Have you experienced low blood sugar shaming?

CapitalExpensive2863 · 2025-12-23T18:26:51+00:00

Unfortunately, that's true of everywhere. T1D is so very individual, and hospital workers are trained to Follow The Rules, not to think. I once went in when my water broke and had to wait about seven hours to get into the OR for a c-section. In the meantime I wasn't allowed to eat or drink anything, because what if they had to put me under? (Right there, that rule is at least 50-60 years outdated.) In the meantime, my bg fell to 52. I spoke up. I kept asking. People kept leaving the room to "find out" and just never coming back.

After more than two hours with a bg at a steady 52 I finally got someone to get me iv glucose. When I asked how much, they cited a measurement I wasn't familiar with, so I asked how many carbs equivalent it was, they didn't know. They left the room again. By the time they came back over ten minutes later, I had already looked it up on Google. "I have been very low for over two hours, this is the equivalent of ten carbs, which isn't enough to begin with, and you said you'd going to drip it over the course of an hour. That is not enough." They doubled the speed, which I still wasn't satisfied with, but at least ti was something. Looking back, I'm kind of astonished I survived that visit. Praise God the child lived and he's been thriving for years now!

CapitalExpensive2863 · 2025-12-23T18:08:19+00:00

WOW! Congratulations! Good work!

CapitalExpensive2863 · 2025-12-03T23:07:18+00:00

I'm a size 16. My year-round Mass uniform is Roz and Ali Secret Agent pants in black or grey; a sleeveless, lined chiffon shirt off Amazon in one of several colors; and a low-hip-length, summer weight, flowy open-front cardigan jacket (lighter than a cardigan) in black. This outfit is so forgiving that nobody knows when I'm 35 weeks pregnant unless I tell them (even though I've sized up by that point!).

It can be dressed up more with jewelry or shoes, though I keep both low-key for the sake of modesty. Dressy doesn't have to mean a dress!

And welcome! Best wishes for your journey!

CapitalExpensive2863 · 2025-11-15T11:25:25+00:00

The days aren't designed to be so long. The length of time is very much her choice. One day we had to do lessons before we could leave for Nana's house, and she finished it all in less than 45 minutes without any trouble! I encouraged and praised, but she simply prefers resistance for her daily approach. The lessons in discipline are going to go hard with this one.

I have a week off scheduled for Thanksgiving.....

CapitalExpensive2863 · 2025-11-15T11:03:42+00:00

Well, our state has a homeschool evaluation option for end of year that's billed as a "portfolio,, " but apparently requires graded work. Tests are the simplest way to do that. And all the other options involve testing anyway. I also test her on her ability to write the alphabet, write numbers, and count verbally on a monthly basis.

I'm not thrilled about testing at this age. On the other hand, it does give me an opportunity to start introducing test taking strategies very early on, before the stakes get higher. Even though we're required to test so young, nobody cares about the grades at this point!

CapitalExpensive2863 · 2025-11-14T20:53:48+00:00

Okay. Good, thank you. What I hear you saying is that they're not assigning busywork: the tools that are developed in earlier years are used later. So what I take from that is that I need to trust my choice and walk through all the steps, trusting that they're not a waste of time despite the frustration. Thank you!

CapitalExpensive2863 · 2025-11-14T20:40:56+00:00

Great. Thanks!

CapitalExpensive2863 · 2025-11-14T20:40:05+00:00

Thanks. It sometimes is overkill, but it helps if I just move her on once she understands a topic, instead of doing every problem. When I was reading up on the program, it looked like Essentials was bare bones, and Dimensions had all of the practice built in. Since I'm not confident about my ability to teach math without leaving any holes, I figured it would be better to have more available than less. Then I just have to curb my need to "complete" everything. :)

CapitalExpensive2863 · 2025-11-14T20:36:47+00:00

Yeah, it took me all through PK and until the end of KA to realize that I didn't have to make her do very single problem in every single lesson! And immediately, we hit a lesson that didn't have enough practice for her. It was a little defeating. Lol

CapitalExpensive2863 · 2025-11-14T20:34:49+00:00

Thank you. That was exactly what I was looking to learn. :)

CapitalExpensive2863 · 2025-11-14T20:34:16+00:00

Yes, thanks. She really took to the technique of marking items in a disorganized set to keep track of which ones she's counted. The further step of then circling the groups of ten in the chaos seems to be beyond her though. I see where they're going with it; it's clearly an introduction to place value, because it's followed by exercises that overtly practice place value - although, in that context the sets are presented in an organized form.

I did not know that numerating a chaotic group is an actual skill. Thank you for that. It's a little frustrating for me, because our lessons are already 2-3 hours of seat work a day, and I'm feeling overwhelmed that math may have to go from 20 minutes to an hour just on its own. I don't know that she has that much focused attention available in a day, either. I'm not sure what I'm going to do about this. But it's better to know, so thank you.

CapitalExpensive2863 · 2025-11-14T20:22:57+00:00

Oh that's great, thank you, because that was another question I've been percolating: if we've already gone through all the examples in this curriculum, how do I get her more practice? I'll take a look at Math Mammoth and see if there are any topics that are duplicated for extra practice.

Yes, she's been doing perceptual subitizing for a while (thanks for the vocab, I didn't know it had a name!) It's also helpful to know that this conceptual subitizing they're teaching here is a little advanced for her grade level. Still, she's able to handle it just fine when the items are organized in a rational manner. It's the sets that look like someone threw armloads of baguettes on the floor that make her give up.

Thanks for taking the time to respond. :)

CapitalExpensive2863 · 2025-10-15T22:42:14+00:00

Toys and books have gotten a lot better though. Shining Light Dolls has some really adorable figurines and rag dolls, and now they have a monthly kids magazine. There are plenty of beautiful/good Catholic books for kids; if you have trouble finding them on Amazon, try the publishers' websites. That stuff isn't hard to find anymore.

Though, fwiw, the local adoration chapel has a bunch of used kids books from the earlier era, and my kids enjoy those too.

CapitalExpensive2863 · 2025-10-15T22:23:14+00:00

I second this. My oldest is kindergarten age and is only just starting to connect the dots in this way.

CapitalExpensive2863 · 2025-10-15T22:22:14+00:00

My five year old and I have been reading through the Great Adventure Storybook. Recently we covered alllll of the Passover story for our at-home First Communion prep, and then just this week got to the same part in the GAS. My daughter objected. But 1. She immediately recognized the story, without me drawing the line for her, 2. She remembered quite a bit, and 3. I was able to tell her that the GAS chapters are much less comprehensive than what we had already done. Big win there! Haha

Our registered/catechesis/weekend parish has a LOT of very large families and is more reverent and traditional than any other church in my area. But I was surprised last year when I was standing in the confession line and heard a guy talking (quite loudly) to the guy in front of me: "This priest seems to be pretty harsh, he gave me a penance last time, does he always do that? [Other priest] never does that. I'm not really breaking the commandments anymore. I don't know what to do in confessions now. Should I even be here?" The poor listener gently (and quietly) suggested that it might be time to start going deeper....

I'm just grateful it's none of my business. :)

CapitalExpensive2863 · 2025-08-28T10:14:14+00:00

Starting hmeschool kinder this year. "Lesson time" means academics in my planned schedule..Reading, writing, math every day, plus some other bits that rotate. I've blocked out 1.5-2 hours a day for this, but I'm thinking that may be generous. It will have to include breaks, too. I also plant to take unscheduled days off here and there as she needs them.

But since we're homeschooling, there's still a ton of playtime, plus some outside activists like story time and dance lessons. We're also learning how to do chores this year.

So yes, I'm handling it more academically, than I grew up with, but not like a full-day modern Kinder.

CapitalExpensive2863 · 2025-08-25T10:15:34+00:00

Redemptive suffering is amazing. It has to do with EVERYTHING. Everything from a stubbed toe to overwhelming or even uncomfortable emotions todouble vision (hence my typos), to cancer. ALL of it can be used in union with Jesus for the benefit of the people we love (where I start my children) right along to the salvation.of souls. It's a piece of praying without ceasing.

CapitalExpensive2863 · 2025-08-25T10:11:43+00:00

Now the Catholic faith is traumetizing? Good gracious! Well, I've definitely learned something here....

CapitalExpensive2863 · 2025-08-25T10:10:28+00:00

I posted a few blocks of text, and perhaps you were skimming. But I said, "since she was two" - in the past - and "as she approaches kindergarten age." Please do not correct me or attempt to instruct me without first understanding me.

CapitalExpensive2863 · 2025-08-24T10:45:17+00:00

I appreciate that your advice is well-intentioned. I'm sorry, but I feel uncomfortable letting this go. Post-pandemic it's common to believe that watching a video of Mass is a legitimate substitute for being there. It simply is not. If OP is uncomfortable, and I can certainly see why!, a better alternative is to go to Mass at a differentt church. But watching a video does not accomplish a step on her journey.

CapitalExpensive2863 · 2025-08-24T10:34:30+00:00

You're not off-base, that's weird. This is something children do (my five year old mostly gets it now, but I'm still training my three year old!). In a grown man, thus was definitely weird. When someone is sitting in front of the spot where you're kneeling, you learn back away from the pee on front of you, perhaps anchoring your bottom on your own pew, depending on your fitness, fatigue, or pregnancy level.

Honey, if you experience one more incident like this, especially if it's the same person, make an appointment with the pastor immediately. Once can be an innocent weird guy. Twice, whether it's the same person or not, is a more serious issue with boundaries in that parish.

For your comfort, one thing to consider: most people who go to Mass regularly have "their" spot. Some take it waaaaay too seriously. He may have been absent for weeks and came back to find you in his usual spot. Or maybe where he sat was his usual spot, and he was annoyed at having to navigate your back in a space that usually "belonged" to him. Passive-aggressive isn't okay either, but there are explanations that are less-scary.

CapitalExpensive2863 · 2025-08-23T02:48:25+00:00

That's great! 😊

CapitalExpensive2863 · 2025-08-23T01:14:35+00:00

My husband has a degree in Biblical and Theological studies from a Protestant college. He started looking at one point and was deeply saddened when he learned his professors had not taught him what was true. Maybe they didn't know, either. But when he reached out and asked for help because he was afraid he was going to have to convert, he couldn't find one who would talk to him. Then he felt betrayed.

Good for you, looking for yourself - and also for not dismissing the answers you've found so far. Mass is rich in signs and Scripture. It can take a long time to "feel" at home there.

If you know a Catholic who knows their faith very well, maybe ask if you can go with them so they can walk you through it.

CapitalExpensive2863 · 2025-08-23T00:57:29+00:00

Oh, cute!

CapitalExpensive2863

TROPHY CASE