The past week has been a lot.
Kay recently came down with what we can only describe as a very random viral infection. It started off subtle, nothing too alarming at first, but then she developed a rash that definitely caught my attention and led us to a visit with her pediatrician. After examining her, the pediatrician wasn’t able to pinpoint anything specific and ultimately chalked it up to a viral infection—her little body doing what it’s supposed to do: fighting something off, even if we don’t know exactly what that “something” is.
But as most parents of kids with Type 1 Diabetes know, even something as “simple” as a virus is never really simple.
What made this past week especially challenging wasn’t just the rash or the uncertainty—it was how dramatically it impacted Kay’s blood sugars. Typically, we expect to see higher blood sugars with illness. And while she did spike after meals like she normally does, what threw me off completely was what happened after.
She would drop. Fast.
And not from large doses of insulin—just the smallest amounts. Doses that would normally keep her steady suddenly felt way too aggressive. It became this constant balancing act of trying to keep her in range without sending her too low, and honestly, it caught me off guard.
I found myself struggling to keep her blood sugars up more than anything else, which isn’t usually our norm during illness. It meant more frequent checks, more intervention, and a lot more hovering than usual. Sleep? Pretty minimal for both of us. Between watching her numbers and making sure she was okay overall, it was one of those weeks where you’re just in it, doing what you need to do moment by moment.
What’s also interesting is that she wasn’t on any medication that could have interfered with her CGM readings or caused these fluctuations. This was purely her body responding to the illness itself. It’s a good reminder that hormones, stress responses, and the immune system all play a role in blood sugar management—sometimes in ways you don’t expect.
The good news is that she seems to be on the mend. Her rash has improved, her energy is coming back, and her blood sugars are finally starting to return to what’s “normal” for her.
If there’s anything this past week reinforced for me, it’s that sickness—no matter how mild or vague—can make managing Type 1 Diabetes so much more complicated. There isn’t always a clear pattern or predictable response, and sometimes you’re just doing your best to keep up and keep them safe.
We made it through, and I’m very grateful to be on the other side of it. But whew… this one definitely kept me on my toes.