment Candy’s life changed forever. 

From June until November Candy would check her blood glucose levels many times a day. In November her blood glucose started to rise more often and Candy was required to start insulin injections. 

November 4th 2012 was Candy’s first insulin injection as her blood glucose was in the 20’s when normal range is 4-7 mmol/L. From that moment on Candy has been required to inject insulin a minimum of 5 times a day via a needle and to check her blood glucose, by poking her finger to make it bleed and using a blood glucose meter to measure her levels, a minimum of 6 times a day with an average of 10/day. 

In October 2013, she has been very blessed to be able to be started on an insulin pump where the pump is connected to her via a small needle inserted under the skin and replaced every 3-4 days and connected to a small device that looks like a pager that gives her small doses of insulin continually all day long.  Every time Candy wants to have something to eat she needs check her BG and tell her pump to give her more insulin to cover the food she eats to prevent high blood glucose levels. 

Candy also wears a small transmitter 24/7 on her body that has sensor under her skin which is replaced every 6 days by using an needle insertion device.  This device is called a continious glucose monitor (CGM) that monitors her blood glucose every moment of the day which is allowing her some relief from poking her finger as often as she once did. 

Diabetes is a very serious disease that needs to be closely monitored 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Diabetes never sleeps and diabetes, at this time, can not be cured. 

Although Candy has insulin to keep her alive it can also kill her as well.

If she is given too much insulin it will make her blood glucose drop rapidly and can cause her to go into a diabetic coma and have seizures and/or die. 

On the other hand, if Candy does not get enough insulin she can also have some serious problems as well, Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is when there is not enough insulin and the body switches to burning fatty acids and producing acidic ketone bodies that cause most of the symptoms and complications; such as vomiting, dehydration, deep gasping breathing, confusion and occasionally coma. DKA is a medical emergency, and without treatment it can lead to death. 

Even though Candy lives with this disease she is able to live just as normally as other children.

Candy can eat what she would like and do any activities that she would like to do. 

The only difference with her is that she needs to monitor her BG levels and also count the amount of carbs for her foods that she wants to eat and administer insulin accordingly.

In one year of being a Type 1 diabetic Candy has poked her finger to check her blood glucose approximately 3650 times and injected herself with a needle to administer insulin approximately 2190 times. 

Candy and I are very passionate about getting the word out to people to let them know that Type 1 Diabetes is around and it is not invisible also that there are people all around you who live with this disease everyday. 

We would like to ask you to join with us on November 14th, WORLD DIABETES DAY, and wear BLUE to show your support and to get the word out and let people know about this disease. 

Will you join us?

Pump Start!

We are quickly approaching our pump start date!  It is 2 weeks from tomorrow!  So very exciting!  I have stocked up the supply cupboard!  It is totally full!  Candy likes the MIO infusion sets the best and also the Sure - T.

We also have the Enlite sensors and we are so excited to also start the CGM.  Exciting times approaching! 

Please comment with any suggestions you have!  Thanks!

Supply Cupboard

Candy and Dutchess before a hard ride!