The Diabetes Games

I took C to a new endocronologist yesterday. I like him. Unlike our previous doctor, I believe he will provide us with quality health care. Before we left the office, he gave us five contact numbers: office, home, pager, cell, and wife's cell. He told us that any time we have concerns about C's health, we should call him. Wow.

The doc also challenged us to play in The Diabetes Games. This is a system he invented to interest children in becoming involved in their own diabetes care. He claims that if I don't get C actively involved now, and give him some incentive to work at it, then getting him to manage his own disease in his teens will be a real struggle.

Part One of the Games is the Over/Under Game. C earns a point each time he tests his blood glucose (BG) level before a meal or snack. That's 5 points per day just for checking his BG. Then, if his BG is in his target range (70-150), he earns another point, for a total of up to 10 points per day. At the end of the day, Super D and I settle up with him and pay him up to $1.00, depending on how well he managed his diabetes during that day. As C ages, we can pay more, which will probably equate to gas money when he is old enough to drive.

Part Two of the Games is the 100 Game. Each time his BG hits his target (100), he gets a Bonus prize. We haven't decided yet on the prize, but it can be a game download for his iPod Touch, a new book, or a new toy. Maybe we will give him a choice between the three.

Part Three of the Games is the 7% Game. Every time we visit the endocronologist, they take a sample of C's blood and test his HbA1c. This test measures his BG control over the past 2-3 months by measuring the percentage of glycosylated hemoglobin, or HbA1c, in the blood. (I don't get it either.) The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends a level of 7% or below, while other health care professionals recommend less than 6.5%. Yesterday, C's A1c was 8.8%. Our doc has promised that when C's A1c results are less than 7%, he will give C $20! You should have seen C's eyes pop out of his head when he heard that.

We are on day 2 of The Diabetes Games. So far, C has raked in 80 cents. The doc changed some of the settings on the insulin pump, so it may take a few days for his BG to level out to normal levels, but C has been eager to test and disappointed when his BG is too high. Before yesterday, he didn't show any care about testing or good levels. The doc talked with C about diabetes management being C's job, and if he does his job, he gets paid. I think the doc is right; this may work yet! We just had to find the right motivator - money!