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bev

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Parent of person with diabetes
Hi all!

Today we got the results of Alex's HbA1c test. It was 8.2 which i do know is not brilliant - but when he was diagnosed 13 weeks ago he was 12.4 - so it is an improvement of sorts - so hopefully we will be able to get it lower next time he has it done! Also, his DN told me that although the guidelines say 6.5 is an ideal - she thinks that aiming for 7 is better as it will mean he has suffered less hypos - so onwards and upwards!

And thankyou to you all for helping us get through these weeks - i am sure it has helped us to lower his HbA1c result more than if we hadnt joined this forum.:D:D:DBev
 
Well done, that's a fantastic drop in such a short space of time!

I think 7 is a fair and achieveable target for someone of Alex's age and newness to this to aim for.
 
I think that's a great result Bev and Alex! You've brought it down 33% despite the problems you've been having with the honeymoon period, and the fact that everything's new! Terrific!🙂
 
Just wanted to add my congratulation to you and Alex. You must be delighted
 
Great news, his is better than mine which is a 8.7% It's been a long time since I had one near 8%
Congratulations,

Tom H
 
Well done Alex and Bev. It is good to know our combined support has helped you too.
 
Congratulations and well done to Alex and Bev. You must be dead chuffed :D
 
Tom Hreben said:
Great news, his is better than mine which is a 8.7% It's been a long time since I had one near 8%
Congratulations,

Tom H
Click to expand...

Hi Tom,
I am sorry if you are disappointed with your HbA1c result. Have your diabetes team offered you any advice on trying to reduce it? If not, maybe you could askthem next time you have an appointment?

Also, thanks to all of you for your kind words - it really does make a difference - and makes a little boy happy to know that your thinking of him!

I bought Alex a new t-shirt for coping so well with all the changes he has had to make - i thought perhaps it may spur him on to keep up the good work - with a view to improving it for next time! 🙂Bev x
 
Bev, have you thought of keeping a scrap book or album for Alex of all his achievements? The achievements can be accompanied by a few words or thoughts from Alex and will give him something nice to look at when he is feeling low. The theory is it will work a bit like photos of special occaisons and give him a lift.
 
Oooh what a lovely idea! I think i will have a chat with him about it - although he 'pretends' he is very grown up - i know that deep down he is still a little boy who would get a lot of fun out of doing something like that! Thanks. 🙂Bev x
 
scrapbooks - and geocaching

Just to expand on Caroline's excellent scrapbook idea - please ensure you inlcude things from all aspects of his life (and that of siblings, assuming he has some?), not just diabetes, but also fun days out, holidays, school certificates, youth group certificates, print outs of web pages etc.

One idea that he might like to try, which would require you to borrow a GPS unit, is geocaching - a sort of treasure hunt, with results recorded online - see http://www.geocaching.com/ The activity couldn't start until 2 May 2000, when USA changed "selective availability", increasing accuracy to all users, and I didn't start until 2004, aged late 30s, but have continued, only a few each year - and my nieces, aged from 6 years upwards love it.
 
Hi Copepod!

Wow i have just looked at the link - there are 4 literally on the doorstep - i mean about 10 yards from our house! How amazing is that! We dont have a gps system -well we do have an ipod thingy and various mobile phones and a sat nav - would any of these pick it up? Sorry - i am not that technical!
Not only would Alex enjoy this - so would we and his 2 sisters - one aged 17 who is so competitive -and one aged 21 who loves exercise! So a great family day out then! Thanks so much for that info - cant wait to show them when they get home!

Yes scrapbook idea is good - his sisters will probably help with it - they absolutely adore Alex and would do anything for him - all of us would actually! 🙂Bev
 
geocaching

Bev - there's a forum on the geocaching website - look for United Kingdom forum in Geocaching Groups by country. Worth asking there for more guidance.

In the meantime, yes, you could probably find some caches by using a combination of "Additional Hints" (most caches have these, put into a substitution code, which is easy to solve) and online maps to find grid reference on 1:50,000 scale Ordnance Survey maps - but those don't show fences, for example. Locals on the Geocachiong forum can probably suggest some suitable caches to try, if you state your area of interest. But, best chance of success is if you can borrow a GSP from a friend for intial searches - then, if you like it, you can buy a GPS, around ?100 for cheapest. Geocaching is certainly best done in a group - more eyes - and even better with people of different heights. Having said that, my partner & I failed to find one in the pouring rain in the Peak District, but when I found myself in the same location a few months later, I found it, by looking upwards. iPods and mobile phones can't help with satellite navigation systems; car sat navs can, but are not as accurate as hand held devices.

Anyway, good luck - and please let us know when you find your first cache.
 
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Copepod said:
Bev - there's a forum on the geocaching website - look for United Kingdom forum in Geocaching Groups by country. Worth asking there for more guidance.

In the meantime, yes, you could probably find some caches by using a combination of "Additional Hints" (most caches have these, put into a substitution code, which is easy to solve) and online maps to find grid reference on 1:50,000 scale Ordnance Survey maps - but those don't show fences, for example. Locals on the Geocachiong forum can probably suggest some suitable caches to try, if you state your area of interest. But, best chance of success is if you can borrow a GSP from a friend for intial searches - then, if you like it, you can buy a GPS, around ?100 for cheapest. Geocaching is certainly best done in a group - more eyes - and even better with people of different heights. Having said that, my partner & I failed to find one in the pouring rain in the Peak District, but when I found myself in the same location a few months later, I found it, by looking upwards. iPods and mobile phones can't help with satellite navigation systems; car sat navs can, but are not as accurate as hand held devices.

Anyway, good luck - and please let us know when you find your first cache.
Click to expand...
This sounds quite cool. A nice way to get out of the house and get fit. So if I've understood your posts and the Wikipedia page right, its a form of souped up treasure hunting? Aided by GPS? Or guided I should say. 🙂
 
Geocaching

Yes, souped up treasure hunting with a GPS sums it up pretty well, and a good way to get out of house and get fit. I've posted photos of my bike or muddy boots with several finds, just to make the point that you don't need a car for all.
Please look at www.geocaching.com for more information. There are specific pages aimed at beginners - see Getting Started, linked from front page or go straight to www.geocaching.com/about/ There are also forums to ask other geocachers - see http://forums.groundspeak.com/GC/
 
Wow i have just looked at the link - there are 4 literally on the doorstep - i mean about 10 yards from our house!
Click to expand...
Why don't you go and look?
We've found quite a few local ones with just a map and French maps are nowhere as good as the OS ones. We have young grandchildren and they've really enjoyed our expeditions. They love swapping their offerings, (its usually some form of craftwork: last time we made beaded keyrings) for something from the cache.
We used to enjoy orienteering in the UK This is a really great sport for families and we did it throughout our children's childhood. Sadly in France (at least where we live), there is more emphasis on the superfit and the young so we've given it up. Geocaching is not quite the same but its still a great way of getting out and exploring places.
 
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Hi!

Yes now i know about it i will give it a go! It sounds like great fun - and sounds like your grandchildren enjoyed it very much! 🙂Bev
 
Hi Bev,

It doesn't bother me too much what my HbA1C is. I go by the "win some lose some" school of thought. My team are great and I'm very grateful for their work. My diabetes nurse is now retiring sadly. She was the first one I had when I was diagnosed way back in 1996. End of an era I think.

Keep up your good work with Alex and my best wishes,

Tom h
 
I got my results last week and ive come down from 9.something to 8.something (cant remember the exact number) so I was quite happy, especially as ive had lots of stress recently :( so yay 🙂
 
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